An operating system (OS) refers to the software on a node, usually a personal computer, that lets it run applications, control peripherals, and communicate with other computers.

The network operating system (NOS) contains the applications that provide network services.

The major network operating systems, including Microsoft Windows NT, Novell NetWare, and Unix.

Microsoft Windows NT - A networking operating system designed using a Directory to manage certain resources. NT's primary file system is NTFS (New Technology File System). Provides an inherently GUI console at the server.

Windows NT is a 32-bit operating system that can run on Intel (and compatible) and RISC platforms. It is a preemptive multitasking operating system that shares processor time between all running processes.

Windows NT uses a directory service database that contains information related to users, groups and computers. It can be replicated between Domain Controllers by a schedule or on demand. Windows 2000 uses Active Directory which is a hierarchical security model, similar to NDS.

Proxy Server Firewall and Web-caching services
Internet Information Server (IIS) Internet and intranet services
Site Server Intranet, Internet, and e-commerce management services
Systems Management Services (SMS) Inventory, network diagnostics, and software distribution services
SNA Server Integrating legacy systems with an NT network
SQL Server Relational database management

The superuser on an NT system is the user Administrator. This account has complete, unlimited access over the operating system, whether it is used as a workstation or a network server.

Novell NetWare - A networking operating system designed using a bindery or Directory Service to manage most resources.

The default protocol for NetWare 4.x and earlier is IPX/SPX. Current versions of NetWare use TCP/IP.

IPX - Internetwork Packet Exchange. It's the Novell NetWare designed protocol which is the default protocol during installation. Packet sizes for Ethernet are approx 1500 bytes, for Token Ring they are approx 4Kb. Performs addressing and routing functions. Resides in Network Layer. Requires some configuration.

NetWare versions 4.0 and higher use a directory service based network, Novell Directory Services or NDS. NDS maintains information about all network resources (such as servers, volumes, users, groups, and printers) in a hierarchical, tree-structured database that resembles an organizational chart.

NetWare 3.x and previous versions used a bindery-based database to maintain information about users and groups. This wasn't an enterprise-wide database; a separate database was required on each server in the network.

The superuser on a NetWare system is the user Admin. NetWare 3.x and previous versions used SUPERVISOR rather than Admin, and a separate SUPERVISOR account was required for each server on the network.

Novell NetWare 5.0 includes several additional products with the operating system. These include a 5-user version of Oracle, Netscape FastTrack Server, FTP Server, IPX/IP Gateway, DHCP Server, DNS Server and Client, Netscape Navigator, and others.

UNIX is a family of operating systems developed at Bell Laboratories in the late 1960s. 

Because UNIX was designed for software development, the needs of the beginning user were ignored in favor of speed and accuracy. However, UNIX has evolved with an ever-increasing focus on the end-user's needs.

One of the main reasons for the longevity and popularity of UNIX is its portability. UNIX runs on almost every type of computer from micros to super computers. UNIX provides utilities for everything from email to compilers.

The superuser on a UNIX system is the user root. This account has complete, unlimited access over the operating system, whether it is used as a workstation or a network server.

Linux was developed by Linus Torvolds at the University of Finland. It is a freely available operating system with open source code.

Linux is a POSIX based operating system that can run on many hardware platforms including PC, Macintosh, Sparc, and Alpha systems. Some vendors that supply Linux are Red Hat, Caldera, Suse, and Debian.

For more information on Networking Basics, the OSI Model and Server Administration:
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