6.

Network Operating
System

1
 Network Operating System

• Network operating system (NOS) is a computer operating system; a

system that is designed primarily to support workstation, personal
computer, and, in some instances, older terminal that are connected
on a local area network (LAN).

• The term network operating system is generally reserved for

software that enhances a basic operating system by adding
networking features. Novell Netware, Artisoft's LANtastic,
Microsoft Windows Server, and Windows NT are examples of a
NOS.

2
 Features of NOS

• Basic operating system features support like protocol

support, processor support, hardware detection and
multiprocessing support for applications
• Security features like authentication, restrictions,
authorizations and access control
• Features for file, Web service, printing and replication
• Directory and name services management
• User management features along with provisions for remote
access and system management
• Internetworking features like routing and WAN ports
• Clustering capabilities
3
 Common tasks associated
with NOS

• User administration
• System maintenance activities like backup
• Tasks associated with file management
• Security monitoring on all resources in the network
• Setting priority to print jobs in the network

4
What is a Client?

5
 Client

• It is a piece of computer hardware or software that accesses a

service made available by a server. The server is often (but not
always) on another computer system, in which case the client
accesses the service by way of a network.
• The term applies to programs or devices that are part of a client–
server model.

6
 Client
• Client computing is classified as Thick, Thin, or Hybrid.
• Thick Client: a client that provides rich functionality, performs the
majority of data processing itself, and relies very lightly upon the server.

• Thin Client: a thin-client server is a lightweight computer that relies

heavily on the resources of the host computer -- an application server
performs the majority of any required data processing.

• Hybrid Client: possessing a combination of thin client and thick client

characteristics, a hybrid client relies on the server to store persistent data,
but is capable of local processing.
•

07/11/25 7
 Client

• A client is the requesting program or user in a client/server

relationship.

• For example, the user of a Web browser is effectively making

client requests for pages from servers all over the Web.

• The browser itself is a client in its relationship with the

computer that is getting and returning the requested HTML
file. The computer handling the request and sending back the
HTML file is a server.
07/11/25 8
 Client vs Workstation
• Client Computer: A personal computer in networking
that connects to the server and uses the network
services to perform user’s tasks is a client computer.
• a workstation is a group of computers or laptops and
other network equipment such as a network printer
utilizing local area network resources at one location
used by a group of people while a client computer is a
single computer used by a person (it is define, not
like a network equipment).

07/11/25 9
What is a Server?

10
 Server
• It is a computer or computer program that manages access to a
centralized resource or service in a network.
• In computer networking, a server is a computer designed to
process requests and deliver data to other (client) computers
over a local network or the Internet.
• Many types of servers exist, including web servers, mail
servers, and file servers. Each type runs software specific to
the purpose of the server.
• For example, a Web server may run Apache HTTP Server or
Microsoft IIS, which both provide access to websites over the
Internet.
07/11/25 11
Windows Server and Linux
Server

12
What is Window Server?

13
 Windows Server

• Windows Server is a group of operating systems designed by

Microsoft that supports enterprise level management, data storage,
applications, and communications.
• A series of server operating systems developed by Microsoft
Corporation.
• Windows servers are more powerful versions of their desktop
operating system counterparts and are designed to more efficiently
handle corporate networking, Internet/intranet hosting, databases,
enterprise-scale messaging and similar functions.

14
 Windows Server

• Previous versions of Windows Server have focused on stability,

security, networking, and various improvements to the file
system.
• Other improvements also have included improvements to
deployment technologies, as well as increased hardware support.
Microsoft has also created specialized SKUs of Windows Server
that focus on the home and small business markets.
• Windows Server 2012 R2 is the latest release of Windows
Server, and focuses on cloud computing.

15
What is Linux Server

16
 Linux Server

• A Linux server is a high-powered variant of the Linux open

source operating system that’s designed to handle the more
demanding needs of business applications such as network
and system administration, database management and Web
services.
• Linux servers are frequently selected over other server
operating systems for their stability, security and flexibility
advantages.

• Leading Linux server operating systems include CentOS,

Debian, Ubuntu Server, Slackware and Gentoo.
17
 Windows Server and Linux
Server

• Which NOS is best for your business?

18
 Windows

• Microsoft products are regarded as the standard option for

most businesses.
• Most IT admins are comfortable using either Windows Server
2008 and 2012.
• According to Microsoft's website, 2008’s mainstream support
will end in 2015, with extended support ending in 2020.
• Cost is also an important factor; license fees are expensive.
The more employees you have, the more expensive it will
become.
19
 Linux
• You can download, modify it and re-distribute it without spending any
money.
• Linux itself is not a complete operating system (it is just a kernel) and
requires an additional set of software to be bundled with it.
• The Kernel is the primary part of the operating system. When you boot
your computer, it is the first part of the OS loaded into the RAM for your
system to start working.
• SUSE is popular with the enterprise market
• Linux is installed on over 95% of the world's best supercomputers
demonstrating that it is the fastest performing OS with the smallest
resource footprint.

20
 Linux

• Linux distributions also offer alternatives to popular

Microsoft products such as Microsoft Exchange
• If you already use Microsoft and are looking to migrate to
Linux in stages, SUSE (for example) is compatible with
Active Directory, Exchange, SharePoint and Novell
GroupWise.
• Recently, SUSE partnered with Microsoft to enable Hyper-
V node management using SUSE Cloud, allowing you to
run a mixed environment where required.

21
 SUSE
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) is a Linux-based
server operating system created and maintained by the
German-based organization, SUSE. SLES is designed
for mainframes, servers, workstations and desktop computers.
• It can use SLES for workload management and optimization at
the enterprise level. Through open source products and
standards, users are able to add increased functionality and
support. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server is scalable and allows
users to efficiently deploy IT services across a variety of
environments.

07/11/25 22
 Versions of Windows Server

• Windows Server 2012 R2

• Windows Server 2012
• Windows Server 2008 R2
• Windows Server 2008
• Windows Server 2003 R2
• Windows Server 2003
• Windows Server 2000
• Windows NT 4.0
• Windows NT 3.51
• Windows NT 3.5
• Windows NT 3.1 23
 Linux Server Distributions

• The following are the TOP 10 Linux

• Distributions of 2015 according serverwatch.com:
• Ubuntu
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• Suse Linux Enterprise Server
• CentOS
• Debian
• Oracle Linux
• Mageia/Mandriva
• ClearOS
• Arch Linux
• Slackware
24
 Types of Network Operating
System

• Peer-to-peer network operating system users are allowed to share

resources and files located on their computers and access shared
resources from others.

• This system is not based with having a file server or centralized

management source.

• A peer-to-peer network sets all connected computers equal; they all

share the same abilities to use resources available on the network

25
 Peer-to-Peer

• Advantages
– Ease of setup
– Less hardware needed, no server needs to be purchased.
• Disadvantages
– No central location for storage.
– Lack of security that a client/server type offers

26
 Types of Network Operating
System
• Client/Server Network Operating Systems can be based on a
client/server architecture in which a server enables multiple
clients to share resources.
• Client/server network operating systems allow the network to
centralize functions and applications in one or more dedicated
file servers.
• The server is the center of the system, allowing access to
resources and instituting security.

27
 Client/Server

Advantages
-Centralized servers are more stable.
-Security is provided through the server.
-New technology and hardware can be easily integrated
into the system.
-Servers are able to be accessed remotely from different
-locations and types of systems.
Disadvantages
•– Cost of buying and running a server are high.
•– Dependence on a central location for operation.
•– Requires regular maintenance and updates.

28
 Examples

• Peer-to-Peer
– Bittorrent
– Napster and Gnutella
– Windows for Workgroups
– AppleShare
• Client/Server
– Windows Server
– Linux Server
– Mac OS X Server

29
 Working with Users and
Groups
• Users
• Group –A collection of users
–Authentication
–Authorization
•Permissions
•User rights

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 Understanding Local and
Domain Users

• Homegroup
• Workgroup
• Domain

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 Introducing the Homegroup

• Simplified networking
• Allows users on a home network to share the contents of their
libraries without creating user accounts and permissions
• The Homegroup is a group of Windows computers and devices
connected to the same LAN or local area network, that can share
content and connected devices with each other. For instance,
computers that are part of the same Homegroup can share
pictures, music, videos, documents and printers with each other.
• What is shared with the Homegroup is not available to other
computers which are on the same network but which are not part
of the Homegroup.
32
33
 Domain

• It is a group of computers and devices on a network that are

administered as a unit with common rules and procedures.
• Within the Internet, domains are defined by the IP address.
• All devices sharing a common part of the IP address are said to
be in the same domain.

07/11/25 34
 Workgroup

• In computer networking, a workgroup is a collection of

computers on a local area network (LAN) that share common
resources and responsibilities.
• Workgroups provide easy sharing of files, printers and other
network resources.
• The Microsoft Windows family of operating systems supports
assigning of computers to named workgroups.

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 Local User Accounts

07/11/25 36
Local User Account Properties

37
Domain User Accounts

38
Domain Account Properties

39
Introducing Built-In Local Users

• Administrator
• New User Account
• Guest

40
 Understanding Local and
Domain Groups

07/11/25 41
 Using Local Groups

• You can only use local groups on the computer where you create
them.
• Only local users from the same computer can be members of local
groups.
• When the computer is a member of an AD DS domain, local
groups can have domain users and domain global groups as
members.
• Local groups cannot have other local groups as members.
However, they can have domain groups as members.
• You can only assign permissions to local groups when you are
controlling access to resources on the local computer.
42
 Using Local Groups

• You cannot create local groups on a Windows server computer

that is functioning as a domain controller.

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Introducing Built-In Local Groups

• Administrators
• Backup operators
• Power users
• Guests
• Remote desktop users
• Users

07/11/25 44
 Introducing Special Identities

• Everyone
• Interactive
• Network
• Anonymous logon
• Authenticated users
• Creator owner
• Dialup

45
 Creating and Managing Local
Users and Groups
• User accounts –In the Control Panel
• Local users and groups –MMC snap-in

07/11/25 46
 Using the User Accounts
Control Panel
• Intended for users with less experience
• Simplified interface
• Limited access
• Cannot create or manage groups

07/11/25 47
 Using the Local Users and
Groups Snap-In
• Gives more access to user account properties
• Allows you to create and manage groups

48
 Creating a Local User

07/11/25 49
 Managing a User

• Can change all user properties except username

• Change group membership
• Set profile information

07/11/25 50
Creating a Local Group

51
 Understanding User Profiles

• Local user profile- local user profile is created the first time
that a user logs on to a computer.
• Roaming user profile-A roaming user profile is a copy of the
local profile that is copied to, and stored on, a server share. This
profile is downloaded to any computer that a user logs onto on a
network. Changes made to a roaming user profile are synchronized
with the server copy of the profile when the user logs off.
• Mandatory user profile-. A mandatory user profile is a type
of profile that administrators can use to specify settings for users.
•

52
 Introducing User Account
Control (UAC)
• Because many users log on to the system using Administrative
Accounts (leaving the system vulnerable to malware attacks)
Microsoft implemented UAC.
• Under UAC, administrators are issued two access tokens—1
standard token and 1 administrative token.
• Best Practice is to logon as a standard user unless performing
administrative tasks.

07/11/25 53
 Performing Administrative
Tasks Standard User
• Standard User Account
– System displays a credential prompt where administrative
account information must be entered

07/11/25 54
 Performing Administrative
Tasks Standard User
• Administrative Account
Switches from standard user token to administrative token
Generates an elevation prompt.

07/11/25 55
 Configuring User Account
Control
• Can be configured or disabled

56
 Domain Model with Active
Directory
• Domain
– Group of users and computers managed by the same security
database
• Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS)
– Technology that runs the domain security database
• Domain controllers (DCs)
– Servers that hosts domain security database
• Domain Name System (DNS)
– TCP/IP-based standard for resolving computer names with IP
addresses
07/11/25 57
 What Is a Directory Service
And Active Directory?

07/11/25 58
 What is Directory service
(cont’d.)?
 A directory is a place to store information.
 The type of information that is stored in a directory falls into three
basic categories:
– Resources
– Services
– Accounts

07/11/25 59
 What is Directory services
(cont’d.)?
 Resources are the components attached to the network and
made available to users. Examples of resources are:
– A server’s hard drive
– An IP address
– A fax modem
– A scanner
– A printer
– Any “thing” that can be used by a client workstation

07/11/25 60
 What is directory service
(cont’d.)?
• For most services, there is an analogous resource, and for most
resources, there is an analogous service.

07/11/25 61
 What is Directory services
(cont’d.)?

 The final category in a directory is an account.

• An account is usually a logon ID and associated password used

for access to the network
• Each resource, service, and account is stored as an object in the
directory.

07/11/25 62
 Active Directory

 Active Directory does much more than allowing users to find

their information.
 Active Directory allows you to group workstations together
for easier administration. Using Active Directory,
workstations can be updated, configured, and even repaired
remotely.
 A single management interface that is accessible from
anywhere on the network means more efficiency for you and
less time spent bending over client workstations.
 Network services can also be managed and configured from a
single Control Panel.
07/11/25 63
 Active Directory

Advanced file features can:

•Allow mobile users to access network files while offline.
•Improve data security by automatically backing up important
files.
•Increase the availability of your files by keeping copies near
where they’re needed most.
•Active Directory adds value to your network by increasing
security, adding services, and reducing administration costs.

07/11/25 64
 Active Directory

 Active Directory is the first directory service ever created and

provided with Windows 2000 Server products.
 Used primarily for organizing, locating, and managing all sort
of network information.
– Network resources: Servers, printers, and other devices on
a network.
– Network services: Capabilities on the network such as file
storage, printing, and e-mail.
– Network users and groups: Identifiers for users on a
network and for groups of users.

07/11/25 65
 Active Directory

 The relationships between these pieces are what make the

directory service so powerful.
 DNS is the most widely used directory service in the world,
but it is “usage-specific,” meaning that it organizes only a
limited amount of information about network hosts. (stores
data about servers, their IP addresses, and services that they
offer to the network)

07/11/25 66
 Active Directory

07/11/25 67
 Active Directory Features

 Centralized : - Single Log – in Administration

 Scalability : - Small To Big Network Environment
 Extensibility : - can be extended as per the requirement.
 Domain & Domain Controller can be renamed.
 Multiple object Selection
 GPMC(Group Policy Management Console)
 DNS Integration

07/11/25 68
 Active Directory-Directory
services(AD DS)
 Active Directory Services consist of multiple directory services
(Mention??)reading assignment
 The best known is Active Directory Domain Services,
commonly abbreviated as AD DS or simply AD
 Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) is the cornerstone of
every Windows domain network.

07/11/25 69
 Active Directory-Directory
services(AD DS)
 It stores information about members of the domain, including
devices and users, verifies their credentials and defines their
access rights.
 The server running this service is called a domain controller.
 A domain controller is contacted when a user logs into a
device, accesses another device across the network, or runs a
line-of-business Metro-style app sideloaded into a device.

07/11/25 70
 What Active Directory
Domains?(cont’d.)
 In a domain the computers are arranged in such a way that one or
more computers are servers.
 The servers are used by administrators of the network to control
the other computers.
 You can login to any computer in a domain if you just have a user
account on the domain. There is no need to have a user account on
each computer to login.
 There can be thousands of computers in a domain.
 The Domain Controller running a Windows Server operating
system serves as a central server for all clients.
07/11/25 71
 What Are AD DS Domains?
(cont’d.)
 An AD DS domain is a logical container used to manage user,
computer, group, and other objects.
 All of the domain objects are stored in the AD DS database, a copy of
which is stored on each domain controller.
 There are many types of objects in the AD DS database,
– User accounts. User accounts contain the information required to
authenticate a user during the sign-in process and build the user's
access token.

07/11/25 72
 What Are AD DS Domains?
(cont’d.)
– Computer accounts. Each domain-joined computer has an
account in AD DS. Computer accounts are used for domain-
joined computers in the same ways that user accounts are used
for users.
– Groups. Groups are used to organize users or computers to
make it easier to manage permissions and group policy in the
domain

07/11/25 73
 What Are AD DS Domains?

07/11/25 74
 What Are AD DS Domains?

07/11/25 75
 Why To Have Active Directory
Services
• Provides the means to organize and simplify access to
resources
• Administrator can manage the entire network within the single
log-on.
• Group Policy : - blocking the Windows Task Manager,
restricting access to certain folders, disabling downloaded
executable files and so on.
• Organization Unit :- allows administrator to classify users by
department or site.

07/11/25 76
 Active Directory Structure
• The components making up Active Directory can be broken
down into logical and physical structures. Logical components
in Active Directory allow you to organize resources so that
their layout in the directory reflects the logical structure of
your company.
• Many directories are designed to follow the logical structure
of an organization. You're probably familiar with
organizational charts; maps that show the various departments
in a company, and illustrate which departments are
accountable to others. the logical structure of a directory
allows you to find resources based on a similar logical layout.

07/11/25 77
 Active Directory Structure

Logical Structure of Active Directory

Active Directory provides the flexibility in designing a business
structure for an organization’s current and future needs.
Understanding Active Directory is key when designing your
organization’s Directory structure.
In Active Directory all resources are organized in a logical
structure which enables any resource to be located by name
rather than physical location.
In Active Directory there are different type of resources and
objects that define the logical structure:

07/11/25 78
 Logical Structure of Active
Directory

07/11/25 79
 Logical Structure of
Active Directory

07/11/25 80
 Physical Structure of
Active Directory
• Physical components are used to design a directory structure
that reflects the physical layout, or topology, of the network.
For example, as we saw earlier, a site is a combination of
subnets, and a DC is a server that has a copy of the directory
on it. DCs are physically located at specific locations in an
organization, while subnets consist of computers using the
same grouping of IP addresses.

• In both cases, you could visit a room or building and find these
components. Thus, physical components can be used to mirror
the physical structure of an organization in the directory.
07/11/25 81
 Physical Structure of Active
Directory
• The physical structure of Active Directory consists of a database
that is replicated to all domain controllers in a Forest.
• The Data Store is what handles all access to the database and
consists of services and physical files that make the directory
available.

07/11/25 82
Physical Structure of Active
Directory

07/11/25 83
07/11/25 84
 Active Directory Objects

• The Active Directory structure is formed by groupings of

information, also referred to as objects.
• Each object represents a unique network entity such as a user
or computer, and it is described by a set of attributes.
• An object is a distinct, named set of attributes that represents a
network resource. Object attributes are characteristics of
objects in the directory.
• For example, the attributes of a user account might include the
user's first and last names, department, and e-mail address

07/11/25 85
 Active Directory Objects
• OBJECTS are explained by their ATTRIBUTES like
Name, Location, Department, etc.

07/11/25 86
 Active Directory Objects

• Active Directory Domain Services contain a hierarchy of

objects in which every object instance, except the root of the
directory hierarchy, is contained by some other object.
• In the Active directory schema, determine which object
classes can contain instances of which other object classes. For
example, the default schema definition of the User object class
includes the Organizational Unit and Container object
classes as possible superiors; that is, possible parent-objects or
containers of a User object instance.

07/11/25 87
 Active Directory Objects

• This means that an Organizational-Unit object can contain

a User object, but a User object cannot contain
another User object, unless the schema definition of
the User class is changed.

07/11/25 88
 Organizational Units

• An OU is a container used to organize objects within a domain

into logical administrative groups. An OU can contain objects
such as user accounts, groups, computers, printers,
applications, file shares, and other Ous

07/11/25 89
 Organizational Units vs
Groups

• Groups were designed to Allow or Deny access to a resource

while an OU is intended for object control, mainly through
Group Policy (GPO) or permissions.

07/11/25 90
 Active Directory Trees

• A tree is a grouping or hierarchical arrangement of one or

more Windows 2000 domains that share a contiguous
namespace.
• An AD Tree is a group of domains within the Active Directory
network that share a common DNS naming structure.
• The tree creates a logical boundary between multiple domains.

07/11/25 91
 Active Directory Trees

07/11/25 92
 Forests

• A forest is a grouping or hierarchical arrangement of one or

more domain trees that form a disjointed namespace.
• An AD forest is the collection of one or more AD trees.

07/11/25 93
 Active Directory Forests

07/11/25 94
 Active Directory User

 Part of the organization.

 Unique identity in the domain
 Accesses the domain’s resources
 Authorizations based access
 Has an unique SID

07/11/25 95
 Active Directory Computer

 Individual computers/workstations, servers which are part of a

network
 Each computer has a unique computer account
 Computer Account allows each computer to be authenticated
and authorized for access to the domain and domain resources
 A server could be a Domain Controller or Global Catalog
Server or a Member Server

07/11/25 96
 Active Directory Contact

 An individual who is not part of the organization but related to

the organization.
• E.g. Customer, Supplier, Vendor, etc.
• Unlike a user, a Contact cannot logon or access the domain or
network.
• Cannot be assigned permissions or authorizations or
restrictions.

07/11/25 97
 Why should we use Active
Directory Services?
 Highly SECURE-Possible to have layered Security, that have
POLICIES and PERMISIONS for security at different levels.
 Objects can be LOCATED ANYWHERE physically yet
access the domain/network’s resources securely.
 MILLIONS of users can be added to a single domain, Easily
SCALABLE, Highly FLEXIBLE, Readily EXTENSIBLE.
 EASY, EFFIICIENT SEARCH mechanism to locate an object

07/11/25 98
 Why should we use Active
Directory Services?(cont’d.)
 Centralized storage- for users, departments which makes
BACKUP and RESTORE-Efficient, Fast and Easy
 Efficient and Effective management of services because of
Centralized management of services
 Serves as a platform for services like Exchange, SharePoint,
etc.
 Enable Single Sign-on(SSO)and pre and post action scripts
like logon scripts
 Centralized auditing-which makes it easier to track all the
operations.
07/11/25 99
 Where can ACTIVE DIRECTORY
SERVIES be used?
 Any organization that has a NETWORK setup

 Organizations which requires 24*7 uptime

 Any organization where the number of users, computers or

resources will keep changing
 Any organization where Information/DATA security is vital

 Any organization that operates in Multiple Locations

07/11/25 100
 Where can ACTIVE DIRECTORY
SERVIES be used?(cont’d.)

07/11/25 101
 Where can ACTIVE DIRECTORY
SERVIES be used?(cont’d.)

07/11/25 102
 Question & Answer

07/11/25 103
 Thank You !!!

07/11/25 104