Network Architecture

Unit-4
 Introduction
• Computer Network Architecture is defined as the physical and logical
design of the software, hardware, protocols, and media of the
transmission of data. Simply we can say that how computers are
organized and how tasks are allocated to the computer.
• When it comes to network architecture, "client-server" and "peer-to-
peer" are two common terms. Both client-server and peer-to-peer
networks connect computers so that they can share resources such as
data files and applications, but they work in a different way.
• The two types of network architectures are :
• Peer-To-Peer network
• Client/Server network
 Client Server Architecture
• With the widespread adoption of the World Wide Web and HTTP in the mid-
1990s, the Internet was transformed from an early peer-to-peer network into a
content consumption network. With this transformation, the client-server
architecture became the most commonly used approach for data transfer with
new terms like “webserver” cementing the idea of dedicated computer systems
and a server model for this content.
• The client-server architecture designates one computer or host as a server and
other PCs as clients. In this server model, the server needs to be online all the
time with good connectivity. The server provides its clients with data, and can
also receive data from clients.
• Some examples of widely used client-server applications are HTTP, FTP and Cloud
Services. All of these applications have specific server-side functionality that
implements the protocol but the roles of supplier and consumer of resources are
clearly divided.
Cont..
• In a client–server network, there are at least a dedicated central
server that controls the network, and a number of clients that
connect to the server to carry out specific tasks.
• A client-server network can have more than one central server, each
performing a specific function. Functions may include user access,
data storage, internet connection management, network traffic
monitoring etc.
• Multiple clients connect to one central server. A client is a computer
or computer-controlled device that gives users access to data on the
remote server. Types of clients include smartphones, desktop
computers, laptops etc.
Features of Client-Server architecture

• The centralized dedicated server is available to provide resources and

services to the client.
• The client requests services to the server.
• Data is managed and stored in a centralized server.
• The server may overload when it has to handle the simultaneous request
from many clients.
• The client-server model is reliable and robust as compared to peer
networks.
• It is more expensive to implement and need professionals with good
knowledge to manage and administer the network.
• Suitable for a larger network
• Centralized security to manage all the clients.
 Benefits of a Client-Server Network
• The following list shows the key benefits of using a client-server network:
• Centralized management of servers makes it easier for IT teams to update
data files accessible to users only by making changes in a central location.
They can also monitor data from a single server to predict potential
problems.
• When stored on a single server rather than across multiple clients, critical
information can be better protected from external threats, meaning an
increased level of security and backup is easy.
• New features can be added to a server without having to interrupt normal
operations of other devices.
• Data shared through a client-server network can be used by all the clients,
and can be recovered more easily than peer to peer network.
Limitations of a Client-Server Network
• Here are the limits of using a client-server model:
• Central servers can be expensive to buy and maintain. The overall set-
up cost of a client-server network is also high.
• A client-server network requires a great level of expertise from
network technicians to configure and manage both the server
hardware and software.
• The central server's failure will probably disrupt all computers or
other devices across the client-server network.
• High traffic can slow down the system.
 Peer-to-Peer Architecture
• The peer-to-peer model differs in that all hosts are equally privileged and
act as both suppliers and consumers of resources, such as network
bandwidth and computer processing.
• Each computer is considered a node in the system and together these nodes
form the P2P network.
• The early Internet was designed as a peer to peer network where all
computer systems were equally privileged and most interactions were bi-
directional. When the Internet became a content network with the advent
of the web browser, the shift towards client-server was immediate as the
primary use case on the internet became content consumption.
• Today these peer-to-peer concepts continue to evolve inside the enterprise
with P2P software like Resilio Sync (formerly bittorrent sync) and across new
technology sectors such as blockchain, bitcoin and other cryptocurrency.
 Cont..
• In a peer-to-peer network, there is no central server controlling the network.
Instead, all the computers in the network are connected to one another and
share resources such as files, applications, and programs. In a peer-to-peer
network, each computer can either be a client or a server as it can request or
provide services.
• Each computer is called a peer and has the same capabilities and access
rights. No peer has control over another. For example, a printer on one
computer can be used by any other computer on the network. Likewise, one
computer in the network can access or delete data from other computers.
• Because resource management and network security are not controlled
centrally, backups are needed locally for each computer. Peers can
communicate directly with each other. There are no restrictions if you want to
add a device to a peer-to-peer network.
Features of Peer to Peer Network
• In peer to peer network, each node in a network acts as a server as well as
a client. Each node on the network is known as a peer.
• There are no dedicated servers required to provide services to the clients.
• Each node is capable of requesting services and can also provide the server
to other nodes.
• Peer to peer network is easy to implement and cost-effective.
• It is ideal for smaller networks comprising of nodes not more than 50
computers such as home networks, small business offices, etc.
• There is no centralized authority to control the entire network.
• Security over the peer to peer network is a big issue.
 Benefits of a Peer-to-Peer Network
• The following list shows the key benefits of using a peer-to-peer network:
• File sharing becomes easy. For example, files can be shared over long
distances and be accessed anytime in an advanced peer-to-peer network.
• You don't need to invest in central servers when setting up a peer-to-peer
network. In addition, no full-time system administrator is required.
• New clients can be added easily to a peer-to-peer network, which makes
the network more flexible and scalable.
• If a single computer malfunctions, other computers in a peer-to-peer
network will continue to function. This also prevents traffic bottlenecks
since traffic is distributed across multiple computers.
• A peer-to-peer network enables collaboration between different clients
that perform different functions, which benefits the whole network.
Limitations of a Peer-to-Peer Network
• Here are the limits of using a peer-to-peer model:
• Because security is managed by individual computers, not on the
network as a whole, peer-to-peer networks are typically less secure.
• Each computer needs its own backup system and anti-virus software.
This may add to the overall cost of running a peer-to-peer network.
• Performance and system-wide services provided may be slower since
each computer carries out more than one task and can be accessed
by other computers.
 Difference between Peer to Peer and Client-Server Architecture
SN Peer to Peer Network Client-Server Network
In peer to peer network, every node acts as a client as In a client-server network, a dedicated server is deployed
1
well as a server. to handle the clients.
The server acts as a centralized system to control all the
2 There is no centralized system to control the nodes.
nodes within the network.
The centralized backup facility is provided to store the
3 Each node holds its data in local storage media.
data.
Each and every node in a peer to peer network perform In a client-server network, client requests for services
4
both request and response services. and servers respond to the client’s request.
The client-server network is more complex and harder to
5 Peer to peer network is easy to implement
implement.
6 It is suitable for smaller networks. Suitable for larger networks.
Peer to peer networks can be established with a low- A client-server network is costlier than peer to peer
7
cost budget. networks.
It provides a centralized security system to manage all
Network security is a major concern in peer to peer
8 the nodes and hence it is more stable than peer to peer
network and is more vulnerable to network threats.
to network.
Suitable for home networks, small businesses, and small Suitable for a very large network such as an enterprise
9
offices. network having more than thousands of clients.
 Centralized and Decentralized Network
• Any system or network is either centralized or decentralized, depending
on who controls it.
• Centralized systems have a single high authority: a central actor (a person
or group) with ultimate control. Only this central actor has power to make
decisions and govern the system.
• Decentralized systems don’t rely on a central authority; rather, decision-
making power is distributed evenly between all participants.
• You can see the effects of centralization and decentralization across many
organizational structures, including companies, governments, schools,
and even families. In computing, networks (groups of multiple connected
nodes) can also be centralized or decentralized.
 Centralized networks
• Centralized computer networks are controlled by a central
authority who makes decisions on behalf of the rest of the
network. Centralized network architecture is typically built around
a single server (or cluster of servers) that handles all major
processing for the network.
• The central server runs an application that manages the network.
This server generally has massive computing resources, storage
facilities, and other high-end features. Other, less-powerful
computers can connect to the central server and submit requests,
which the powerful central server can perform.
• Large-scale services such as social media websites, instant
messaging platforms, and search engines often use centralized
servers.
 Centralized networks: Advantages
• As networks require constant hardware upgrades and software patches to
stay up-to-date and minimize vulnerabilities, administrators find central
servers useful because they only need to focus on updating and upgrading a
single central computer, instead of having to update every computer on the
network. Centralized network architectures mean more convenience and
less frustration for network operators.
• Generally, centralized networks can achieve greater efficiency than
decentralized networks. In centralized networks, all data is routed through
central servers, meaning it can travel faster from A to B. This means that
centralized networks sometimes offer a better user experience in terms of
the time it takes to complete operations over the network.
• Examples of centralized networks and systems include Facebook, Google,
and government databases.
 Centralized networks: Disadvantages
• In a centralized network, all data passes through a single central server —
meaning that if that server goes down, computers connected to the
network are unable to process user requests. Depending on the scale of
the network and the sensitivity of the data, this failure could be
catastrophic(fatal).
• Centralized servers are attractive targets for hackers because everything on
the network is stored in, or travels through, this one server. If attackers are
able to breach the security of the server, they could gain access to all data
and assets stored on (or travelling through) the network. This could include
cryptocurrency, confidential information, or personal data.
• Central servers can also be ‘bottlenecks’ for the network — if the central
server’s bandwidth cannot keep up with network activity, particularly from
influxes of concurrent user requests, the network’s performance and
stability might suffer.
Decentralized networks: Definition
• Instead of relying on a single centralized server, decentralized
networks distribute data, information, and processing workloads
across the computers participating in a network. This allows for
greater ‘fault tolerance’ as the key components of the network are
distributed across multiple machines — if one machine goes down,
the network as a whole continues to function.
• Decentralized networks also make decisions and perform actions in a
democratized way — power lies with the collective, rather than with a
single authority.
 Decentralized networks: Advantages
• Decentralized networks offer increased system reliability. Because
information passes through many different, independent computers on the
network, there is no single point of failure. Individual computers also don’t
have to rely on a single central server to handle all the processing, meaning
less risk of network bottlenecks.
• Decentralized networks are more secure, as key components of a system are
distributed across the network. There is no single central server for hackers
to target; if someone wanted to attack the network, they would need to gain
access to a large number of networked computers.
• Blockchain-powered cryptocurrency and peer-to-peer transfer platforms are
examples of decentralized networks that offer greater flexibility and security
than centralized systems could provide.
Decentralized networks: Disadvantages
• Decentralized networks require more participating computers or
machines than centralized networks, which means more maintenance
and more potential issues — creating an additional burden on IT
support.
• Governance and decision-making on decentralized networks can be
slow because trying to reach decision in a large group is more
complex than one central authority making autocratic decisions.
• Another issue is that because decentralized networks lack clear
leadership, there is no central authority for users to contact if they
encounter problems with the network.