2. Topic Objectives:
• Describe on what is a Network Operating
System
• Learn on what is a Client and a Server
• Learn the difference between Windows Server
and Linux Server
3. Network Operating System
• A network operating system (NOS) is a
computer operating system; a system that is
designed primarily to support workstation,
personal computer, and, in some instances,
older terminal that are connected on a local
area network (LAN).
4. Network Operating System
• The term network operating system is
generally reserved for software that enhances
a basic operating system by adding
networking features. Novell Netware,
Artisoft's LANtastic, Microsoft Windows
Server, and Windows NT are examples of a
NOS.
5. Features of NOS
• Basic operating system features support like protocol
support, processor support, hardware detection and
multiprocessing support for applications
• Security features like authentication, restrictions,
authorizations and access control
• Features for file, Web service, printing and replication
• Directory and name services management
• User management features along with provisions for
remote access and system management
• Internetworking features like routing and WAN ports
• Clustering capabilities
6. Common tasks associated with NOS
• User administration
• System maintenance activities like backup
• Tasks associated with file management
• Security monitoring on all resources in the
network
• Setting priority to print jobs in the network
8. Client
• It is a piece of computer hardware or software
that accesses a service made available by a
server. The server is often (but not always) on
another computer system, in which case the
client accesses the service by way of a
network.
• The term applies to programs or devices that
are part of a client–server model.
9. Client cont…
• A client is the requesting program or user in a
client/server relationship.
• For example, the user of a Web browser is
effectively making client requests for pages from
servers all over the Web.
• The browser itself is a client in its relationship
with the computer that is getting and returning
the requested HTML file. The computer handling
the request and sending back the HTML file is a
server.
11. Server
• It is a computer or computer program that
manages access to a centralized resource or
service in a network.
• In computer networking, a server is a
computer designed to process requests and
deliver data to other (client) computers over a
local network or the Internet.
12. Server
• Many types of servers exist, including web
servers, mail servers, and file servers. Each
type runs software specific to the purpose of
the server.
• For example, a Web server may run Apache
HTTP Server or Microsoft IIS, which both
provide access to websites over the Internet.
15. Windows Server
• Windows Server is a group of operating systems
designed by Microsoft that supports enterprise-
level management, data storage, applications,
and communications.
• A series of server operating systems developed
by Microsoft Corporation.
• Windows servers are more powerful versions of
their desktop operating system counterparts and
are designed to more efficiently handle corporate
networking, Internet/intranet hosting, databases,
enterprise-scale messaging and similar functions.
16. Windows Server
• Previous versions of Windows Server have focused on
stability, security, networking, and various
improvements to the file system.
• Other improvements also have included improvements
to deployment technologies, as well as increased
hardware support. Microsoft has also created
specialized SKUs of Windows Server that focus on the
home and small business markets.
• Windows Server 2012 R2 is the latest release of
Windows Server, and focuses on cloud computing.
18. Linux Server
• A Linux server is a high-powered variant of the
Linux open source operating system that's
designed to handle the more demanding
needs of business applications such as
network and system administration, database
management and Web services.
19. Linux Server
• Linux servers are frequently selected over
other server operating systems for their
stability, security and flexibility advantages.
Leading Linux server operating systems
include CentOS, Debian, Ubuntu Server,
Slackware and Gentoo.
21. Windows
• Microsoft products are regarded as the standard
option for most businesses.
• Most IT admins are comfortable using either
Windows Server 2008 and 2012.
• According to Microsoft's website, 2008's
mainstream support will end in 2015, with
extended support ending in 2020.
• Cost is also an important factor; licence fees are
expensive. The more employees you have, the
more expensive it will become.
22. Linux
• You can download, modify it and re-distribute it
without spending any money.
• Linux itself is not a complete operating system (it
is just a kernel) and requires an additional set of
software to be bundled with it.
• SUSE is popular with the enterprise market
• Linux is installed on over 95% of the world's best
supercomputers demonstrating that it is the
fastest performing OS with the smallest resource
footprint.
23. Linux
• Linux distributions also offer alternatives to
popular Microsoft products such as Microsoft
Exchange
• If you already use Microsoft and are looking to
migrate to Linux in stages, SUSE (for example) is
compatible with Active Directory, Exchange,
SharePoint and Novell GroupWise.
• Recently, SUSE partnered with Microsoft to
enable Hyper-V node management using SUSE
Cloud, allowing you to run a mixed environment
where required.
24. Linux
• No OS is perfect; one of the major downsides
of Linux is that as it is a lesser known platform
you will find it harder to administrators with
the skills to configure and support the system
in-house.
25. Windows and Linux
• Final Word:
– “Selecting the right platform is important for the
health of your business. It's worth building a test
system running your preferred OS so you can spot any
issues and check security and performance prior to
going live, with minimal disruption for your users.”
– David Barker is the technical director of 4D Data
Centres
26. Versions of Windows Server
• Windows Server 2012 R2
• Windows Server 2012
• Windows Server 2008 R2
• Windows Server 2008
• Windows Server 2003 R2
• Windows Server 2003
• Windows Server 2000
• Windows NT 4.0
• Windows NT 3.51
• Windows NT 3.5
• Windows NT 3.1
27. Linux Server Distributions
• The following are the TOP 10 Linux
Distributions of 2015 according
serverwatch.com:
• Ubuntu
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• Suse Linux Enterprise Server
• CentOS
• Debian
29. Types of Network Operating System
• Peer-to-peer network operating system users
are allowed to share resources and files
located on their computers and access shared
resources from others. This system is not
based with having a file server or centralized
management source. A peer-to-peer network
sets all connected computers equal; they all
share the same abilities to use resources
available on the network
31. Peer-to-Peer
• Advantages
– Ease of setup
– Less hardware needed, no server needs to be purchased.
• Disadvantages
– No central location for storage.
– Lack of security that a client/server type offers
32. Types of Network Operating System
• Client/Server Network Operating Systems can
be based on a client/server architecture in
which a server enables multiple clients to
share resources.Client/server network
operating systems allow the network to
centralize functions and applications in one or
more dedicated file servers. The server is the
center of the system, allowing access to
resources and instituting security.
34. Client/Server
• Advantages
– Centralized servers are more stable.
– Security is provided through the server.
– New technology and hardware can be easily integrated
into the system.
– Servers are able to be accessed remotely from different
locations and types of systems.
• Disadvantages
– Cost of buying and running a server are high.
– Dependence on a central location for operation.
– Requires regular maintenance and updates.
35. Examples
• Peer-to-Peer
– Bittorrent
– Napster and Gnutella
– Windows for Workgroups
– AppleShare
• Client/Server
– Windows Server
– Linux Server
– Mac OS X Server
37. Domain
• It is a group of computers and devices on a
network that are administered as a unit with
common rules and procedures. Within the
Internet, domains are defined by the IP
address. All devices sharing a common part of
the IP address are said to be in the same
domain.
38. Workgroup
• In computer networking, a workgroup is a
collection of computers on a local area
network (LAN) that share common resources
and responsibilities. Workgroups provide easy
sharing of files, printers and other network
resources.
• The Microsoft Windows family of operating
systems supports assigning of computers to
named workgroups.
A mail server may run a program like Exim or iMail, which provides SMTP services for sending and receiving email. A file server might use Samba or the operating system's built-in file sharing services to share files over a network.
While server software is specific to the type of server, the hardware is not as important. In fact, a regular desktop computers can be turned into a server by adding the appropriate software. For example, a computer connected to a home network can be designated as a file server, print server, or both.
While any computer can be configured as a server, most large businesses use rack-mountable hardware designed specifically for server functionality. These systems, often 1U in size, take up minimal space and often have useful features such as LED status lights and hot-swappable hard drive bays. Multiple rack-mountable servers can be placed in a single rack and often share the same monitor and input devices. Most servers are accessed remotely using remote access software, so input devices are often not even necessary.
While servers can run on different types of computers, it is important that the hardware is sufficient to support the demands of the server. For instance, a web server that runs lots of web scripts in real-time should have a fast processor and enough RAM to handle the "load" without slowing down. A file server should have one or more fast hard drives or SSDs that can read and write data quickly. Regardless of the type of server, a fast network connection is critical, since all data flows through that connection.
With 75% share of the OS and software market, Microsoft products are regarded as the standard option for most businesses. Windows Server 2008 and 2012 are the current options for Microsoft Server OS.
Most IT admins are comfortable using either flavour. You can also run Hyper-V on either alongside other applications, minimising hardware requirements. Microsoft includes the ability to operate applications over the internet using Remote Desktop Services, enabling end-users to run software without installing it on their PCs.
One big consideration to make when selecting Server operating systems is how long you intend to run them for.
According to Microsoft's website, 2008's mainstream support will end in 2015, with extended support ending in 2020. If you are looking to run physical servers, you will likely keep the physical hardware for around five years before a hardware refresh. This will mean your product's support will end before you upgrade your hardware. Using an operating system beyond its lifecycle opens your business up to potential security issues, as you're no longer covered by Windows updates.
Cost is also an important factor; licence fees are expensive. The more employees you have, the more expensive it will become. Choosing older versions to reduce costs will come with the caveat of shorter support lifetimes.
As a free operating system the developer market has embraced Linux; you can download, modify it and re-distribute it without spending any money.
However, Linux itself is not a complete operating system (it is just a kernel) and requires an additional set of software to be bundled with it. These bundles, known as distributions have hundreds of flavours available; more popular ones include Ubuntu, SUSE and Red Hat.
SUSE is popular with the enterprise market and is used by the Open University and the London Stock Exchange. Linux operating systems often have a smaller footprint and resource load. The distribution can be configured with as many, or as few, components as required, to ensure the most effective use of your environment.
Linux distributions also offer alternatives to popular Microsoft products such as Microsoft Exchange, meaning that you can continue to enjoy free versions of known products for free.
If you already use Microsoft and are looking to migrate to Linux in stages, SUSE (for example) is compatible with Active Directory, Exchange, SharePoint and Novell GroupWise. This means that you can introduce your Linux system gradually into your Windows environment and allow some bedding in time before phasing Microsoft out.
Recently, SUSE partnered with Microsoft to enable Hyper-V node management using SUSE Cloud, allowing you to run a mixed environment where required. Red Hat can also co-exist with Microsoft and Unix servers using a combination of Microsoft Active Directory and the identity management features within Red Hat.
No OS is perfect; one of the major downsides of Linux is that as it is a lesser known platform you will find it harder to administrators with the skills to configure and support the system in-house. These skills are generally less common in the market and therefore can be more costly.
