• Hardware establishing network connectivity is the most important requirement for a client-server network.internet world image by patrimonio designs from Fotolia.com
  
  The client-server networking model does not require fancy or state of the art hardware to run effectively. Instead, most systems, including home computers successfully serve as clients or servers on the Internet every day. There are some basic hardware and software tools, which establish the network infrastructure and communication protocols required to ensure network connectivity between clients and servers.
  
  

Network Interfaces

• Both the host and the client must have compatible network interfaces in order to communicate via a client-server network. A network interface (also called network adapter) consists of the hardware and software which allow the interface to communicate with the physical network, and the operating system to communicate with the interface. This consists of the interface hardware (usually a PCMIA card, USB or Serial device), the firmware which runs the card (embedded software on the hardware itself) and the operating system driver to communicate with the device. Commercial network interfaces come standard with all required hardware, firmware and driver software.
  
  

Routing Infrastructure

• The routing infrastructure, which consists of network cable, wireless access points, routers and backbone Internet links is crucial to a Wide-Area Network (WAN) client-server model. Client traffic is routed through digital highways made up of network and fiber optic cable to the server, and back from the server to complete data exchange. The routing infrastructure allows each server and client to have an address (usually an IP address), and to be uniquely located on the network.
  
  

Network Protocol Establishment

• Network protocol establish a common method of communication between clients and servers, much like languages for humans. The difference in computer network protocols is that each data packet (chunk of data) contains a header with address information--similar to a postal envelope. Network protocols also establish which computer (the client or the server) sends data first, and what type of data is sent at each point in the exchange. Most common data protocols are established under the ISO (Internet Standards Organization), thus network device and software manufacturers frequently abide by these standards.
  
  

Communication Software

• Finally software tools drive the automatic communication between client and server. Most notable among communication software are web browsers, such as Internet Explorer, Safari and Firefox; and email clients such as Microsoft Outlook, Mozilla Thunderbird or Apple Mail. Communication software simplifies client-server network exchange by providing a user interface (UI) and by automating the encapsulation into packets for transmission on the network--much like the post office verifies the address and applies necessary labeling to postal mail.