[W/K] :: client-server

  client/server
       
          client-server
       
       

  client-server
       
           A common form of distributed system in which
          software is split between server tasks and client tasks.
          A client sends requests to a server, according to some
          protocol, asking for information or action, and the server
          responds.
       
          This is analogous to a customer (client) who sends an order
          (request) on an order form to a supplier (server) who
          despatches the goods and an invoice (response).  The order
          form and invoice are part of the "protocol" used to
          communicate in this case.
       
          There may be either one centralised server or several
          distributed ones.  This model allows clients and servers to be
          placed independently on nodes in a network, possibly on
          different hardware and operating systems appropriate to
          their function, e.g. fast server/cheap client.
       
          Examples are the name-server/name-resolver relationship in
          DNS, the file-server/file-client relationship in NFS and
          the screen server/client application split in the X Window
          System.
       
          Usenet newsgroup: news:comp.client-server.
       
          ["The Essential Client/Server Survival Guide", 2nd edition,
          1996].
       
          (1998-01-25)