Introduction to Network Applications & Network Services

1. Data Communications
Introduction to
Network Applications &
Network Services

2. How Networks Impact Daily Life
• The benefits of instantaneous communication
via network have greatly improved our lives.

3. How Networks Impact Daily Life
• Communication over a network has also greatly
changed the way we work.

4. How Networks Impact Daily Life
• and also changed the way we study….

5. How Networks Impact Daily Life
• the way we entertain ourselves….

6. Common Network Applications
Introducing some common
network applications & screenshots

7. Internet & Daily Life
• When you access the Internet, do you use the
following applications?
– Google Chrome, Firefox,
– Google Mail, Hotmail, Yahoo Mail,
– Yahoo Messenger, MSN Messenger, Skype
– Facebook,
– Online games
– and others….
• Since these applications require the access to the
Internet, we refer these applications as network
applications.

8. Google’s Google Chrome
• Perhaps, the most frequently
used network application in your
daily life is Google Chrome.
• You use Google Chrome to
– Check your Hotmail or Google Mail.
– Reading news (e.g. cnn.com)
– Access to Facebook
– Downloading movies, games, etc…
• In fact, Google Chrome is
categorically called a Web
Browser.

9. Web Browser
• By definition:
– A web browser is a network application for retrieving, presenting, and
traversing information resources on the World Wide Web.
• The following network applications (web browsers) do the
same thing as Internet Explorer:
– Internet
Explorer
– Mozilla Firefox
– Netscape
– Opera
– Safari
– Camino
– Konqueror
– and others….
Netscape 2.0
is The browser that
make the Internet or
World Wide Web
into a global
phenomena back in
1996.

10. Other Web Browsers’ Screenshots
Safari Google Chrome

11. Other Web Browsers’ Screenshots
Firefox Opera

12. Instant Messaging
• Another popular network application beside the web
browsers is Instant Messaging.
• Instant messaging (IM) is a form of real-time direct text-
based communication between two or more people using
personal computers (PCs) or other devices.
– More advanced instant messaging software also allow live
voice or video calling.
• Some of the popular instant messaging software:
– WeChat
– Skype
– Windows Live Messenger
– Yahoo! Messenger
– Google Talk
– Facebook
– Telegram

13. Screenshots of Other InstantMassagers

14. Email
• For all business activities via the Internet, any
network manager will tell you that the Email is
the most important network application.
• Email remains as the oldest and still the most
frequently used network communications in
the Internet.

15. Screenshots of Email Software
Microsoft’s Outlook
Mozilla Thunderbird

16. Other Network Applications
• Besides Web Browser, Instant Messaging & Email,
there are other network applications that do:
– File transfer
• (Ws_FTP, Free Download Manager)
– Remote login
• (PuTTY, Terra Term)
– Accessing remote database
• (SQuirreL SQL Client )
– Internet Relay Chat
• (mIRC)
– and other …

17. File Transfer
WS_FTP
Download Manager

18. Remote Login
• PuTTY, Tera Term, etc

19. Accessing Remote Database
SQuirreL SQLClient

20. Internet Relay Chat (IRC)
mIRC (precursor of Instant Messenger)

21. Question
• What do all these network applications have
in common?
– What common features do all these network
application share?

22. Answer
• In general, these network applications share a
common feature among themselves, which is
accessing some form of remote information or
resources. For example:
– Firefox is accessing a web site for web pages.
– Outlook is retrieving emails for a “inbox”
– Skype has to gain access to your “list of friends” via login.
– Download Managers are used to download movies from
some “file sites.”
– Play online games “Dota 2” via a “networked game
world”.
– Remote = located far away from you
• These network applications can be technically
called as network client software.

23. Network Client Software
• The main function of network client software is to access the
resource/information in the network/Internet known as
network services.
– All these so-called “network services” are located “somewhere” in the
network or Internet.
• Do you know or care where is www.cnn.com or www.help.edu.my?
– Network client software CAN’T exist WITHOUT network services.
• Network clients have to talk to network services.
– Client-server HAVE to work in pair.
• Known as client-server communication, which is 99% of today’s Internet
traffic.
– Client software can’t communicate with other client software.
• You can’t use Web browser to talk directly to another browser.
• Instant messaging has to communicate via a server.
• Like all software applications, all network client software
come in two forms:
– Command-line & GUI (graphic-user interface)

24. Clients in a Simple Network
• Visually, clients are PCs/workstations, linked to a connectivity
device, which forms a network, accessing to remote resources or
information in a server, as shown in the following network diagram.

25. A More Complex Client/ServerNetwork

26. Clients & Workstation
• client
– A computer on the network that requests resources or services
from another computer on a network.
– The term client may also refer to the user of a client workstation or
a client software application installed on the workstation.
• client/server architecture
– A network design in which clients (typically desktop or laptop
computers) use a centrally administered server to share data, data
storage space, and devices.
• client/server network
– A network that uses centrally administered computers, known as
servers, to enable resource sharing for and to facilitate
communication between the other computers on the network.
• workstation
– A computer that runs a desktop operating system and connects to a
network.

27. Networks, LAN, WAN &Internet
• network
– A group of computers and other devices (such as printers)
that are connected by and can exchange data via some type
of transmission media, such as a cable, a wire, or the
atmosphere.
• LAN (local area network)
– A network of computers and other devices that is confined to
a relatively small space, such as one building or even one
office.
• WAN (wide area network)
– A network that spans a long distance and connects two or
more LANs.
• Internet
– A complex WAN that connects LANs and clients around the
globe.

28. Review: Network Client Software in Your PC
• Web Browsing:
– Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera
• E-mail:
– Outlook, Thunderbird
• Instant messaging:
– MSN Messenger, Skype, ICQ, MIRC
• Video and audio streaming:
– Real player, Window Media Player, iTune
• Internet telephone:
– Skype
• Real-time video conference
– Skype, live messager,

29. Network Services
Introducing some common types of
network services, & the concept of
client-server networks

30. Network Services and Server
• Network services provide remote
software resources support to the
network clients
• Network services are normally reside
in network servers.
– Network services = software
– Network servers = hardware (PC)
• Clients of different operating systems
(MAC or Windows) access the same
services of the same server
– PC or MAC can read the same web page.
– Network services are “platform
independent”. (Linux or Windows or Sun)
• Network is the “middle-man” that give
communication links between servers
and clients.

31. Data and Information Servers inyour life
• When you read cnn.com,
– you’re communicating with a web server.
• When you read your yahoo.com mail,
– you’re communicating with a mail server (together with a web server).
• When you downloading files from Internet,
– you’re communicating with a file server.
• When you’re using msn, or skype, there is a server behind
“coordinating” your communication.
– When you login to a msn messenger, you’re communicating with a
Instant Messenger server. Through the server, you message is then
relayed your friend who is online.
• When you’re playing massively multiplayer online role-
playing game, MMORPG (e.g Perfect World)
– you’re communicating with a game server.
• When you’re watching on-line video (youtube)
– you’re communicating with a video streaming server.

32. Server and Client -1
• Server (Review)
– A computer on the network that
manages shared network resources.
– Usually a more powerful computer with
more RAM, Disk Space and
Processing Power
• usually but not necessary
• Client (Review)
– A computer on the network requests
services from another computer on a
network.
• Servers provide services
• Clients request services
• Servers runs on a different set of
software than the clients.
• 1 server (or PC) can provide many
services.

33. Client & Server - 2
• All client software communicate with server
– When you are using a web browser, your PC acts as a network client.
– Main task of client software is to “request” service from server
– Clients (web browser) get services (web pages) from servers (web sites).
• Client software don’t communicate with other client software directly.
• Client software communicate with other client software via servers
– Mail server, Instant Messenger server
• This type of servers acts as a “middle-man” between the clients.
– User of PC1 sends a mail to user of PC0 (stored in mail server)
– User of PC0 reads the mail at the mail server

34. Differences between Server &Client
• Servers normally runs 24 hours / 7 days.
• Clients are “normally” switched off once the users are gone.
• Servers runs “independently” once configured.
• Clients runs “dependently” with human users.
• Servers can have 1 monitor, 1 keyboard and 1 mouse connected to
multiple CPUs (coordinated via KVM switch)
• Clients have 1 (sometimes 2) monitor, 1 keyboard, and 1 mouse with 1
CPU.
• Server software always “listens”
• Client software sends “request” to server on demand.
• Lastly, servers and clients run on different set of software
• Server’s software normally runs in the “background”

35. Two Categories of Servers
• Data and Information Server
– Providing data and information
– Pure data server (web server, file server)
• When you just read and download only.
– “Middle-man” servers (email server, newsgroup server, instant messenger)
• When writing and uploading are involved
• Networking Server
– Helping out in the network
– The client side will normally be the operating system (e.g. Windows XP,
Linux)
– DNS server, DHCP server, print server

36. Some Common Servers
• Web Server (data and middle-man)
– Providing web pages
• Mail Server (data and middle-man)
– Storing and send emails
• File Server (data and middle-man)
– Downloading and uploading files
• Print Server (networking)
– Managing print queue jobs
• Database Server (data and middle-man)
– Providing necessary data to clients
• DNS Server [domain name server] (networking)
– Managing corresponding network address with domain name
• DHCP Server [dynamic hosts control protocol] (networking)
– Supply IP addresses to PCs with dynamic IP option
• Proxy Server (data and networking)
– Acts as an intermediary between external and internal networks,
screening all incoming and outgoing data traffic
• Newsgroup Server (data and middle-man)
– Managing newsgroup

37. Servers and KVM switch
• KVM switch =
– Keyboard, Video, Mouse
switch
• KVM switch is used to
connect multiple CPUs to
share 1 set of keyboard,
monitor and mouse.
– Cost saving to configure
servers (CPUs) with just 1
set of mouse, monitor &
keyboard.
– Save space too.

38. Server Software: XAMPP
• You can download it from
https://www.apachefriends.org/download.html
• Store your web page in assigned directory and start the
service
– Once you start the service, Apache runs at the “background”.

39. Some final notes onserver & client
• A server can be client at the same time.
– You install XAMPP package in your PC, configure it and store
your web page.
– You can still use your PC to surf the web (as long as you have the
web browser)
– Outsider access your web page at the “background” of PC
(meaning without your knowledge unless you check for it).
• A server can run different services at the same time. A
client PC can communicate with different servers (or
services) at the same time.
– You open Firefox, Outlook, Skype, while playing MMORPG
• However, A client program can normally talk to a type
network service at any given time.
– You open Firefox to access web page but not remote login.
– You open Firefox to access a file server but not a web server at the
same time.

40. Other terms in Client/Server Network
• Host
– A computer that enables resource sharing by other
computers on the same network
• Node
– A client, server, or other device that can
communicate over a network and that is identified
by a unique number, known as its network address
• Segment
– A part of a network. Usually, a segment is
composed of a group of nodes that use the same
communications channel for all their traffic.

41. Quiz
Some questions to help your memory
and understanding

42. True/False Questions
1. Server must run on better PC than client.
2. Client always listens to request.
3. A client PC can provide network services.
4. A Windows 10 laptop can be configured as both client and server.
5. Client program has to be run at the “foreground” interfacing with
human.
6. A web server can’t be a print server at the PC.
7. A client program can talk to multiple network services simutenously.
8. Client program can’t communicate with another similar client
program directly.
9. Server program normally runs at the background without much
interaction with user.
10. A dns server and a dhcp server have to be on different machine/PC.