re: Defining Client-Server

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2 total messages Started by Dave Laudicina Wed, 14 Oct 1992 12:27

#116

Author: Dave Laudicina
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 12:27

49 lines
2544 bytes

In article <1992Oct12.165832.10614@devildog.att.com>  writes:
I think you have given an excellent definition of client server.

>In order to define client-server computing we have to be practical
>about it.  It doesn't exist just for it's own sake, it accomplishes or
>enables something to happen. I believe client-server is based on moving
>processing to processors that can do it the best. By the best, I mean
>at the least cost for processing and network. This moving of processing
>can be called partitioning. An application can be partitioned to
>optimize it's performance. The pieces we partition are conventionally:

Productivity benefits and the resulting cost benefits
to the user are important as well as cost of 
processing and network. 

>o Presentation
>o Processing
>o Data
>
>Presentation is the display portion, everything necessary to draw the
>screen and present the data. This is the part the user sees. Processing
>is the unseen part of computing. The manipulation that an application
>must do to move, compute, and prepare data for Presentation or Data.
>Data is the data management piece, mostly represented by Data Base
>Management Systems, but also could include simpler file management.
>
>Using these ideas, that we want to partition the three pieces of
>computing to optimize an application, we can see how a simple example
>of client-server evolved. Look at the ATM machines. They obviously are
>mostly Presentation. They can't all be expected to have the Data piece,
>so they are probably partitioned (simplified) as follows:
>
>Client ATM's
>	Presentation
>	Processing <---+
>                   |
>Bank Server(s)     |
>	Processing <---+
>	Data
>
>The Client and Server are then communicating their transaction at a
>Processing to Processing level, using whatever protocols or method is
>available and useful for the network. The important part is that the
>servers do not have to worry about Presentation protocols on the
>ATM's.
>
>There is clearly a lot more to client-server, but the important concept
>is partitioning of Processing, Presentation, and Data.
>

Re: Defining Client-Server

#129

Author: Chris Maltby
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 1992 05:08

20 lines
1454 bytes

In <1992Oct14.122702.24159@samba.oit.unc.edu> dil.admin@mhs.unc.edu (Dave Laudicina) writes:
>>There is clearly a lot more to client-server, but the important concept
>>is partitioning of Processing, Presentation, and Data.

>In article <1992Oct12.165832.10614@devildog.att.com>  writes:
>I think you have given an excellent definition of client server.

I think there's one other point which usually gets lost in the definition;
it's to do with efficiency. The split of processing between server and
client is optimal when it makes minimum demand for both processing and
communications bandwidth. I know the "costing" algorithm is ill defined,
but things which make excessive use of bandwidth (say X Windows) might
have their magic "client-server" status revoked under my test...

Chris
-- 
Chris Maltby - Softway Pty Ltd		Internet: chris@softway.sw.oz.au

PHONE:	+61-2-698-2322	"I'm waiting for X-Windows to become just that;
FAX:	+61-2-699-9174	 Ex-Windows" - A McGrath.

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