Centralized

A centralized network is a computer network that uses a host. The host controls all network
communication. It manages all the processing and storage. Users connect to the host using
terminals or terminal emulators. If someone refers to a mainframe, they are probably implying a
host.
Centralized networks deliver high performance. They allow centralized network management.
This makes the network easier to support and more secure. The problem is that they’re usually
expensive.
The first computer networks were centralized. At that time, all computers were large and
expensive. Using terminals to connect to the host allowed more than one user to use the one big
computer. But this model is not limited to "legacy" (old, obsolete) environments or mainframes.
Cloud-based computing could also be described as centralized. Clouds usually have huge
amounts of storage and processing power. They can be accessed by millions, maybe even
billions, of clients. Clients typically access the cloud via a browser. If you have a public email
address through Gmail, Outlook, or Yahoo, you’re using cloud-based computing.
There is also a new form of centralized computing called Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI). In
VDI, employees don’t have workstations at their desks. Instead, each employee has a terminal
that allows them to access a virtual desktop. The desktop operating system runs on a computer
somewhere else in the company. This can save the company money because they only need
one powerful server to host the virtual desktops. If the terminal at someone’s desk fails, the
employee can move to any other terminal. There is only one problem with this model. If the
employee only has a terminal, and the host (or the network) fails, the employee cannot work at
all.
Centralized computing always simplifies management and security. The problem with all
centralized computing is that it makes a failure of the network or central computer harder to
survive. Whenever the failure of one device can disrupt a whole system, we call that device a
Single Point of Failure (SPoF).