Module 4. Supporting Windows 2000
Professional
Unit 4.1: Overview of Windows 2000
Windows 2000 builds upon Windows NT 4.0 in most respects, and
differs from the older operating system in two ways when it comes to file
systems. The first is the addition of support for FAT32, This was a
much-desired change, especially with FAT32 all but replacing FAT16 in
newer Windows 9x/ME systems. The other was that NTFS under Windows 2000
was enhanced, through the creation of the NTFS 5.0 version of that file
system. Windows 2000 will still read older NTFS partitions, but it must be
installed on an NTFS 5.0 partition; NTFS 5.0 is Windows 2000's
"preferred" file system.
Windows 2000 versions
- Windows 2000 Professional
- Windows 2000 Server
- Windows 2000 Advanced Server
- Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
Windows 2000 Features
Windows 2000 is an operating system family in itself.
Windows 2000 is a 32-bit operating system that was released as a
replacement for Windows NT.
It includes four closely related operating
systems supporting a range of business computer systems from
end-user desktops to high-powered application and network servers.
Windows 2000 key
features
Unit |
Description |
Windows 2000 key
features
Unit |
Description |
| Legacy application
support |
 |
Active Directory |
 |
| Enhanced security |
 |
Integrated network
support |
 |
| Integrated Internet
support |
 |
Scalability and
performance enhancements |
 |
| Hardware support enhancements |
 |
File service support |
 |
| Management tools |
 |
|
|
Windows 2000
Professional
Windows 2000 Professional is the Windows 2000 business
desktop version.
It was designed to meet the needs of business users and to provide a
secure, reliable network client.
A system running Windows 2000 Professional can support one or two
processors and up to 4 GB of memory.
Even though Windows 2000 Professional is designed as an end-user operating
system,
it can also act as a peer server.
Windows 2000 Professional systems can share file
and printer resources, making them available to other users
Technicians working with Windows 2000 must be able to quickly determine
which Windows 2000 product
they are working with. The Computer
Management Administrative Tool provides this facility.
Network Security Model
Windows 2000 workgroups and domains
A workgroup is a security model based on a
small number of peer servers. It is usually suggested
that a workgroup should include no more than 12 computers.
In a workgroup network:
- Network security is decentralized;
that is, managed on a system-by-system basis.
- Workgroup members are configured as peer
servers.
- Users are responsible for resource sharing
and resource access security.
 
Workgroup Model & Sharing and Access Resources
Workgroups are most suitable for a small
number of computer-literate users.
Because each computer is configured as a peer
server, each user can share resources to and access
resources from the network.
Each user is responsible for maintaining user and group information
locally and for managing resource access security.
The default networking configuration during
Windows 9x and Windows 2000 installation is to configure the system as a
workgroup member.
Client/Server
Client/server is a legacy network security model
that, for many years, was considered the standard for PC networks.
Although it is seldom used in new network implementations, the popular
idea that networks are based on the client/server model persists.
In a client/server network:
- Security is centrally controlled through
network servers.
- Security for each network server
is managed separately.
- Network servers provide resources to network
users.
 
Network administrators are responsible for network and resource access
security.
Each server maintains its users and groups separately from those of other
network servers. User systems were traditionally configured as clients
only, but Windows family operating systems can
be used as peer servers even when acting as clients in a client/server
network.
Novell's NetWare network operating system is
probably the best-known client/server network product.
Domain-based
The domain-based security model groups user
workstations and servers into logical divisions known as domains.
A system's physical location and its domain membership need not
necessarily correlate, as shown in the figure.
A domain-based network includes:
- Domain Controllers
- Workstations
- Member Servers
In a domain-based network:
- User, group and resource access security are
managed at the domain level.
- Domain logon gives the user access to all
domain resources.
- Domain controllers, member servers and peer
servers can provide shared resources to the network.
The biggest difference
between a domain-based network and client/server network is how security
is managed.
In a client/server network, the user must
log on to each server separately. In a
domain-based network, a single logon provides access to the entire
domain.
 
Directory-based
Directory-based networks use a more advanced management model than
domain-based networks. Users, computers, servers
and other network components are treated as a logical group.
Directory-based networks have a great deal more
built-in flexibility and control than domain-based networks.
One advantage of a directory-based network is that no
one server is the primary controlling server on the network.
The responsibility can be shared equally among network servers.
In a Windows 2000 network, the network servers
are known collectively as domain controllers.
In addition to domain controllers, a
directory-based network will include user workstations and can include
member servers. Member servers can provide shared resources to the
network, but are not involved in network security management.
In a directory-based network:
- Users, groups and network resources are
managed at the directory level.
- Directory logon gives a user access to all
directory resources, though access may be limited through security
settings.
- Domain controllers, member servers and user
workstations provide shared resources to the network.
The networking model used by Windows 2000 is
known as the Active Directory model.
Mixed
security models
A network can support mixed security models.
Several configurations are possible, but we will limit the discussion to a
single example to demonstrate how such a model might operate.
For example, a Novell NetWare 3.12 network is based on
a client/server model.
If the client workstations are running Windows 98, in addition to
accessing resources from the NetWare servers, the Windows 98 systems can
be configured as a Microsoft client workgroup.
This will let them share resources with each other under
the workgroup security model.
 
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