Network operating system (NOS): Software that (a) controls a network and its message (e.g. packet) traffic and queues, (b) controls access by multiple users to network resources such as files, and (c) provides for certain administrative functions, including security. A screenshot of computer software in action. ... A computer network is a system for communication between computers. ... Message in its most general meaning is an object of communication. ... A packet is the fundamental unit of information carriage in all modern computer networks that use packet switching. ... The term traffic can mean the following: traffic is a term describing the movement of people with or without vehicles. ... In providing services to people, and in computer science, transport and operations research a queue is a First-In-First-Out (FIFO) process â€” the first element in the queue will be the first one out. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

A NOS is not the same as the networking tools provided by some existing OS's, Windows XP for instance. An NOS is an OS that has been specifically written to keep networks running at optimal performance.

Some popular NOS's include:

• Windows NT
• Windows 2000 Server
• Windows Server 2003
• Novell NetWare
• Red Hat Linux

Note 1: A network operating system is most frequently used with local area networks and wide area networks, but could also have application to larger network systems. Windows NT is a family of operating systems produced by Microsoft, the first version of which was released in July 1993. ... Microsoft Windows 2000 (also referred to as Win2K or Windows NT 5. ... Windows Server 2003 is the name of Microsofts line of server operating systems. ... NetWare is a network operating system developed by Novell, Inc. ... Red Hat Linux was one of the most popular Linux distributions, assembled by Red Hat. ... An operating system is a special computer program that manages the relationship between application software, the wide variety of hardware that makes up a computer system, and the user of the system. ... A local area network (LAN) is a computer network covering a small local area, like a home, office, or small group of buildings such as a home, office, or college. ... A wide area network or WAN is a computer network covering a wide geographical area, involving a vast array of computers. ...

Note 2: The upper 5 layers of the OSI Reference Model provide the foundation upon which many network operating systems are based. The Open Systems Interconnection Reference Model (OSI Model or OSI Reference Model for short) is a layered abstract description for communications and computer network protocol design, developed as part of the Open Systems Interconnection initiative. ...

Source: from Federal Standard 1037C Federal Standard 1037C entitled Telecommunications: Glossary of Telecommunication Terms is a U.S. Federal Standard, issued by the General Services Administration pursuant to the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, as amended. ...

'NOS was also the name of a proprietary operating system on the CDC Cyber mainframe; in the early 1980s it was replaced by NOS/VE. Control Data Corporation, or CDC, was one of the pioneering supercomputer firms. ...

See also

• Cisco IOS (formerly "Cisco Internetwork Operating System"), the operating system used on Cisco Systems routers and some network switches
• Windows Server 2003 R2, the most recent release of Microsoft's Windows Server platform/solution.
• Solaris Operating Environment, a somewhat popular version of Unix produced by Sun.
• Linux, used in approximately two thirds of web servers and many other servers and desktops. Is also free!

Cisco IOS (originally Internetwork Operating System) is the software used on the vast majority of Cisco Systems routers and some network switches (some switches run CatOS (Catalyst OS); some can run either CatOS or IOS). ... Cisco Systems, Inc. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Windows Server 2003#Windows Server 2003 R2. ... This article or section contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ... Tux the penguin, based on an image created by Larry Ewing in 1996, is the logo and mascot of Linux. ...

External links

• DMOZ: Network Operating Systems - editor-reviewed and categorized website links.