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Networking overview

About clients and servers

SCO OpenServer networking is based on the ``client-server'' model. In its simplest form, a ``client'' is a program that requests a service and a ``server'' is a program that provides a service. In a networked environment, client programs frequently issue RPCs (Remote Procedure Calls) to request that an operation be performed; a server responds to the RPC by executing procedures to perform the operation and sending a response to the client. The terms may also refer to machines; ``server'' may refer to a host whose files or services are made available through RPCs, and ``client'' to the requesting host.

The implications of the terms ``client'' and ``server'' may vary in specific networking components. The following table summarizes some of these variations.

Examples of client-server implementations in SCO OpenServer networking components

Component Client Server
DNS
(Domain Name Service)
any program that queries for host names and addresses any program that responds to queries for host information
NFS
(Network File System)
any host requesting that a remote file system be mounted locally any host that ``exports'' file systems for remote mounting
NIS
(Network Information Service)
any host that requests NIS-managed information across the network any host that fulfills requests for NIS-managed information
SNMP
(Simple Network Management Protocol)
also called ``management station''; any program that queries for system status information from a remote system also called ``agent''; any program that responds to queries from a management station

SCO OpenServer systems provide both client and server administrative functionality; as servers, SCO OpenServer systems can easily manage other machines using standard technology, while as clients, they can be managed remotely using these technologies.


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© 2003 Caldera International, Inc. All rights reserved.
SCO OpenServer Release 5.0.7 -- 11 February 2003