Peer To Peer and Client Server Solutions

Client Server

A client server network is a type of computing system, which is run by a central hub . It serves the rest of the

Peer to Peer

On a peer-to-peer network all the clients are equal and can communicate with any client on the network, depending on what access rights it has. Every computer on a peer-to-peer network can be used as a server or a client. A computer is classed as a server if it shares a folder, a drive, a printer or some other type of resource with any client on the network.
A peer-to-peer network can be as big or small from 3 or 4 computers to 50; it depends on what is needed. There is no size limit to this type of network but as the number of clients increases performance, security and access can become a problem.

This type of network architecture is completely different to the client server as some clients store information and can access resources, which the other users can access through them. The machines with the extra privileges allowed are servers. There is no central server to a peer system, but some devices have greater services than others.
Peer to peer is popular in homes or small businesses where an expensive central server is not needed. It is simpler than a client server network but performance can decrease if to much pressure is put on the network.

Each user has a local profile that they can change settings on such as background, password, themes and store information on. Settings can be applied to create a folder that only that account can view this is done by changing the read/write settings most peer to peer networks consist of an folder for each client and a shared directory which can be accessed by everyone. Also Files and folders settings can be changed so the network users can copy them, but not change the original file.

2 examples of peer-to-peer users would be a small company network with fewer then 10 computers, a private home network to allow access for the whole family.

Advantages:

A peer-peer network is easy to install and configure the computers.

Every client on the network can share resources and content, instead of having a central server

Is more reliable as this network doesn’t depend on a central server, if a peer is offline