Frameworks for component-based client/server computing

Abstract

This article introduces the basics of client/server computing and component technologies and then proposes two frameworks for client/server computing using distributed objects. I discuss topics affecting client/server frameworks, with a focus on the delegation of responsibilities between clients and servers and the stratification of client/server systems into levels. The component technologies I discuss are CORBA, the Object Management Group’s proposal for a distributed object framework, and DCOM, Microsoft’s system for creating and using objects on remote machines while maintaining the common paradigm for interaction among libraries, applications, and system software provided by COM [Chappell 1996]. ActiveXs, components built from COMbased technologies, are treated as important examples of DCOM parts in client/server systems. It should be noted that JavaBeans is not discussed, since it is a language-specific technology and not suitable for use in an environment when the participating components are not necessarily all written in Java. The Java programming language is discussed in terms of its contributions to an effective framework for client/server computing using the distributed object services of CORBA. Java applications, which are suitable for downloading to a local machine from the World Wide Web, are discussed as Java component units providing total integration frameworks for client/server computing while using distributed objects.