Comparative Study: Server Operating Systems & Network Devices

This assignment provides a comparative analysis of server operating systems, including Windows Server, Linux, and Unix, highlighting their features, advantages, and disadvantages. It explores the functionality of VLANs, hubs, and switches, detailing their roles in network architecture and perfor...Read More

PowerPoint 6
Chapter 6 & 7

Compare and contrast
• Windows server
• Linux
• Unix

Windows server
 Windows server is a server operating system developed and distributed
by Microsoft. Windows server is proprietary and requires its buyers to
pay a fairly huge sum of money to acquire the licenses.
 Windows server is more user friendly because of its user interface thus
making it easy to configure for most users.
 One advantage of windows server over other server operating systems
is that Microsoft ensures there is continued support for its different
versions.
 One disadvantage of the windows server operating system is its stability
where by other operating systems like Unix perform better than
windows server. Windows server often requires a lot of restarts and
cannot handle as much processes as compared to Unix and Linux
servers.

Linux server OS
 Linux is a Unix based open source OS. The name of the kernel is actually
Linux. It was developed by the community with Linus Torvalds
overseeing the development in 1991 .
 The Linux OS has both the command line interface (CLI) and Graphical
User interface (GUI) thus its also relatively easy to use as compared to
Unix.
 Linux operating system is very compatible with a lot of hardware
systems because of its agility.
 Because its comes under the GNU GPL licenses users can read, modify,
redistribute but cannot sell.
 Linux support is gotten from the community of users or paid supports
from Redhat and many others.

Unix OS
 Unix is a proprietary operating system developed by Bell Labs.
 Unix initially used Command Line Interface but further developments
have lead to development of Graphical User interface.
 In terms of compatibility Unix requires strict specifications on the
hardware as compared to Linux which is very compatible on a lot of
hardware systems.
 Installation is costly as the operating system runs only on specified
processors.
 Unix is common in data centers using big data servers.

Comparison
Windows Linux Unix
License Proprietary Open source proprietary
Interface Graphical user
interface
Graphical user
interface with optional
command line
interface
Command line
interface
Stability Not very stable often
requires reboots
Very stable and can
run for a long period of
time
Very stable and
can run for a
very long period
of time
compatibility Not very portable but
can run on a lot of
hardware
Very portable and can
run on almost anything
with a processor
Not portable as it
can only run on
specific
processors
Security Not very secure-
usually attacked by a
lot of malicious
software
Secure Secure

VLAN

VLAN(Virtual local area network)
 VLAN is a logical separation of Internet Protocol (IP) subnetwork that
allows existence of multiple subnets and IP networks on the same
switched network
 Currently, switch configurations enable creation of VLANs which improve
the performance of the network through separation of large layer 3
broadcast domains into smaller broadcast domains.
 They basically enable the network administrator to group users and
stations by either use of their logical functions or applications regardless
of their physical location.

Functions of VLANs
 VLANs are used to limit the size of broadcast domains
 VLANs are used to improve the performance of the network under which
they are deployed.
 VLANs are used to provide a level of security in the network.

VLAN
The diagram shows a
simple VLAN setup
To easily identify VLANs they
are given names on the
basis of their use.

Advantages of VLAN
 Security- security is ensured by logically creating groups in terms of
allocation of resources.
 Better performance- This is achieved as a result of the division of
layer 2 networks into many logical workgroups thus reducing unwanted
traffic and boosting the performance.
 Savings on cost- Use of VLANs does require a lot of network upgrades
and maintenance.

COMPARISON OF HUB
AND SWITCH

Hub
 A hub connects many devices to in one network
 Hubs are layer 1 devices of the OSI model
 Hubs do not distinguish the destination of the frame as all packets
arriving at the hub are replicated to all other ports to ensure that all the
segments making up the LAN receive the frame. Replication of frames to
all ports leads to a degradation in the performance of the network
(Webopedia).

Switch
 A switch is a device that connects network segments. It filters and
forwards packets between LAN segments.
 Operation of the switch happens at layer 2 of the OSI model but can
happen at layer 3 for more advanced switches

Comparison
 Both the hub and the switch serve as a central connection for the
equipment's accessing the network. They handle data in form of frames.
 When both devices receive a frame from the sender they amplify and
transmit it to its intended destination port
 The contrast between the two devices comes in delivering of the frames to
their respective destinations (Jasuja).
 In a hub, delivering of frames to their intended destination happens through
broadcasting of the frame to all the devices connected to the device as the
hub does not know which port is the recipient of the frame.
 For a switch a record of MAC addresses of all the devices connected to the
switch is used to determine the recipient of the frame thus the frame is
only broadcasted to the recipient port only as compared to the hub

References
 Jasuja, Nikhilesh . "Hub Vs Switch." Difen. Accessed March 13, 2018.
https://www.diffen.com/difference/Hub_vs_Switch.
 "VLAN." Orbit Computer Solutions. Accessed March 13, 2018.
http://www.orbit-computer-solutions.com/vlan/.
 Webopedia. "The Difference Between a Router, Switch and Hub."
Webopedia. 2017. Accessed March 13, 2018.
https://www.webopedia.com/DidYouKnow/Hardware_Software/router_swit
ch_hub.asp.