|  | 8.1 | Basic Networking Knowledge
| 8.1.3 | The major network operating systems (NOS): Microsoft Windows NT, Novell NetWare, and Unix
Microsoft Windows NT Server An extremely popular local area network operating system is Microsoft Windows NT Server, which uses a graphical user interface (GUI) that looks very similar to that of the other Windows desktops. However, NT is designed with different utilities to manage servers. NT uses the User Manager for Domains to administer domain users and group administration programs, and allows administrators the option to choose from two file systems: New Technology File System (NTFS) or File Allocation Table (FAT). Novell NetWare Novell NetWare, also an extremely popular local area network operating system, is designed to support LANs such as Ethernet and Token Ring networks. To manage the resources available on the network, NetWare uses the NetWare Directory Services (NDS), where both a physical and a logical file system are used to arrange files and dates. NetWare's primary file system is a combination of FAT (File Allocation Table) and DET (Directory Entry Table). Layer 3 protocols, which are used in this OS are the Internetwork Package Exchange (IPX) protocol and the Internet Protocol (IP). Unix Developed at the University of California, Berkeley, Unix was designed for database management. UNIX is an important network operating system because its key features include multitasking, multi-users, and networking capabilities. Unix has the ability to operate multiple processes while users are working with applications on the same machine. Multiple versions of UNIX exist, including Sun Microsystems' Solaris, IBM's AIX, Silicon Graphics' IRIX, Linux, or Hewlett-Packard's HP-UX; however, the operation of all versions are similar.
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