2. Client-Server Network

With a client server network the files will not be stored on the hard drive of each workstation. Instead they will be stored on a specialised computer called a server. A server is designed to efficiently provide data to a remote client.

If you are using a client server network then you will have a user account and you will have to log on with a user name and password.

There are a number of reasons why you do this.

The first is to identify you to the server so that it knows which files belong to you and so it can make them available them for you.

The second is so that the security systems can check that you are actually who you say you are and that the account belongs to you.

On a large network there may be more than just the file server. There might also be an email server which deals with the internal email system. There may be a web server that controls access to the internet and blocks access to any unsuitable sites and a print server which deals with all of the printing requests.

So that is the 'server' part of the client server network. - file, email and web servers

The 'client' part is the workstation that is connected to the network.

The 'clients' rely on servers to do their job and fetch the files that the users require and manage the tasks and peripherals that the user wants to access.