Client datasets communicate with a provider component through a special interface called IAppServer. If the provider is local, IAppServer is the interface to an automatically-generated object that handles all communication between the client dataset and its provider. If the provider is remote, IAppServer is the interface to a remote data module on the application server, or (in the case of a SOAP server) an interface generated by the connection component. 

TClientDataSet provides many opportunities for customizing the communication that uses the IAppServer interface. Before and after every IAppServer method call that is directed at the client dataset's provider, TClientDataSet receives special events that allow it to communicate arbitrary information with its provider. These events are matched with similar events on the provider. Thus for example, when the client dataset calls its ApplyUpdates method, the following events occur:

1. The client dataset receives a BeforeApplyUpdates event, where it specifies arbitrary custom information in an OleVariant called OwnerData.
2. The provider receives a BeforeApplyUpdates event, where it can respond to the OwnerData from the client dataset and update the value of OwnerData to new information.
3. The provider goes through its normal process of assembling a data packet (including all the accompanying events).
4. The provider receives an AfterApplyUpdates event, where it can respond to the current value of OwnerData and update it to a value for the client dataset.
5. The client dataset receives an AfterApplyUpdates event, where it can respond to the returned value of OwnerData.

Every other IAppServer method call is accompanied by a similar set of BeforeXXX and AfterXXX events that let you customize the communication between client dataset and provider. 

In addition, the client dataset has a special method, DataRequest, whose only purpose is to allow application-specific communication with the provider. When the client dataset calls DataRequest, it passes an OleVariant as a parameter that can contain any information you want. This, in turn, generates an is the OnDataRequest event on the provider, where you can respond in any application-defined way and return a value to the client dataset.