ClearQuest connector question

If you have separate servers for :

Database - Oracle in this case
RTC server
ClearQuest server - CM engine and CQ WEB functions
RTC / ClearQuest connector server

When the synchronisations occur between ClearQuest and RTC does the
communication and data go :

DB server -> RTC server -> connector server -> CQ server -> DB server

or does it go :

DB server -> connector server -> DB server

i.e. does the connector function act as a separate client to both
clearquest and RTC maintaining its own connection and holding all
required software and data ?

Thanks

Mark