Knowledge Organiser: Client-Server and Peer-to-Peer Networks
Part of Client-Server vs P2P · GCSE GCSE Computer Science revision
This topic summary covers Knowledge Organiser: Client-Server and Peer-to-Peer Networks within Client-Server vs P2P for GCSE Computer Science. Revise Client-Server vs P2P in Networks for GCSE Computer Science with 15 exam-style questions and 18 flashcards. This topic appears less often, but it can still be a useful differentiator on mixed-topic papers. It is section 10 of 10 in this topic. Use this topic summary to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Topic position
Section 10 of 10
Practice
15 questions
Recall
18 flashcards
Knowledge Organiser: Client-Server and Peer-to-Peer Networks
Key Terms
- Client: A device that requests services or resources from a server
- Server: A dedicated computer that provides services (files, websites, email) to clients
- Client-server network: A network with a central server providing services to client computers
- Peer-to-peer (P2P): A network where all computers are equal and share resources directly with each other
- Single point of failure: A component whose failure causes the entire service to stop
Must-Know Facts
- Client-server: central server, clients request resources — used in schools and offices
- Client-server advantages: central security, central backups, central management, access from any device
- Client-server disadvantage: server is a single point of failure; expensive server hardware needed
- P2P: all computers equal — both client and server simultaneously
- P2P advantages: no single point of failure; cheap (no dedicated server needed); easy to set up
- P2P disadvantage: no central security or backups; difficult to manage at scale
- Examples of P2P: BitTorrent file sharing, home file sharing, LAN gaming
Key Concepts
- Why schools use client-server: Central user accounts (log in from any computer), central backups, central security management
- Why P2P suits file sharing: Each downloader also uploads — more peers = more bandwidth = faster downloads
- Key difference: Client-server has a dedicated server; P2P has no dedicated server — every peer shares equally
- Scalability: P2P scales naturally (more peers = more capacity); client-server can bottleneck at the server
Common Mistakes
- Saying P2P has no servers at all: In a pure P2P network every device acts as both client and server simultaneously — there is no dedicated central server, but all peers can serve data
- Saying client-server has no single point of failure: The opposite is true — if the central server goes down, ALL clients lose access; this is a key disadvantage of client-server over P2P
- Confusing client-server with the Internet model: Visiting a website uses a client-server model (your browser is the client, the web server responds) — but school networks also use client-server for user account and file management
- Saying P2P is always illegal: P2P technology itself is legal — it is only illegal when used to share copyrighted content without permission; legitimate uses include software updates and legal file sharing
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Practice Questions for Client-Server vs P2P
In a client-server network, what is the role of the server?
State three advantages of using a client-server network over a peer-to-peer network. [3 marks]
Quick Recall Flashcards
15 questions on Client-Server vs P2P — practise free
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