On completion of this tutorial, you will be able to:

• State the main features of Windows 2000
• Choose between Windows 2000 and Windows 9x in any given situation

Features

Multiple Platforms

Unlike Windows 9x, Windows NT was designed to support both CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computers), such as the Intel range; and RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computers), such as MIPS R4000, Motorola PowerPC, DEC Alpha AXP and Intergraph CLIPPER. However, the support for non-Intel processors has recently been reduced, and at the time of print, the only platforms supported are Intel and DEC Alpha.

Multi-tasking and Multi-threading

Multi-tasking was designed into the Windows 2000 system from the beginning, using a pre-emptive scheme that gives the system control of processor time.

Windows 2000 also provides support for multiple processors; there are two in Windows 2000. Windows 9x utilizes a co-operative scheme for running multiple applications. The use of multiple threading allows for a smoother transition from one task to another.

Security

Features include mandatory logon, auditing, discretionary access control, and memory protection.

Support for Other Operating Systems

Currently, Windows NT supports the MS-DOS, Windows16, Windows32, OS/2 and POSIX environments. You can, therefore, use applications designed for other operating systems quite transparently under Windows NT.

Built-in Networking

As with Windows 9x, networking support was designed into the core operating system at the outset. Previous operating systems such as MS-DOS have network support added later in the form of a series of additional software drivers, known as the shell. A variety of transport protocols and network clients are provided, so that Windows NT can be integrated into complex, mixed network environments, without recourse to any additional software.

High Capacity

Windows NT supports a 4 Gigabyte virtual memory addressing scheme. In addition, disks up to 16 Exabytes in size are supported.

Multiple Protocol Support

The following protocols are included with the standard product:

• TCP/IP
• NetBEUI
• NWLink
• NWNBLink (NWLink with NetBIOS)
• DLC
• AppleTalk

There is support for NDIS network card drivers and protocols and also for ODI.

Windows NT supports many client requestors. These allow clients to connect to the NT platform using a variety of software and hardware interfaces. The following clients are currently supported: NetWare, OS/2, Macintosh, MS-DOS, Windows, Windows for Workgroups.

Windows NT File Systems

Windows NT supports a variety of file systems including FAT, CDFS and NTFS.

Windows NT or Windows 9x?

Both Windows 9x and Windows NT Workstation 4.x are designed to deliver a common set of capabilities:

• Application support
• Ease of use
• Connectivity
• Manageability.

Most importantly, both products provide a platform for a new generation of Win32-based applications that provide better features, performance and reliability than the legacy Win16-based applications.

When choosing a desktop operating system the following factors should be considered:



Windows NT Server versus Windows NT Workstation

Windows NT is sold in two forms: as a workstation and as a server.

The table below compares the features of these two forms:



Windows NT Workstation

Essentially, Windows NT Workstation provides the same workgroup features that Windows 95 does, but is designed for the power user.

It supports Symmetric Multi-Processing (SMP) but only on two processors. There is support for remote users, although only for a single concurrent user. In addition, when sharing resources, inbound connections (those from other workstations) are limited to ten.

Windows NT Server

Windows NT Server is a superset of NT Workstation. At the lower level, it functions much like NT Workstation, supporting the same architecture and file systems, but with more powerful enterprise network management and security built on top.

SMP is supported on 4 processors, although some OEM versions of Windows NT can support up to 32 processors. Inbound client connections from a local LAN are unlimited, and RAS supports up to 256 concurrent dial-in connections.

Windows NT Server moves away from the workgroup computing model, and supports domain-based management architecture. Windows NT domain controllers hold a centralized user account database.

Summary

In this tutorial you have learned:

• About the key features and benefits of the Windows 2000 operating system
• About the various editions of windows 2000