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Minasi c01.tex V3 - 05/29/2008 9:45pm Page 3
WHAT’S THE POINT OF NETWORKS AND NETWORKING? 3
Fifth, once you have the channels open and before information starts flowing in both directions,
you’ll almost certainly need to worry about security. When you use the tool that is networking,
you want to be sure it doesn’t increase your risk, and in fact you can shape the tool so it reduces
hazards. Briefly: Networks need security. (Chapter 2 introduces you to the topic of security.)
Sixth, and finally, once you’ve set up that terrific network service, you need a way for people to
find that great service. You do that with a ‘‘naming’’ system. Windows 2008 has two of them — one
that appeared years ago before the first version of NT (NT was the earliest version of Windows
Server that Microsoft initially offered in 1993) and a newer (than NT, anyway) method that the
Internet has been using for years. The last network piece, then, is that networks must provide a way
for users to find their services.
Let’s examine these pieces in order, take a closer look at why they work the way that they do,
and get some insight into how Windows 2008 in particular handles them. This chapter only begins
the discussion of networks. Some topics are so important that we decided to discuss them in detail
in Chapters 2 and 3. You won’t actually install Windows Server 2008 until Chapter 4 — these
initial chapters will help you understand and prepare for your network.
Choosing a Network Type
Windows networks fall into two categories: workgroup and domain. A workgroup network con-
nects multiple computers in a peer-to-peer configuration, which means that every computer can
serve as both a client and a server. Workgroups are very simple, and you normally use them for
smaller groups of computers — usually less than 10, but I’ve seen much larger workgroups of up
to 100 computers. A workgroup doesn’t require a centralized server, but you can certainly use
one. Workgroups typically require little time to set up and configure, but they can become a night-
mare to manage when they exceed a certain size. The fact that you don’t necessarily need to have
a server also means that workgroups can be less expensive.
A domain provides fully centralized services. It always requires that you set up a server and
the server must provide support for advanced management features such as Active Directory.
Domains provide stronger security than workgroups do because everything is under the tight
control of the server. In addition, domains provide centralized administration. Normally, you use
domains for larger networks. They require a lot more time and effort to set up, configure, and
administer for a small number of computers, but a domain also offers significant advantages over
a workgroup. As the size of your network groups increases, administration costs go down and
performance increases when compared to a workgroup.
Network Client and Server Software
The reason that we network computers in the first place is so that computers acting as clients can
benefit from the services of computers acting as servers. For example, suppose you want to visit
my Web site, www.minasi.com. Two of the ingredients that you’ll need to make that possible are
software applications:
◆ You’ll need a computer running a program that knows how to request Web information
and then how to receive it — in other words, a client application.
◆ I’ll need a computer running a program that knows how to listen for requests for Web
information and then how to deliver that information — in other words, a server
application.
As sometimes occurs too often in the computer business, you’ve got choices about both the
client and the server.