Deck 16: Distributed Processing, Clientserver, and Clusters

Question 1

__________ is a set of drivers, APIs, or other software that improves connectivity between a client application and a server.

A) Distributed message passing
B) SQL
C) Graphical user interface
D) Middleware

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Virtually all application processing may be done at the client, with the exception of data validation routines and other database logic functions that are best performed at the server.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

The key feature of a client/server architecture is the allocation of application-level tasks between clients and servers.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

The fat client approach mimics the traditional host-centered approach and is often the migration path for evolving corporate-wide application from the mainframe to a distributed environment.

Question 5

A reliable message-passing facility is one that guarantees delivery if possible.

Question 6

The procedure call is used for access to remote services.

Question 7

The Beowulf approach is widely implemented and is perhaps the most important cluster technology available.

Question 8

The client is responsible for maintaining the database, for which purpose a complex database management system software module is required.

Question 9

The dual caching approach is used to reduce communications traffic (client cache) and disk I/O (server cache.

Question 10

Cooperative processing enables the user to employ applications tailored to local needs.

Question 11

Each server in the client/server environment provides a set of shared services to the clients.

Question 12

Blocking primitives provide for efficient, flexible use of the message-passing facility by processes.

Question 13

The most basic class of client/server configuration is __________ , in which the client is principally responsible for providing a graphical user interface, while virtually all of the processing is done on the server.

A) host-based processing
B) cooperative processing
C) server-based processing
D) client-based processing

Question 14

A networked information requester, usually a PC or workstation, that can query database and/or other information from a server is a(n) _________

A) client
B) cluster
C) API
D) SQL

Question 15

The client-based station generally presents the type of graphical interface that is most comfortable to users, including the use of windows and a mouse.

Question 16

Host-based processing is true client/server computing.

Question 17

A cluster is easier than an SMP to manage and configure.

Question 18

The communications software is what enables client and server to interoperate.

Question 19

A set of function and call programs that allow clients and servers to intercommunicate is a(n) ________ interface.

A) SQL
B) relational database
C) middleware
D) application programming

Question 20

The _________ enables many clients to share access to the same database and enables the use of a high-performance computer system to manage the database.

A) relational database
B) server
C) client
D) middleware

Question 21

The function of switching an application and data resources over from a failed system to an alternative system in the cluster is referred to as __________ .

A) failsafe
B) failnode
C) failback
D) failover

Question 22

A __________ is a computer, usually a high-powered workstation, a minicomputer, or a mainframe, that houses information for manipulation by networked clients.

Question 23

The _________ machines are generally single-user PCs or workstations that provide a highly user-friendly interface to the end user.

Question 24

_________ processing refers to the traditional mainframe environment in which all, or virtually al, of the processing is done on a central host.

A) Host-based
B) Cooperative
C) Server-based
D) Client-based

Question 25

The basic purpose of _________ is to enable an application or user at a client to access a variety of services on servers without being concerned about differences among servers.

Question 26

In a _________ configuration, the application processing is performed in an optimized fashion, taking advantage of the strengths of both client and server machines and of the distribution of data.

Question 27

In addition to clients and servers, the third essential ingredient of the client/server environment is the _________ .

Question 28

Pvmsync, EnFuzion, and BPRoc are examples of __________ system software.

A) Graphical User Interface
B) CORBA
C) SQL
D) Beowulf

Question 29

The main benefit of the ________ model is that it takes advantage of desktop power, offloading application processing from servers and making them more efficient and less likely to be bottlenecks.

Question 30

The problem of keeping local cache copies up to date to changes in remote data is known as the _________ problem.

Question 31

A __________ is a specific kind of service provider that acts as a registry and allows for the lookup of service provider interfaces and service locations.

A) Service requestor
B) Service provider
C) Service designer
D) Service broker

Question 32

With the _________ clustering method, data are continuously copied from primary to secondary server.

A) separate server
B) passive standby
C) active secondary
D) servers share disks

Question 33

The common disks are partitioned into volumes, and each volume is owned by a single computer, is the _________ approach.

A) shared disk
B) servers share disks
C) single virtual networking
D) shared nothing

Question 34

_________ is a language developed by IBM and standardized by ANSI for addressing, creating, updating, or querying relational databases.

Question 35

In the _________ approach, the programmer writes the application from the outset to run on a cluster and uses message passing to move data, as required, between cluster nodes.

A) passive standby
B) parallelized application
C) parallelizing compiler
D) parametric computing

Question 36

In a _________ architecture, the application software is distributed among three types of machines: a user machine, a middle-tier server, and a backend server.

Question 37

A _________ is a group of interconnected, whole computers working together as a unified computing resource that can create the illusion of being one machine.

A) SMP
B) node
C) cluster
D) single-system

Question 38

The ________ processing architecture is the most common client/server approach in current use.

A) server-based
B) client-based
C) host-based
D) cooperative

Question 39

As a result of _________ , common functions can be used by different departments internally and by external business partners as well.

A) middleware
B) service-oriented architecture
C) RPC
D) XLM

Question 40

A __________ is a database in which information access is limited to the selection of rows that satisfy all search criteria.

Question 41

"Servers are cabled to the same disks, but each server owns its disks. If one server fails, its disks are taken over by the other server," is a description of the _________ clustering method.

Question 42

The goal of __________ was to investigate the potential of clustered PCs for performing important computation tasks beyond the capabilities of contemporary workstations at minimum cost.

Question 43

__________ is a shared-nothing cluster, in which each disk volume and other resources are owned by a single system at a time.

Question 44

The essence of the _________ technique is to allow programs on different machines to interact using simple procedure call/return semantics, just as if the two programs were on the same machine.

Question 45

The restoration of applications and data resources to the original system once it has been fixed is referred to as __________ .