Fundamentals of Software Engineering -
Final Exam questions and answers 2025/2026
latest update
1.What are Distributed Systems? - answerLarge computer-based systems.
2.Why are Distributed Systems used? - answerTo organize information distribution in cases such as a
large enterprise computing system.
3.How are Distributed Systems generally implemented? - answerBy distributing information processing
over several computers rather than confined to a single machine.
4.What are the 3 system types discussed in class? - answer- Personal Systems
- Embedded Systems
- Distributed Systems
5.Of the system types, what would a Network fall under? - answerDistributed Systems
6.Name the advantages of Distributed Systems, and describe each. - answer- Resource sharing
+ sharing of hardware & software
- Openness
+ Use of equipment & software from different. vendors
- Concurrency
+ concurrent processing for enhanced performance
- Scalability
+ increased throughput by adding new resources
,- Fault tolerance
+ the ability to continue in operation after faults occur
7.Name the disadvantages of Distributed Systems, and describe each. - answer- Complexity
+ Typically, distributed systems are more complex than centralized systems.
- Security
+ More susceptible to external attack.
- Manageability
+More effort required for system management.
- Unpredictability
+ Unpredictable responses depending on the system organisation and network load.
8.Name the 2 Distributed System Architectures discussed in class. - answer- Client-server architecture
- Distributed object architecture
9.What is the main feature of Client-Server architectures? - answerServers provide services to clients,
and clients are treated differently than servers.
10.What is the main feature of Distributed Object architectures? - answerNo distinction between clients
and servers. Any object on the system may provide or use services from other objects.
11.* What is the concept of Middleware? - answerOff-the-shelf software that is used to manage and
support components of a distributed system.
12.* Name all 3 examples of Middleware given in class. - answer- Transaction processing monitors
- Data converters
- Communication controllers.
, 13.What is the main attribute of Multiprocessor architectures? - answerThey are composed of multiple
processes which may (but need not) execute on different processors.
14.What type of systems use Multiprocessor architecture? - answerLarge real-time systems.
15.Name and describe each of the features of Layered Application Architecture. - answer- Presentation
layer
+ Concerned with presenting the results of a computation to system users and with collecting user
inputs.
- Application processing layer
+ Concerned with providing application specific functionality e.g., in a banking system, banking
functions such as open account, close account, etc.
-Data management layer
+ Concerned with managing the system databases.
16.* What is a Thin-Client Model? - answerThe client is only responsible for running the presentation
software. All data management and data processing is done on the server. Think cloud technologies.
17.* What is Fat-Client Model? - answerThe server is only responsible for data management. The client
software implements the application logic and interactions with the user.
18.* When is a Thin-Client Model used? - answerWhen legacy systems are migrated to client-server
architectures.
19.* What is a major disadvantage of Thin-Client Model? - answerIt places a heavy processing load on
both the server and the network.
20.* When is Fat-Client Model most suited to be used? - answerWhen the capabilities of the client
system are known in advance.
Final Exam questions and answers 2025/2026
latest update
1.What are Distributed Systems? - answerLarge computer-based systems.
2.Why are Distributed Systems used? - answerTo organize information distribution in cases such as a
large enterprise computing system.
3.How are Distributed Systems generally implemented? - answerBy distributing information processing
over several computers rather than confined to a single machine.
4.What are the 3 system types discussed in class? - answer- Personal Systems
- Embedded Systems
- Distributed Systems
5.Of the system types, what would a Network fall under? - answerDistributed Systems
6.Name the advantages of Distributed Systems, and describe each. - answer- Resource sharing
+ sharing of hardware & software
- Openness
+ Use of equipment & software from different. vendors
- Concurrency
+ concurrent processing for enhanced performance
- Scalability
+ increased throughput by adding new resources
,- Fault tolerance
+ the ability to continue in operation after faults occur
7.Name the disadvantages of Distributed Systems, and describe each. - answer- Complexity
+ Typically, distributed systems are more complex than centralized systems.
- Security
+ More susceptible to external attack.
- Manageability
+More effort required for system management.
- Unpredictability
+ Unpredictable responses depending on the system organisation and network load.
8.Name the 2 Distributed System Architectures discussed in class. - answer- Client-server architecture
- Distributed object architecture
9.What is the main feature of Client-Server architectures? - answerServers provide services to clients,
and clients are treated differently than servers.
10.What is the main feature of Distributed Object architectures? - answerNo distinction between clients
and servers. Any object on the system may provide or use services from other objects.
11.* What is the concept of Middleware? - answerOff-the-shelf software that is used to manage and
support components of a distributed system.
12.* Name all 3 examples of Middleware given in class. - answer- Transaction processing monitors
- Data converters
- Communication controllers.
, 13.What is the main attribute of Multiprocessor architectures? - answerThey are composed of multiple
processes which may (but need not) execute on different processors.
14.What type of systems use Multiprocessor architecture? - answerLarge real-time systems.
15.Name and describe each of the features of Layered Application Architecture. - answer- Presentation
layer
+ Concerned with presenting the results of a computation to system users and with collecting user
inputs.
- Application processing layer
+ Concerned with providing application specific functionality e.g., in a banking system, banking
functions such as open account, close account, etc.
-Data management layer
+ Concerned with managing the system databases.
16.* What is a Thin-Client Model? - answerThe client is only responsible for running the presentation
software. All data management and data processing is done on the server. Think cloud technologies.
17.* What is Fat-Client Model? - answerThe server is only responsible for data management. The client
software implements the application logic and interactions with the user.
18.* When is a Thin-Client Model used? - answerWhen legacy systems are migrated to client-server
architectures.
19.* What is a major disadvantage of Thin-Client Model? - answerIt places a heavy processing load on
both the server and the network.
20.* When is Fat-Client Model most suited to be used? - answerWhen the capabilities of the client
system are known in advance.
