Network Operating Systems
Early network operating systems provided just the basics in terms of network services, such as file and printer sharing. Today's network operating systems offer a far broader range of network services; some of these services are used in almost every network environment, and others are used in only a few.
Despite the complexity of operating systems, the basic function and purpose of a network operating system is straightforward: to provide services to the network. The following are some of the most common of these services:
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Authentication services
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File and print services
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Web server services
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Firewall and proxy services
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Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) and Domain Name System (DNS) services
These are just a few of a large number of services that a network operating system can provide.
The following sections discuss the major operating systems currently in use and how each of them deals with basic services such as authentication, security, and file and print services.