Client/Server Technology

Like many other software firms developing high-end accounting systems, DHDial & Company has chosen to use client/server technology for its current applications. This technology permits the system to distribute the processing between the personal computer on the user’s desktop and a server computer on the network. This distribution of processing is quite different from the file sharing performed by other applications. By sharing the processing load between the workstation (client) computer and the application server, client/server systems can process much larger volumes of data without overloading the network.

Another important feature of client/server technology is the protection of the database from errors which might occur on a workstation computer. This increased protection is especially important for accounting applications where database integrity is vital.

The Database Management System

A client/server system consists of two separate software packages: the application software which operates on the user’s workstation computer and a database management system which manages the data on the server computer. The application software communicates with the database management system using a standard language known as Structured Query Language or SQL (pronounced “sequel”). Client/server systems are often described as being SQL enabled. This feature permits firms to use a variety of software packages to extract data from the database for further analysis.

The Application Server

In a client/server environment, the database management system and the associated data reside on a network server computer known as an application server. This computer performs all of the data retrievals and updates for the client/server applications. The application server can be the same computer which the firm uses as a file server for storing files such as word processing documents. However, firms with large volumes of data should consider installing a separate computer on the local area network to function as the application server.