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Network operating system

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A network operating system (NOS) is a specialized operating system for a network device such as a router, switch or firewall.

Historically operating systems with networking capabilities were described as network operating systems, because they allowed personal computers (PCs) to participate in computer networks and shared file and printer access within a local area network (LAN). This description of operating systems is now largely historical, as common operating systems include a network stack to support a client–server model.

History

Packet switching networks were developed to share hardware resources, such as a mainframe computer, a printer or a large and expensive hard disk.[1]: 318 

Historically, a network operating system was an operating system for a computer which implemented network capabilities. Operating systems with a network stack allowed personal computers to participate in a client-server architecture in which a server enables multiple clients to share resources, such as printers.[2][3][4]

These limited client/server networks were gradually replaced by Peer-to-peer networks, which used networking capabilities to share resources and files located on a variety of computers of all sizes. A peer-to-peer network sets all connected computers equal; they all share the same abilities to use resources available on the network.[3] The most popular peer-to-peer networks as of 2020 are Ethernet, Wi-Fi and the Internet protocol suite. Software that allowed users to interact with these networks, despite a lack of networking support in the underlying manufacturer's operating system, was sometimes called a network operating system. Examples of such add-on software include Phil Karn's KA9Q NOS (adding Internet support to CP/M and MS-DOS), PC/TCP Packet Drivers (adding Ethernet and Internet support to MS-DOS), and LANtastic (for MS-DOS, Microsoft Windows and OS/2), and Windows for Workgroups (adding NetBIOS to Windows).[citation needed]

Today, distributed computing and groupware applications have become the norm. Computer operating systems include a networking stack as a matter of course.[1]: 318  During the 1980s the need to integrate dissimilar computers with network capabilities grew and the number of networked devices grew rapidly. Partly because it allowed for multi-vendor interoperability, and could route packets globally rather than being restricted to a single building, the Internet protocol suite became almost universally adopted in network architectures. Thereafter, computer operating systems and the firmware of network devices tended to support Internet protocols.[1]: 305 

Network device operating systems

Network operating systems can be embedded in a router or hardware firewall that operates the functions in the network layer (layer 3).[5] Notable network operating systems include:

Proprietary network operating systems

FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, and Linux-based operating systems

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c McHoes, Ann; Flynn, Ida M. (2012). Understanding Operating Systems (6 ed.). CEngage Learning. ISBN 9781133417569.
  2. ^ Dean, Tamara (2009). "Network Operating Systems", Network+ Guide to Networks, 421(483)
  3. ^ a b Winkelman, Dr. Roy (2009). "Chapter 6: Software", An Educator's Guide to School Networks, 6.
  4. ^ "Network Operating System". PC Magazine. Ziff Davis. 2011.
  5. ^ Al-Shawakfa, Emad; Evens, Martha (2001). "The Dialoguer: An Interactive Bilingual Interface to a Network Operating System". Expert Systems. 18 (3): 131.
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