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Client-Server Architecture

  • By: Sharolyn Anderson & Benjamin T. Tuttle
  • In: Encyclopedia of Geography
  • Edited by: Barney Warf
  • Subject:General Geography, Earth & Environmental Science

In the client-server architecture, clients and servers communicate with one another via a network connection. This architecture is composed of a distributed computing system with software on both the client and the server. The client may initiate a session while the server sits waiting for requests from clients. A server can be used by one or many clients depending on its intent and capabilities. A client can also use one or many servers depending on its intent and capabilities.

Common Examples

Common examples of client-server architectures include e-mail exchange, database access, and Web access. The most obvious example is Web access. In this case, the Web browser (e.g., Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox) is the client. When one types a Web address into the Web browser, ...

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