NT SERVER VS. NT WORKSTATION

The current A+ exam is likely to refer to Windows NT Server 4.0 and Windows NT Workstation 4.0 simply as Windows NT or Windows NT 4.0. Many of the procedures for carrying out specific tasks are similar in both operating systems.

For example, a Windows NT question relating to the creation of an Emergency Repair Disk (ERD) may come in the following form:

1.

You want to create an Emergency Repair Disk in Windows NT 4.0. What command would you use to do this?

1. FDISK/ERD

2. ERD/MAKE

3. RDISK.EXE

4. ERD/RDISK

Answers

1.

Correct Answer = C

Notice that the question does not focus specifically on Windows NT Server or Windows NT Workstation; an ERD can be created using either operating system. Although you should know the difference between a server computer and a client workstation, focus your studies on the capabilities of the operating system technology as a whole.

Windows NT Server

Windows NT was designed for client/server-based network environments. In a client/server environment, the client computer or workstation requests information from the server computer. For our purposes, the client computer can be Windows 9x, Windows NT Workstation, Windows Me, Windows 2000 Professional, or Windows XP. The server computer can be Windows NT Server or Windows 2000 Server. This section focuses on Windows NT Server.

A Windows NT Server computer is used to provide access to network resources and provide print/file sharing, database, e-mail, and fax services. Windows NT Server can also act as a gateway to mainframe computing systems or act as an Internet gateway server for client computers.

Before a user can log on to a Windows NT domain, the user must be assigned a user ID, which allows him or her to be authenticated on the Windows NT domain. The user ID is assigned specific rights to resources such as directories, files, and printers. This method of assignment provides centralized control of network access and serves as a way to control and secure network file and printer sharing. A domain is defined as a group of networked computer systems that share a common Security Accounts Manager (SAM) database that is used as a reference to grant users network access. When a new user is added to a Windows NT domain through the User Manager for Domains administrative tool, the user ID is stored in the Primary Domain Controller’s (PDC’s) SAM database. This database is replicated to all Backup Domain Controllers (BDCs) that exist in the same domain as the PDC. The purpose of a BDC is to improve network performance by load balancing the network authentication process and provide backup to the PDC in case of failure. In other words, users or clients can be granted access to the network through a BDC or a PDC. The BDC stores an identical copy of the SAM database in case the PDC suffers a crash. There can only be one Windows NT PDC server in a single Windows NT domain. There can be several BDC servers in a single Windows NT domain. The amount of BDCs needed in a domain is directly tied to the amount of users requiring authentication. Microsoft recommends having one BDC for every 2,000 user accounts.

A well-trained network administrator or technician is usually assigned the duties of managing a Windows NT Server domain. The typical duties of a Windows NT network administrator include the following:

Managing network access and user permissions: This includes adding and removing user accounts from the SAM database, managing groups of users, and assigning permissions for users or groups of users to access network resources.

Installing and upgrading software: The administrator is usually responsible for installing and fine-tuning operating system software, such as Windows NT Server or Windows NT Workstation. This may also require software service pack installations, patches, and upgrades. Depending on the business needs of a company, the administrator may also be required to support and integrate many forms of third-party software.

Backups and virus protection: It is the responsibility of the network administrator to provide backup and fault-tolerant systems in the event of an emergency or system failure. In some cases, federal law and business contracts require proof that regular backups and backup procedures are in place in order for business to be conducted or contracts to be maintained. The recent onslaught of damaging computer viruses has created the need for enterprise-wide antivirus business solutions and skilled administrators that can maintain them properly. If you do not have a good backup plan and virus protection implemented, your entire business is at serious risk.

Network monitoring and utilization: It is important that a network be properly monitored for maximum utilization and possible problem areas that may decrease overall network performance. Several tools included with Window NT are used for network monitoring; these will be discussed later in this chapter.

Windows NT Workstation

The majority of clients or computer users never actually see server computers or domain controllers. They access resources on server computers from desktop workstations or laptops that are running client operating systems, such as Windows 9x, Windows Me, Windows NT Workstation, Windows 2000 Professional, or Windows XP.

Windows NT Workstation was developed to be the client-side workhorse of the Windows NT domain. It is designed to handle multitasking operations and support processor-intensive applications and programs. A Windows NT Workstation computer can act as a standalone operating system in a peer-to-peer network or be joined to a Windows NT domain. Many of the administrative functions available in Windows NT Server are also available in Windows NT Workstation. Workstations are thought to have less functionality and are only useful at the local operating system level.