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Short note: Client-Server and Master-Slave

Short answer

In client-server architecture, clients request services from a server that processes and responds; e.g., web browser and web server. Master-slave architecture has a master node that controls and delegates tasks to multiple slave nodes that perform the work, like HDFS NameNode and DataNodes.

Write a short note on Client-Server and Master-Slave architecture.

Client-Server architecture

A model in which clients request services and servers provide them over a network. The server is a powerful machine that waits for requests, processes them and returns responses. Clients start the communication.

 +--------+  request   +--------+   +----------+
 | Client |----------->| Server |-->| Database |
 | (PC)   |<-----------| (host) |<--|          |
 +--------+  response  +--------+   +----------+
  • Examples: web browser and web server, e-mail, database client and DBMS.
  • Advantages: central control of data and security, easy maintenance and update.
  • Disadvantages: server is a single point of failure and a bottleneck under heavy load.

Master-Slave architecture

One node, the master, controls and coordinates the work, and many slave (worker) nodes carry out the tasks assigned by the master. The master holds metadata, assigns tasks and monitors the slaves; slaves store data and compute.

          +--------+
          | Master |
          +---+----+
        +-----+-----+
     +--v--+ +--v--+ +--v--+
     |Slave| |Slave| |Slave|
     +-----+ +-----+ +-----+
  • Examples: GFS (master and chunk servers), HDFS (NameNode and DataNodes), MapReduce (JobTracker and TaskTrackers), MySQL replication.
  • Advantages: simple coordination and consistency, good for parallel work.
  • Disadvantages: master is a single point of failure (solved with standby or shadow masters) and can become a bottleneck.

Difference

In client-server, the relation is request/response between different roles of service user and provider. In master-slave, the master actively controls and delegates tasks to slaves that work for it.

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

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