Compare and Contrast between Peer to Peer Network and Client Server Network

Peer-to-Peer Networks vs Client/Server Networks
Peer-to-Peer Networks	Client/Server Networks
·  Easy to set up	·  More difficult to set up
·  Less expensive to install	·  More expensive to install
·  Can be implemented on a wide range of operating systems	·  A variety of operating systems can be supported on the client computers, but the server needs to run an operating system that supports networking
·  More time consuming to maintain the software being used (as computers must be managed individually)	·  Less time consuming to maintain the software being used (as most of the maintenance is managed from the server)
·  Very low levels of security supported or none at all. These can be very cumbersome to set up, depending on the operating system being used	·  High levels of security are supported, all of which are controlled from the server. Such measures prevent the deletion of essential system files or the changing of settings
·  Ideal for networks with less than 10 computers	·  No limit to the number of computers that can be supported by the network
·  Does not require a server	·  Requires a server running a server operating system
·  Demands a moderate level of skill to administer the network	·  Demands that the network administrator has a high level of IT skills with a good working knowledge of a server operating system