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A network operating system (NOS) is a piece of software that controls a network and its message (e.g. packet) traffic and queues, controls access by multiple users to network resources such as files, and provides for certain administrative functions, including security.

A NOS is not the same as the networking tools provided by some existing OSs, Windows XP for instance. An NOS is an OS that has been specifically written to keep networks running at optimal performance.

Note 1: A network operating system is most frequently used with local area networks and wide area networks, but could also have application to larger network systems.

Note 2: The upper 5 layers of the OSI Reference Model provide the foundation upon which many network operating systems are based.

Source: from Federal Standard 1037C

NOS was also the name of a proprietary time-sharing operating system on the CDC 60-bit 6000 and Cyber series mainframe computers; in the mid 1980s, NOS was replaced with NOS/VE on the 64-bit Cyber-180 systems.

Network Operating System (NOS) is an operating system that includes special functions for connecting computers and devices into a local-area network (LAN) or Inter-networking. Some popular NOSs for DOS and Windows systems include Novell Netware, Windows NT and 2000, Sun Solaris and IBM OS/2. The Cisco IOS (Internet Operating System) is also a Network Operating System with a focus on the Internetworking capabilities of network devices. It is installed in almost all Cisco network devices such as Cisco routers and switches.

Some of the features of Network Operating System are:

• Provide basic operating system features such as support for processors, protocols, automatic hardware detection and support multi-processing of applications
• Security features such as authentication, authorization, logon restrictions and access control
• Provide name and directory services
• Provide file, print, web services, back-up and replication services
• Support Internetworking such as routing and WAN ports
• User management and support for logon and logoff, remote access; system management, administration and auditing tools with graphic interfaces
• Clustering capabilities; fault tolerant and high availability systems

• Cisco IOS (formerly "Cisco Internetwork Operating System"), the operating system used on Cisco Systems routers and some network switches
• Windows Server 2003 R2, the most recent release of Microsoft's Windows Server platform/solution.
• Plan 9 from Bell Labs, a distributed operating system.
• Inferno, a popular operating system that can be hosted on other operating systems.
• BSD, also used in many network servers.

• DMOZ: Network Operating Systems - editor-reviewed and categorized website links.

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