Multi-Tier Architecture

Multi-tier architecture is composed of:

1. Clients: It Refers to a program that requests service from a component.
2. Resource: A resource is anything a component needs to provide a service.
3. Component: It is part of a tier that consists of a collection of classes or a program that performs a function to provide a service.
4. Containers: It is software that manages a component and provides system services to the component. A container handles persistence, resource management, security, threading, and other system-level services from components that are associated with the container. Example: APIs.

A tier is an abstract concept that defines a group of technologies that provide one or more services to its clients. In multi-tier architecture, each tier contains services that include software objects, DBMS, or connectivity to legacy systems. IT departments of corporations employ multi-tier architecture because it’s a cost-effective way to build an application that is flexible, scalable, and responsive to the expectation of clients.

The functionality of the application is divided into logical components that are associated with a tier. Each component is a service that is built and maintained independently of the other services. Services are bound together by a communication protocol that enables service and sends information from and to other services.