Operating System Types: Operating System Types

What is an operating system?

The first program loaded onto a system.

Operating System

Controls access to the various hardware resources on a given computer.

What are the general types of operating system?

Home clients, business clients, network, and smartphone/tablet.

Home Client Operating Systems

Designed to work with standalone machines or with machines connected in a smaller workgroup network.

What kind of OS is Windows or macOS?

A home client-based OS.

Business Client Operating System

Designed to work on systems that are connected to a centrally managed business domain network.

What is a business client OS used?

In corporate or business environments.

What is a user logging into whenever they sign into a workstation in a business environment?

Into a centrally-managed server known as an active directory server.

After an active directory server has authenticated a user’s credentials on a business network, what will be provided to the user?

All the resources needed for their job.

What does NOS stand for?

Network Operating System.

Network Operating System

Any operating system that is designed to run on servers in a business network.

Smartphone/Tablet Operating System

Designed to work with a handheld mobile device.

What are the categories that all OSs can be put into?

Open-source and proprietary.

Open-Source

Underlying code of the OS has been released for viewing, editing, an implementation to the general public.

What are example of open-source OSs?

Linux and Android.

Proprietary/Closed-Source

Created by a company or individual that retains all the rights to use, modify, and distribute the software.

What is released before the final released of an OS?

Beta, for testing.

What is the average lifespan of a version of an OS?

2-10 years.

What is the average lifespan of support for consumer versions of Windows?

~5 years.

What is the average lifespan of support for business versions of Windows?

~10 years.

What is released during the lifespan of an OS?

Software updates, security patches, and bug fixes.

What does EOL stand for?

End-of-Life.

End-of-Life

Period of support from the manufacturer ends.

What happens when an OS reaches EOL?

It no longer receives updates, security patches, or bug fixes.

Why would organizations be aware of when their OS is going to reach EOL?

For security and support.