Anetwork operating system (NOS) is a specializedoperating system for a network device such as arouter,switch or firewall.
Historically operating systems with networking capabilities were described as network operating systems, because they allowed personal computers (PCs) to participate incomputer networks andshared file and printer access within a local area network (LAN). This description of operating systems is now largely historical, as common operating systems include anetwork stack to support a client–server model.
Network operating systems (NOS) are responsible for managing various network activities. Key functions include creating and managing user accounts, controlling access to resources such as files and printers, and facilitating communication between devices. Network operating systems also monitor network performance, addresses issues, and manages resources to ensure efficient and secure operation of the network.[1]
Packet switching networks were developed to share hardware resources, such as amainframe computer, aprinter or a large and expensivehard disk.[2]: 318
Historically, a network operating system was anoperating system for a computer which implemented network capabilities. Operating systems with anetwork stack allowedpersonal computers to participate in aclient-server architecture in which aserver enables multiple clients to share resources, such asprinters.[3][4][5]
These limited client/server networks were gradually replaced bypeer-to-peer networks, which used networking capabilities to share resources and files located on a variety of computers of all sizes. A peer-to-peer network sets all connected computers equal; they all share the same abilities to use resources available on the network.[4]
Today,distributed computing andgroupware applications have become the norm. Computer operating systems include a networking stack as a matter of course.[2]: 318 During the 1980s the need to integrate dissimilar computers with network capabilities grew and the number of networked devices grew rapidly. Partly because it allowed for multi-vendorinteroperability, and could route packets globally rather than being restricted to a single building, the Internet protocol suite became almost universally adopted in network architectures. Thereafter, computer operating systems and thefirmware of network devices tended to support Internet protocols.[2]: 305
Network operating systems can be embedded in arouter orhardware firewall that operates the functions in thenetwork layer (layer 3).[6] Notable network operating systems include:
