Experiment No:

Aim: Case study on Network Operating System and Distributed Operating System.
Theory:
Network Operating System
Network operating system refers to software that implements an operating system of some kind that is
oriented to computer networking. For example, one that runs on a server and enables the server to manage
data, users, groups, security, applications, and other networking functions. The network operating system
is designed to allow shared file and printer access among multiple computers in a network, typically a
local area network (LAN), a private network or to other networks.
Network operating systems can be based on a client/server architecture in which a server enables multiple
clients to share resources. Client/server network operating systems allow the network to centralize
functions and applications in one or more dedicated file servers. The server is the center of the system,
allowing access to resources and instituting security. The network operating system provides the
mechanism to integrate all the components on a network to allow multiple users to simultaneously share
the same resources regardless of physical location.
Network operating systems can be based on a client/server architecture in which a server enables multiple
clients to share resources. Client/server network operating systems allow the network to centralize
functions and applications in one or more dedicated file servers. The server is the center of the system,
allowing access to resources and instituting security. The network operating system provides the
mechanism to integrate all the components on a network to allow multiple users to simultaneously share
the same resources regardless of physical location.

Characteristics:

Extension of centralized operating systems.

Offer local services to remote clients.
Each processor has own operating system.
User owns a machine, but can access others (e.g. rlogin, telnet).
No global naming of resources.
System has little fault tolerance.

Advantages:

Centralized servers are highly stable.

Security is server managed.

Upgrades to new technologies and hardwares can be easily integrated into the system.

Remote access to servers is possible from different locations and types of systems.

Disadvantages:

High cost of buying and running a server.

Dependency on a central location for most operations.

Regular maintenance and updates are required.

Distributed Operating System

A distributed operating system is software over a collection of independent, networked, communicating,
and physically separate computational nodes. Each individual node holds a specific software subset of the
global aggregate operating system. Each subset is a composite of two distinct service provisioners. The
first is a ubiquitous minimal kernel, or microkernel, that directly controls that nodes hardware. Second is
a higher-level collection of system management components that coordinate the node's individual and
collaborative activities. These components abstract microkernel functions and support user applications.
The microkernel and the management components collection work together. They support the systems
goal of integrating multiple resources and processing functionality into an efficient and stable system.
This seamless integration of individual nodes into a global system is referred to as transparency, or single
system image; describing the illusion provided to users of the global systems appearance as a single
computational entity.
A distributed OS provides the essential services and functionality required of an OS, adding attributes and
particular configurations to allow it to support additional requirements such as increased scale and
availability. To a user, a distributed OS works in a manner similar to a single-node, monolithic operating
system. That is, although it consists of multiple nodes, it appears to users and applications as a singlenode.

Characteristics:

Allows multicomputer network resources to be integrated as a single system image.

Hide and manage hardware and software resources.
Provides transparency support.
Provide heterogeneity support.
Control network in most effective way.
Consists of low level commands + local operating systems + distributed features.

Advantages:
Performance: very often a collection of processors can provide higher performance and better
price/performance ratio than a centralized computer.
Distribution: many applications involve, by their nature, spatially separated machines (banking,
commercial, automotive system).
Reliability: if some of the machines crash, the system can survive.
Incremental growth: as requirements on processing power grow, new machines can be added
incrementally.
Sharing of data/resources: shared data is essential to many applications (banking, computer
supported cooperative work, reservation systems); other resources can be also shared (e.g.
expensive printers).
Communication: facilitates human-to-human communication
Disadvantages:

Security problems: Sharing generates the problem of data security.

Networking problems: Several problems are created by the network infrastructure, which have to
be dealt with: loss of messages, overloading.
System
NOS

DOS

Description
Loosely-coupled operating system for
heterogeneous multicomputers (LAN and
WAN)
Tightly-coupled operating system for multiprocessors and homogeneous
multicomputers

Main Goal
Offer local services to remote
clients
Hide and manage hardware
resources

Middleware

Additional layer atop of NOS implementing

general-purpose services

Provide distribution
transparency

Different criteria and the individual differences:

1. User Awareness:
NOS: Users are aware of multiplicity of machines.
DOS: Users are not aware of multiplicity of machines.
2. Resource Access:
NOS: Access to resources of various machines is done explicitly by remote logging into the
appropriate remote machine or transferring data from remote machines to local machines, via the
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) mechanism.
DOS: Access to remote resources similar to access to local resources.
3. Computation and Data Migration:
NOS: Transfer the data, to and from the remote server and only the server performs the all or
most of the computation.
DOS: Transfer the computation, rather than the data, across the system.
4. Process Migration:
NOS: Execute an entire process, or parts of it, at the remote server.
DOS: Execute an entire process, or parts of it, at different sites.
5. Architecture Model:
NOS: Employs a client-server model.
DOS: Employs a master-slave model.

Comparison of the characteristics of various types of Operating Systems:

Distributed OS
Multicomputers

Network
OS

Middleware-based
OS

Very High

High

Low

High

Same OS on all nodes

Yes

Yes

No

No

Number of copies of OS

Basis for
communication

Shared
memory

Messages

Files

Model specific

Resource management

Global, central

Global,
distributed

Per node

Per node

Scalability

No

Moderately

Yes

Varies

Openness

Closed

Closed

Open

Open

Item

Multiprocesso
r

Degree of transparency

Conclusion: Thus we have studied Network Operating System and Distributed Operating System.