Category: Service Based Classification

Describes the different networks classified based on the service that they offer

What is a peer-peer network

Describes the concept of a peer-peer network with an example

  • In peer-peer networks, there is no concept of dedicated client or server machines.
  • All participants can perform the functionality of both client and server.

A typical peer-peer network message exchange is given below:

Message Exchange in a peer to peer network

  • When a node (say Node1) requires a service (for e.g. a file), the node acts as a client and sends a service request to a peer machine (say Node2). The Node2 machine in this case acts as a server and responds back with the contents of the file.
  • The roles can typically be reversed on a need basis. In case Node2 requires a file from Node1, Node2 would act as a client and send a service request to Node1. Node1 would act as a server in this case and respond back with the contents of the file as response to Node2.
  • Therefore, in the case of peer-peer networks, there is no strict hierarchy of client and server nodes. The nodes can act as both a client and a server.
  • Example peer-peer network applications :  Content (file/audio/video) sharing between computers, mail servers (can act as both sender and receiver of mails). 

What is a Client-Server Network?

Describes the concept of a client server network with an example

  • A client server network is one where a client machine requests for a specific service from a server and the server responds back with the requested service

A typical client server message interaction is given in the diagram below:

Typical message exchange in a client server network

  • Here, the client machines only have the capability to request service and do not have the capability to provide service.
  • Similarly, the server machine provides service to clients and does not request for any service from the client machines.
  • Examples of client-server networks: web browsing (clients request for specific web page content from web servers), news service broadcast (clients subscribe to news service from a news server).