Peer to Peer (P2P) & Client-Server Models

Advantages of Peer to Peer

-The advantages of peer to peer (P2P) are that information gets from the source to the destination faster. In addition, these networks are easier to setup than client-server models. There is also no need for a dedicated server since all the pieces of equipment attached to the network act as servers and clients. Also, in P2P networks, when the demand on a network increases, so does its capacity. There is also no need for network administrators on P2P networks, the network is cheap to setup and fast to run and finally, every computer in the network can make backups of its data to the other computers for security.

Disadvantages of Peer to Peer

-There are not many disadvantages to using a Peer to Peer network but the biggest one would be that it does not a support a wide range of computers. These networks are usually used for a small amount of computers usually around 10-15. Another problem is that these networks are most commonly used in applications that don't have much security such as LimeWire and FrostWire, therefore, these networks are not advisable for businesses and other large corporations. As you can see, another problem with Peer to Peer networks is the lack of security and their vulnerability. Furthermore, these networks are not centralized and therefore make network administration is virtually impossible even though it is not needed for such a small network. Finally, no computer in the network can be relied upon to keep information safe for an extended period of time.

Advantages of Client-Server

-Client-Server networks are centralized and this is one of their biggest advantages. This means that all resources and data security is controlled by a server. Another advantage is its scalability. Nearly all elements in a client-server network can be replaced with ease as the need for it increases. These networks are also very flexible and can have new pieces of technology integrated into them easily. Client-Server networks also have great accessibility and can be accessed from multiple platforms.

Disadvantages of Client-Server

-Client-Server models have a long list of advantages and a fairly short one of disadvantages. For starters, these networks can fail more often than Peer to Peer networks because they have to depend on one central server to operate the network. Client-Server networks differ from Peer to Peer networks because they can foster more people on their network. They do this by relying on one server to operate things smoothly and because so many people can be on the network can be on at once, the server can easily be overloaded and although this problem can be fixed easily, it takes time to do so. The final disadvantage to client-server networks is that they are quite expensive and difficult to set up.

Which is more centralized?

- A Client-Server Model is more centralized because it depends on one central server to run the network.