Introduction to IT Infrastructure

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Why are clients dumb? Bringing some tasks to the client can relieve the server from different tasks (filtering is a big example) so that it is not saturated. Also Google Maps has an offline mode where you can find the route between two cities if you downloaded the map before.

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I would think it depends on the app. A simple use-case for a mapping app is that it can be used offline. In which case, the data in the client is throw-away (glossing over the details, of course). But if the app were more robust and tracked where the user travelled (even if offline), there would have to be some kind of function that synchronizes the data from the client with the centralized servers. In the end, the centralized servers need to ultimately house and control everything. Not sure if this example helps, but I hope it does.

Clients are dumb in centralized infrastructures because they don’t perform the mathematical and logical tasks performed by servers.

For your map example, there is so much to data the client can hold. Once it gets to that threshold or when the clients holding session expires, it ceases to hold any information. A good example is Youtube save for offline videos, they only stay say about 30 days and you would need to reconnect to the server to download new packets for those video before you can watch them.

Even at some point when a decision was taken at the server level to restrict users from saving videos offline except they join the YouTube members subscription plan, the client had no option that to give up those videos.

And even when it holds information, it is still dumb because it won’t still be dynamic like the server would.

Very Nice! Thank you, Ivan!

Topic well explained! I think Centralized IT Infrastructure is the Traditional Way storing data on the internet. Decentralized IT Infrastructure is definitely the future.

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Good explanation of centralized IT infrastructure.

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I have a Question to the Entire Class anyone?

When presenting a business model for Development of an Idea or Project, where should a majority of computational work (Data bases, apps, servers, nodes), and funding for said project be Focused "onChain (Decentralized platforms or off Chain, (third party services)??

I Appreciate every Response Thank you

Yes, even if today’s devices have much cpu power, I think that all the data and actions of the user session must be backed up / managed by the server to save battery and to prevent task crashes.

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Very clear and interesting, thank you Ivan

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Being a consultant myself the statement that the clients are “dumb” sounded like music to my ears (I tend to think this way about a majority of the clients that I have to deal at my current job that I am starting to hate)! Obviously this an irony… however, on a serious note, it was very useful to understand the the structural relationship that exist between the major elements of the Central IT infrastructure. Well done!

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Dumb clients summed up:
Clients are dumb because they just keep asking questions.
Server is smart because it has all the answers.

Video explained it well.

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Is decentralization the future? And how can we secure decentralization using blockchain?