To simplify this, suppose you want to download an image from another computer on your network. In essence, a host reflects the logical relationship of two or more computers on a network. In theory, every computer connected to a network acts as a host to other peers on the network. What is a Host?Ī host is a computer, connected to other computers for which it provides data or services over a network. Depending on the service that is running, it could be a file server, database server, home media server, print server, or web server. What is a Server?Ī server is a physical computer dedicated to run services to serve the needs of other computers. The server is often (but not always) located on a separate physical computer. What is a Client?Ī client is a computer hardware device or software that accesses a service made available by a server. A server is still a server, and a client is still a client. However, the primary principals are identical. It is far beyond the scope of this section to create an exhaustive resource for client/server architecture (such as website servers). Keep in mind that this is designed to give you a basic understanding of the client/server model according to your LAN (everything behind your router). In fact, client/server architecture is what makes the Internet possible. When it comes to the client/server model, the possibilities are endless. We’ll also discuss the roles of these computers in regard to their responsibilities. In this section, we’re going to define the relationship of client, server, and host computers according to your home network environment.

What is an ips file