What is the most common resource that is shared by a network operating system?

Unlike operating systems, such as Windows, that are designed for single users to control one computer, network operating systems (NOS) coordinate the activities of multiple computers across a network. The network operating system acts as a director to keep the network running smoothly.

The two major types of network operating systems are:

Nearly all modern networks are a combination of both. The networking design can be considered independent of the servers and workstations that will share it.

Peer-to-peer network operating systems allow users to share resources and files located on their computers and to access shared resources found on other computers. However, they do not have a file server or a centralized management source (See fig. 1). In a peer-to-peer network, all computers are considered equal; they all have the same abilities to use the resources available on the network. Peer-to-peer networks are designed primarily for small to medium local area networks. Nearly all modern desktop operating systems, such as Macintosh OSX, Linux, and Windows, can function as peer-to-peer network operating systems.

Fig. 1. Peer-to-peer network

Advantages of a peer-to-peer network:

• Less initial expense - No need for a dedicated server.
• Setup - An operating system (such as Windows XP) already in place may only need to be reconfigured for peer-to-peer operations.

Disadvantages of a peer-to-peer network:

• Decentralized - No central repository for files and applications.
• Security - Does not provide the security available on a client/server network.

Client/server network operating systems allow the network to centralize functions and applications in one or more dedicated file servers (See fig. 2). The file servers become the heart of the system, providing access to resources and providing security. Individual workstations (clients) have access to the resources available on the file servers. The network operating system provides the mechanism to integrate all the components of the network and allow multiple users to simultaneously share the same resources irrespective of physical location. UNIX/Linux and the Microsoft family of Windows Servers are examples of client/server network operating systems.

Fig. 2. Client/server network

Advantages of a client/server network:

• Centralized - Resources and data security are controlled through the server.
• Scalability - Any or all elements can be replaced individually as needs increase.
• Flexibility - New technology can be easily integrated into system.
• Interoperability - All components (client/network/server) work together.
• Accessibility - Server can be accessed remotely and across multiple platforms.

Disadvantages of a client/server network:

• Expense - Requires initial investment in dedicated server.
• Maintenance - Large networks will require a staff to ensure efficient operation.
• Dependence - When server goes down, operations will cease across the network.

The following links include some of the more popular peer-to-peer and client/server network operating systems.

An Operating System(O.S.) is a System software that manages the hardware resources and provides services to the Application software. There are many types of operating systems depending upon its features and functionalities. They can be Batch O.S., Multitasking O.S., Multiprocessing O.S., Network O.S., Hybrid O.S., etc.

In this blog, we'll focus on the Network Operating System. We'll learn about the two types of Network O.S., their advantages, and disadvantages. At last, we'll see some common features of the Network O.S.

Network Operating System

Network Operating System is a computer operating system that facilitates to connect and communicate various autonomous computers over a network. An Autonomous computer is an independent computer that has its own local memory, hardware, and O.S. It is self capable to perform operations and processing for a single user. They can either run the same or different O.S.

The Network O.S. mainly runs on a powerful computer, that runs the server program. It facilitates the security and capability of managing the data, user, group, application, and other network functionalities. The main advantage of using a network o.s. is that it facilitates the sharing of resources and memory amongst the autonomous computers in the network. It can also facilitate the client computers to access the shared memory and resources administered by the Server computer. In other words, the Network O.S. is mainly designed to allow multiple users to share files and resources over the network.

The Network O.S. is not transparent in nature. The workstations connected in the network are aware of the multiplicity of the network devices. The Network Operating Systems can distribute their tasks and functions amongst connected nodes in the network, which enhances the system overall performance. It can allow multiple access to the shared resources concurrently, which results in efficiency. One of the major importance of using a Network O.S. is remote access. It facilitates one workstation to connect and communicate with another workstation in a secure manner. For providing security, it has authentication and access control functionality. The network o.s. implements a lot of protocols over the network, which provides a proper implementation of the network functionalities. One drawback of Network O.S. is its tightly coupled nature in the network.

Some examples of Network O.S. are Novel Netware, Microsoft Windows server (2000, 2003, 2008), Unix, Linux, etc.

There are mainly two types of Network O.S., they are:

1. Peer-to-Peer
2. Client-Server

Now let us learn them one by one, along with their advantages and disadvantages.

Peer-to-Peer

Peer-to-Peer Network Operating System is an operating system in which all the nodes are functionally and operationally equal to each other. No one is superior or inferior. They all are capable to perform similar kinds of tasks. All the nodes have their own local memory and resources. Using the Network O.S., they can connect and communicate with each other. They can also share data and resources with one another. One node can also communicate and share data and resources with a remote node in the network by using the authentication feature of the Network O.S. The nodes are directly connected with each other in the network with the help of a switch or a hub.

Following are the advantages of the Peer-to-Peer Network Operating System:

1. Easy to install and setup.
2. The setup cost is low.
3. There is no requirement for any specialized software.
4. The sharing of information and resources is fast and easy.

Following are the disadvantages of the Peer-to-Peer Network Operating System:

1. The performance of autonomous computers may not be so good when sharing some resources.
2. There is no centralized management.
3. It is less secure.
4. It does not have backup functionalities.
5. Ther is no centralized storage system.

Client-Server

The Client-Server Networking Operating System operates with a single server and multiple client computers in the network. The Client O.S. runs on the client machine, while the Network Operating System is installed on the server machine. The server machine is a centralized hub for all the client machines. The client machines generate a request for information or some resource and forward it to the server machine. The server machine, in turn, replies to the client machine by providing appropriate services to it in a secure manner. The server machine is a very powerful computer, that is capable of tackling large calculations and operations. It can also have the ability to administer the whole network and its resources. It can be multiprocessing in nature, which can process multiple client requests at the same time. The Network O.S. enhances the reach of client machines by providing remote access to other nodes and resources of the network in a secure manner.

Following are the advantages of the Client-Server Network Operating System:

1. It has centralized control and administration.
2. It has a backup facility for lost data.
3. The shared data and resources can be accessed concurrently by multiple clients.
4. It has better reliability and performance.

Following are the disadvantages of the Client-Server Network Operating System:

1. The setup cost is very high.
2. There is a requirement of specialized software for client and server machines to function properly.
3. There is a need for an administrator to administer the network.
4. There may be network failure, in case of central server failure.
5. A huge amount of client requests may overload the server.

Following are the common functionalities of the Network Operating System:

1. Data and Resource sharing
2. Performance
3. Security
4. Robustness
5. Scalability
6. Memory management

This is all about the Network Operating System, its features, and types. Hope you learned something new today. That's it for this blog.

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