Download Network operating system (NOS): Software that (a) controls a

Network operating system (NOS):
Software that
(a) controls a network and its message (e.g. packet) traffic and
queues,
(b) controls access by multiple users to network resources such
as files, and
(c) provides for certain administrative functions, including
security.
A NOS is not the same as the networking tools provided by
some existing OS's, Windows XP for instance. An NOS is an
OS that has been specifically written to keep networks running
at optimal performance.
Some popular NOS's include:
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Windows NT
IBM AIX
Sun Solaris
Plan 9 from Bell Labs
Inferno
Windows 2000 Server
Windows Server 2003
Novell NetWare
Red Hat Linux
A network operating system is most frequently used with local
area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs), but
could also have application to larger network systems.
The upper 5 layers of the OSI Reference Model provide the
foundation upon which many network operating systems are
based.
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NOS was also the name of a proprietary time-sharing operating
system on the CDC 60-bit 6000 and Cyber series mainframe
computers; in the mid 1980s, NOS was replaced with NOS/VE
on the 64-bit Cyber-180 systems.
Definition:
Network Operating System (NOS) is an operating system that
includes special functions for connecting computers and devices
into a local-area network (LAN) or Inter-networking. Some
popular NOS's for DOS and Windows systems include Novell
Netware, Windows NT and 2000, Sun Solaris and IBM OS/2.
The Cisco IOS (Internet Operating System) is also a Network
Operating System with a focus on the Internetworking
capabilities of network devices. It is installed in almost all Cisco
network devices such as Cisco routers and switches.
Some of the features of Network Operating System are:
- Provide basic operating system features such as support for
processors, protocols, automatic hardware detection and support
multi-processing of applications
- Security features such as authentication, authorization, logon
restrictions and access control
- Provide name and directory services
- Provide file, print, web services, back-up and replication
services
- Support Internetworking such as routing and WAN ports
- User management and support for logon and logoff, remote
access; system management, administration and auditing tools
with graphic interfaces
- Clustering capabilities; fault tolerant and high availability
systems.
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Operating Systems 1
Computer Systems 2
and Networking
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Network
Operating Systems
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