Fundamentals of Networking and Data Communications, Sixth Edition 8-1 Local Area Networks: Software and Support Systems Chapter 8 Learning Objectives After reading this chapter, students should be able to: Identify the main functions of network operating systems Identify the basic features of past and present network operating systems including Novell NetWare/OES, Windows 2008, Unix, Linux, and Mac OS X Server Compare and contrast the Novell NetWare/OES, Windows 2008, Unix, Linux, and Mac OS X Server network operating systems Recognize the importance of the network server and the different types of network servers available Identify the different levels of RAID Identify common examples of network utility software and Internet software Enumerate the various components of software licenses Identify the different types of support Chapter Outline 1. Introduction 2. Network Operating Systems 3. Network Operating Systems Past and Present a. Novell NetWare b. Microsoft Windows NT and Windows Server 2000, 2003, and 2008 c. UNIX d. Linux e. Novell Linux f. Mac OS X Server g. Summary of network operating systems 4. Network Servers a. Client/server networks vs. peer-to-peer networks © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. This edition is intended for use outside of the U.S. only, with content that may be different from the U.S. Edition. May not be scanned, copied, duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Fundamentals of Networking and Data Communications, Sixth Edition 8-2 5. Network Support Software a. Utilities b. Internet software 6. Software Licensing Agreements 7. LAN Support Devices 8. LAN Software In Action: A Small Company Makes a Choice a. Primary uses of current network b. Network maintenance and support c. Cost of the NOS d. Any unique hardware choices affecting NOS decision e. Single location or multiple locations f. Political pressures affecting decision g. Final decision 8. Wireless Networking In Action: Creating a Wireless LAN for Home 9. Summary Lecture Notes Introduction This chapter will conclude the discussion of local area networks by introducing the software that runs the local area network and that runs on a local area network. We will concentrate on two basic areas: network operating systems and supporting software. The network operating system provides user accounts with password protection, controlled access to network resources, and services to help use and administer the network. Local area network operating systems, much like the hardware that supports them, continue to evolve into more powerful and elaborate tools every day. Network support software is essential since it is the reason users use networked workstations. The more common products include antivirus software, antispam software, backup software, security software, and network-monitoring software. © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. This edition is intended for use outside of the U.S. only, with content that may be different from the U.S. Edition. May not be scanned, copied, duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Fundamentals of Networking and Data Communications, Sixth Edition 8-3 Network Operating Systems A network operating system is a large, complex program that can manage the resources common on most local area networks, in addition to performing the standard operating system services. The resources a network operating system must manage include one or more network servers, multiple network printers, one or more physical networks, and a potentially large number of users directly connected to the network and sometimes remotely connected. The resources a network operating system must manage include one or more network servers, multiple network printers, one or more physical networks, and a potentially large number of users directly connected to the network and sometimes remotely connected. Network Operating Systems Past and Present A network operating system supports many functions that we, as users, normally take for granted. Having an understanding of these basic functions allows you to examine actual network operating systems more closely, compare these products by how well each supports the basic functions, and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses. Having mastered the basic functions, let’s turn our attention to several of the more popular network operating systems on the market: Novell NetWare, Windows NT/2000/2003/2008, UNIX, Linux, and Mac OS X Server. Network Support Software Even though the network operating system is clearly the most important piece of software on a local area network, the operating system cannot work alone. Two additional areas of local area network software that work with and support the network operating system are: utilities - software programs that support one or more functions that help keep the network running at optimal performance and that operate in the background; and Internet software - programs that allow access to the Internet. Software Licensing Agreements The licensing agreement that accompanies a software product is a legal contract and describes a number of conditions that must be One of the most important conditions that affects most users is software installation and use. When a software package is sold, it is usually intended for a particular type of installation, referred to as the user license which must be upheld for proper use of the software package. © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. This edition is intended for use outside of the U.S. only, with content that may be different from the U.S. Edition. May not be scanned, copied, duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Fundamentals of Networking and Data Communications, Sixth Edition 8-4 LAN Support Devices A local area network is composed of many pieces, both software and hardware. The chapter, up to this point, has introduced the software of local area networks—network operating systems, utility, application and software tools, and software licenses. The hardware side of local area networks contains many different types of devices. In the Chapter Seven, bridges, routers, and switches—the hardware that interconnects devices on the network—were covered in detail. Servers were introduced because they are becoming an interconnection point within a network and often contain switch and router hardware. Let’s look at a number of other network support devices—including uninterruptable power supplies, tape drives, printers, media converters, and workstations—that you may encounter on a typical local area network. LAN Software In Action: A Small Company Makes a Choice This In Action example continues the In Action from the two previous chapters. Hannah must decide which network operating system to incorporate. In order to make this decision properly, she considers several issues, including primary uses of current system, cost, and local versus remote access. Quick Quiz 1. What is a client/server system’s primary function? The primary function is to accept requests (such as database queries or file retrieval queries) and return results. 2. Enumerate the strengths and weaknesses of NetWare, Windows 2008, UNIX, Max OS X Server, and Linux. Strengths include: NetWare is an excellent file server. Windows 2008 is an excellent application server providing client/server capabilities to a wide range of applications. UNIX and Linux give power, stability, and flexibility by providing a wide range of services to many different types of network applications. Mac OS X Server is Linux based, robust, and powerful. 3. Why does a software company need a software license? It needs a license to protect itself from people or companies that make unlimited copies of the software. 4. Compile a list of LAN support devices. Backup, UPS, printers, media converters, workstations © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. This edition is intended for use outside of the U.S. only, with content that may be different from the U.S. Edition. May not be scanned, copied, duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Fundamentals of Networking and Data Communications, Sixth Edition 8-5 Discussion Topics 1. Should software licenses be dropped completely? 2. If software licenses should be allowed to remain, shouldn’t the company provide the source code? 3. Can the number of problems that plagued Windows NT be attributed to its newness? How about its size and complexity? Or the fact that so many people are using it making it the number one target? Is this still the problem with the latest version? Teaching Tips 1. Do you have access to a couple different NOSs? Can you demonstrate them in class or give simple assignments on each? 2. Talk about the latest Copyright code. Discuss how copyright compares to patents. 3. Using an actual system at school, identify all application network software tools and LAN support devices. Solutions to Review Questions 1. What are the strengths of Unix? Fast, powerful, popular, stable 2. What is the difference between NAS and SAN? Network attached storage is a computer-based device that provides storage; storage area network is simpler and is just a storage device attached to a network 3. What is the function of Windows’ Active Directory? It functions the same as NDS for NetWare. 4. What are the different types of hardware support devices for local area networks? Bridges, routers, switches, hubs, servers, UPS, tape drives, printers, media converters, modems, workstations © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. This edition is intended for use outside of the U.S. only, with content that may be different from the U.S. Edition. May not be scanned, copied, duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Fundamentals of Networking and Data Communications, Sixth Edition 8-6 5. What are the differences between Windows 2008 and Windows 2000? It includes administrative improvements and better security. 6. What are the primary functions of an Internet Web page server? The primary functions are to accept requests from clients for web pages and to return the web pages to the clients.