A Network Operating System Is A Computer Operating System (OS) Designed And Used Primarily To Support Workstations, Personal Computers, And In Some Cases, Older Terminals Located On A Local Area Network (LAN).

A network operating system allows multiple devices on a network to communicate with each other and share resources.

Hardware equipment typically uses a network operating system, including personal computers, printers, servers, and file servers on a local network that connects them. The network operating system provides essential network services and features and supports incoming requests concurrently in a multi-user environment.

Since operating systems were not specifically designed for use in networks in the beginning, network operating systems emerged as solutions for single-user computers. They later found the ability to support various network equipment.

Types of network operating systems

Today, there are two basic types of network operating systems, which are called peer-to-peer NOS and client/server NOS.

• Peer-to-peer network operating systems allow users to use and share network resources in a shared, accessible network location. In this architecture, all devices are of the same level in terms of performance and share the same resources. Typically, peer-to-peer works best for small to medium-sized LAN implementations and is cheaper and more cost effective to set up.
• Client/server network operating systems provide users access to resources through a server. In this architecture, all operators and applications are provided through a single file server that can provide help and services to clients regardless of their physical location. The advantage of the client/server model is that the network is centrally controlled, which makes it easier to make changes or add or subtract resources and technologies to them. Client/servers usually have a high implementation cost, and their technical maintenance process requires a sufficient budget.

Standard features of network operating systems

Network operating systems have almost similar features that make the process of user management, system maintenance, and resource performance significantly increased. Among the standard features of these operating systems, the following should be noted:

• We provide basic network protocols, detailed support for processors, and the ability to process different requests simultaneously.
• Printer and application sharing.
• Providing shared file system and database sharing
• Network security features such as user authentication and access control.
• directory
• Backup and web services.
• The ability to connect networks to the Internet

Examples of network operating systems

Network operating systems are classified as software that accurately provides users with network features. From network operating systems and service providers in this field, the following should be mentioned:

• Artisoft’s LANtastic is a simple and user-friendly network operating system that supports most PC operating systems.
• Banyan’s VINES – uses a client-server architecture to handle requests and provide specific services.
• Novell’s NetWare was the first network operating system released based on the XNS protocol architecture.
• Microsoft’s LAN Manager – acts as a server application and is developed to run under Microsoft’s operating system. Most LAN Manager functionality is now built into the Windows operating system itself.

In addition, some multipurpose operating systems, such as Windows Server and various Linux server distributions, are also available in the market. These enable the capabilities to implement and manage access to resources based on user permissions.

 These operating systems provide features and services so that there is no problem managing a wide range of clients under the network.