Client/server network

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A computer system functionally distributed across several nodes on a network, sometimes called a distributed application. The basic theory is that the various components of the system can be tailored to perform specific functions, hopefully for the good of the entire network. Client/Server systems are also typified by a high degree of parallel processing across distributed nodes. Usually the clients are individual PC's connected to server(s) which act as central storehouses and "traffic cops" for information and applications.
Compare with file-sharing applications, where all searches occur on the workstation, while the document database resides on the server. With client-server architecture, CPU intensive processes (such as searching and indexing) are completed on the server, while image viewing and OCR occur on the client. File-sharing applications are easier to develop, but they tend to generate tremendous network data traffic in document imaging applications. They also expose the database to corruption through workstation interruptions. Client-server applications are harder to develop, but dramatically reduce network data traffic and insulate the database from workstation interruptions.^[1]