What Are Servers and Clients?
Here are some very basic definitions:
SERVER:
- "A server is primarily a program that runs on a machine, providing a particular and specific service to other machines connected to the machine on which it is found."
CLIENT:
- "Client software receives data or instructions from a remote program called a server."
For the purposes of My Movies, the Server will be your Main Database Computer - your My Movies Server. This Main Database keeps track of where all your movies are stored on your hard-drives, no matter where they are located. Any other computers that access the My Movies Server so that they can watch movies are called Clients.
So we can see from the above image that the Server will send out movies to the Clients. Now, to avoid future confusion, keep in mind that if you are watching movies on your actual Server's Media Center Interface (if your Server Computer is hooked up to your living room television, for example) then the Server will actually be 'serving' itself - your Server Computer becomes a Client temporarily. All My Movies Media Center Interfaces are basically clients, even the one on the actual Computer that houses the My Movies Server. This is why one of the downloads is called the Server and Client Version.
What Are The Benefits Of Having A Server and Multiple Clients?
Well, you can store all of your movies on one computer (your Server) and then distribute them throughout your home to any computer that is running the Client software. So you can watch movies wherever you have a computer, and all from a central storage area.
This doesn't mean you have to store all of your movies on the Server Computer, though - you can store them anywhere that the Server Computer can access - it doesn't matter. It's just the big brain of the operation.