Networks > Getting A Network

Client Server Networks

By TechSoup

You've decided you need a network and your organisation has more than 5-10 computers, or your organisation has a peer to peer network that's grinding to a halt. A client / server network could be what you need. This article in collaboration with TechSoup explains the basics.

In an environment with more than around 5-10 computers, a peer to peer network begins to become more trouble than it is worth. Your computers start to slow down. You can never find the file you are looking for, and security is non-existent.

If this is the case, it is probably time to switch to a client-server network by bringing in a dedicated server to handle the load. The server is "dedicated" because it is optimised to quickly serve requests from the clients (other computers on the network).

The diagram below shows a simple client-server network:

What is a server?

A server is a computer that is running software that enables it to serve specific requests from client computers For example, you can have a file server that acts as a central storage place for your network, a print server that routes print requests and status information between computers and printers connected on the network, as well as a multitude of other servers and server functions. A server provides many benefits including:

Optimisation

Server hardware (the physical, touchable, material parts of a computer or other system) is designed to quickly serve requests from clients.

Centralisation

Files are in one location for easy administration.

Security

Multiple levels of permissions - access privileges associated with a file or directory can prevent users from doing damage to files.

Redundancy and Back-up

Data can be stored in redundant ways (for example copied onto another hard disk on the server using special technology called RAID), or stored on external media such as tapes, so it can be restored quickly in case of problems. A server, like any computer, consists of two parts, the hardware and the software.

Server Hardware

Any normal desktop computer could act as a server, but typically you want something much more robust. Standard server hardware includes:

• Hot swappable drives to speed up adding or replacing hard disks (used in RAID) - drives can be changed without having to shut down the server.
• The ability to support multiple processors - the brains behind a computer. Processors are responsible for performing calculations and tasks that make computer programs work. Multiple processors can be an advantage if you need to run applications that are processor intensive such as a very large database.
• Support for larger amounts of RAM - the more memory you have the faster your network can run.
• Faster input and output - information can travel around the network more quickly.
• Fast network cards.

Server Software

Server software comes in two categories, operating systems and applications:

Network Operating Systems

A network operating system is an operating system which includes software to communicate with other computers via a network. There are many different operating systems for servers just as there are many different operating systems for desktop computers. Windows Server 2003, Linux and Novell Netware are the three main network operating system competitors, but they are not the only ones.

A Network Operating System has many features built-in. All include file serving, print serving, backup and some way to secure those resources. Some Network Operating Systems also include a web server (to allow you to host your website or intranet yourself) or an email server (for email distribution around your network), while others require you to buy these items separately. Research all the options before making a decision on the Network Operating System for your server.

Figure out precisely what you want by browsing through websites and sales pamphlets. Then, try to find a Computer Guru who knows both your network and your organisation, and ask this person what they think would work best for your organisation.

If you can, try to make sure that this person is not the person who would be doing the work or selling you the product, otherwise they may have some conflicts of interest. This is a big decision, and it will dramatically affect all of your future computer relationships.

Server Applications

Server applications can be designed for nearly every purpose imaginable, from fax servers to remote access servers. Every application will have specific server requirements, and will be typically designed to run on either Windows Server 2003 or Netware and increasingly Linux. Many servers run multiple applications (e.g. email and faxing) to serve a variety of needs.

For Further Thought…

The client-server model of networking is definitely the way to go for larger organisations. Once you have a client-server network set up, it should provide you with more flexibility than a peer-to-peer network as your needs change. For example, as network traffic increases, you can add another server to handle the additional load. You can also consider spreading out tasks to various servers, ensuring that they are performed in the most efficient manner.