The expression client server It is used in the field of computing . In that context, it's called client to the device that requires certain services to a server. The idea of server , on the other hand, refers to the equipment that provides services to the computers (computers) that are connected to it through a network.
The concept of client server or client-server , therefore refers to a communication model which links several computing devices through a net . The client, in this framework, make service requests to the server, which is responsible for satisfying these requirements.
With this architecture , the tasks are distribute between the servers (that provide the services) and the clients (that demand those services). In other words: the client asks the server for a resource, which provides an answer.
This type of models allows share of processing capacity . He server It can run on more than one computer and be more than one program. According to the services it provides, it can be called Web server , mail server in another way.
In structured networks under the client server model, the customers They centralize different applications and resources on the server. The server, in turn, ensures that these resources are available every time a client requires them.
It is important to mention that much of the services of Internet They obey the client server architecture. He Web server makes available to the client the websites, which the client accesses through his browser. The server, in this way, hosts the data that the client requests through the browser installed on their computer.
One of the most "old" examples in this context is the email , which demonstrates the principles of the client server model every second of its operation. In this case, the client sends and receives messages that "travel" through communication networks, and these are hosted in "mailboxes" whose technical name is mail servers .
Unlike what happens outside computer science, in the field of traditional mail, the user Do not open a material mailbox to look inside it if there are letters or packages, but you must ask a server (usually remote) to verify the presence of new messages and send you a response with the result. Every action is supported by this relationship, so that the client's team is not self-sufficient.
Among the most common provisions of the client server model are the multilayer systems , according to which the server offers the execution of several programs so that several computers can request them according to their needs, so that the level of distribution increases.
One of the less apparent advantages of the organization on servers and clients is that the processing capacity and memory of the latter should not be as large as that of the former, which benefits the end consumer by allowing them to use a relatively old computer to enjoy services generally very advanced.
For example, despite the fact that e-mail seems like a very light and simple "application", servers must store colossal volumes of data to satisfy all their customers, and, therefore, perform very demanding searches and queries to respond to all their requests . When we look for a term in our box to find a particular message, the server must review hundreds or thousands of files, and it does so in a fraction of a second, something that would be impossible in our homes.
The systems of streaming Videogames for remote use are another example, in this case much more demanding than email, since the client can enjoy a state-of-the-art program in real time with a computer that simply allows him to receive the video smoothly and send them events of your remote, keyboard and mouse.
