A network operating system (NOS) is an OS that is designed to run on a network server
dedicated to providing various services to other computers on the network. The "other"
computers are called client computers, and each computer that connects to a network
server must be running client software designed to request a specific service. If you
are connecting to a server to store and retrieve files, your computer must have the
client software that allows it to connect to that server for that purpose. Further,
the specific client software needed varies based on thhe NOS running on the server.
All of today's desktop operating systems include support for some basic services,
such as file and print sharing, over a network. But desktop operating systems are
best reserved for the humdrum work of teh average business or home user. They really
don't work that well as servers. If you work in a small office and want to share a
printer connected to your desktop computer with your coworkers, you can do this,
whether you are running Windows, Linux, or Mac OS X, in which case your computer is
providing a network service.
Network operating systems are optimized to provide network services with support for
multiple processors and support for redundancy-both locally in the form of data redundancy
on drives and specialized network redundancy, such as schemes in which one network server
is a "mirror" of another server and is available immediately if the first server fails.
There are many other "under-the-hood" enhancements that enable a NOS to provide reliable
service.
dedicated to providing various services to other computers on the network. The "other"
computers are called client computers, and each computer that connects to a network
server must be running client software designed to request a specific service. If you
are connecting to a server to store and retrieve files, your computer must have the
client software that allows it to connect to that server for that purpose. Further,
the specific client software needed varies based on thhe NOS running on the server.
All of today's desktop operating systems include support for some basic services,
such as file and print sharing, over a network. But desktop operating systems are
best reserved for the humdrum work of teh average business or home user. They really
don't work that well as servers. If you work in a small office and want to share a
printer connected to your desktop computer with your coworkers, you can do this,
whether you are running Windows, Linux, or Mac OS X, in which case your computer is
providing a network service.
Network operating systems are optimized to provide network services with support for
multiple processors and support for redundancy-both locally in the form of data redundancy
on drives and specialized network redundancy, such as schemes in which one network server
is a "mirror" of another server and is available immediately if the first server fails.
There are many other "under-the-hood" enhancements that enable a NOS to provide reliable
service.
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