Computer Science – 2.1 Networks including the internet | e-Consult

Client-Server Architecture: This is the dominant architecture used for the World Wide Web and many other Internet applications. It involves a client (e.g., a web browser) that requests services and a server (e.g., a web server) that provides those services. The client initiates the communication, and the server responds. This architecture is well-suited for centralized control, security, and scalability. The server typically has more resources (processing power, storage) than the client.

Examples:

• Web browsing: Your web browser (client) requests a webpage from a web server.
• Email: Your email client (client) communicates with an email server to send and receive messages.
• Online banking: Your banking application (client) communicates with the bank's server to access your account information.

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Architecture: In a P2P architecture, each node (peer) in the network has equal capabilities and can act as both a client and a server. Peers can directly communicate with each other without relying on a central server. This architecture is often used for resource sharing and distributed computing. It's more resilient to failures because there's no single point of failure.

Examples:

• File sharing networks (e.g., BitTorrent): Peers share files directly with each other.
• Cryptocurrencies (e.g., Bitcoin): Transactions are verified and recorded by a network of peers.
• Distributed computing projects (e.g., SETI@home): Individual computers contribute processing power to a larger project.

Key Differences Summarized: