Chapter 26 Client Server

Interaction
Communication

across a computer network

requires a pair of application programs to
cooperate.
One application on one computer initiates
communication and the other computer
accepts the contact request.

Client-Server Paradigm
A server

is an application program that waits passively

for contact
a client is an application program that actively initiates
communication with a server.
A server application that expects communication must
interact with protocol software before an external
source (client) attempts to communicate(fig 26.1).
server application notifies the local protocol software that a

specific type of message is expected

server application then waits for a client application to
actively initiate interaction

Server Software
a

special-purpose, privileged program dedicated to

providing one service, but can handle multiple remote
clients at the same time.
is invoked automatically when a system boots
runs on a shared computer that has powerful hardware
and sophisticated operating system
waits passively for contact from any remote client
accepts contact from clients, but offers a single service
Eg. Telnetd, ftpd, named, httpd

Client Software
An

application program that becomes a client

temporarily when remote access is needed.
Invoked by a user, and executes for only one
session
Runs locally on users computer
Actively initiates contact with server
Does not require sophisticated operating system

Direction of Data Flow

a

client usually sends a request to a server, and the

server returns a response to the client.
Its possible for the client to send one request and
the server to send a response and continuous
updates (eg. Weather program)
Its possible for server to export and import
information (eg. File server)
Hence, information can flow in either or both
directions between a client and server.

Client/Server Interaction with

Transport Layer Protocol
Transport

protocols (eg. TCP, UDP) assign

each service a unique identifier.
Both clients and servers specify the service
identifier
protocol software uses the identifier to
direct each incoming request to the correct
server application(fig 26.2)

TCP Port Number

TCP uses

a 16-bit integer known as protocol port numbers

to identify services.
A unique port number is assigned to each service
A server specifies the port number for the service it offers.
A client specifies the port number of the desired service
when sending a request
TCP software uses the port number in an incoming
message to determine which server to receive the request.
well-known port numbers

Handling Multiple Clients

A concurrent

(mutitasking) file server can

handle multiple clients simultaneously.
A separate copy (process or thread) of the
server handles each request.
Each new request is handle by forking a
new child process while the parent process
waits for new requests.

Source and Destination Ports

Each

client application is assigned a port number

in SOURCE port field and a port number of the
server in the DESTINATION port field.
TCP software on the servers machine uses the
combination of client and server port numbers (as
well as client and server IP addresses) to choose
the correct copy of a concurrent server

TCP vs. UDP

Clients

and servers can use either

connection-oriented (eg. TCP) or
connectionless (eg. UDP) transport
protocols to communicate.
Some servers may support both TCP and
UDP