What Are Servers and Clients?

Systems on the network can usually be described as one of the following:

• Server - A system that provides services to other systems in its network. There are file servers, boot servers, database servers, license servers, print servers, installation servers, and even servers for particular applications. This chapter uses the term server to mean a system that provides file systems and installation software for other systems on the network.

• Client - A system that uses remote services from a server. Some clients have limited disk storage capacity, or perhaps none at all, and they have to rely on remote file systems from a server to function. Diskless, AutoClient^TM and JavaStation^TM systems are examples of this type of client.

  Other clients may use remote services (such as installation software) from a server, but they don't rely on a server to function. A standalone system, which has its own hard disk containing the root (/), /usr, and /export/home file systems and swap space, is a good example of this type of client.