A Windows Network Services Sampler | Windows Server 2003 for Dummies

In the previous sections, we covered the request/response mechanism that handles all requests for network services and the ways in which responses occur. In this section, we explain what you can do within this structure. The following is an alphabetical list of common services that you're likely to find on a Windows Server 2003-based network:

Alerter: Provides the capability to send alarms and alerts to specific recipients when events occur in Event Viewer or thresholds are exceeded in System Monitor.
Computer Browser: Manages the list of computer and resource names on a specific network, so users can browse a list of what's out there (and available) in Network Neighborhood and other utilities.
Messenger: Provides a way for Windows Server 2003 to deliver on-screen messages to designated recipients in response to explicit commands or to alarms and alerts.
Net Logon: Handles user attempts to log on to the network and ferries information among all domain controllers in a single Windows Server 2003 domain.
Network DDE: Allows dynamic updates to occur across a network. DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange) refers to a dynamic update technology used to propagate updates from one file or document to another when embedded objects in one document must reflect changes to that object in another document.
NTLM Security Support Provider: Provides a Windows Server 2003 security model that's compatible with LAN Manager (LM). This service handles encryption and delivery of logon requests that can't use more modern Windows security models.
Plug and Play: Makes a Windows 2003 machine Plug-and-Play compatible.
Print Spooler: Handles the storage of files for pending print jobs. This is the service that manages the scheduling and retention of pending print jobs until their turn to print comes up.
Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS): Covers a whole range of RRAS services. RRAS provides dial-in and dial-out communications services for up to 256 simultaneous connections on a single Windows Server 2003 and offers a range of routing services as well.
Server: Acts as the basic listener process for requests for service on a Windows Server 2003. (In fact, stopping the Server service is a good way to temporarily disable network access to a server.) Although its name may suggest otherwise , this service is necessary on Windows client machines and Windows Server 2003 machines alike.
Telephony Service: Makes it possible for Windows 2003 to use the built-in Windows Telephony Application Programming Interface (TAPI) to access modems, telephones, Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), and general Digital Subscriber Line (xDSL) devices through a standard dialer and telephone book interface. Therefore, it is also a key component of RRAS service.
Workstation: Allows a Windows 2003 machine to issue requests for service. This is what supports client-side activity.

Tip	To view a comprehensive list of the services available in Windows 2003, check out the Services utility that appears in the Administrative Tools section of the Start menu or Control Panel.

Although this laundry list doesn't include every service in Windows Server 2003, it does represent the most common services that you're likely to see running on most computers. Throughout this book, we give you a much better idea of what these and other services can do, as well as how you install, configure, and maintain them.