File and Print Services Technical Overview

Operating SystemFile and Print Services Technical OverviewWhite Paper
Abstract
File and print servers are the workhorses of every network. That does not mean, however, that they can be taken for granted—on the contrary, successful network operating systems must incorporate the latest technological advances into these fundamental services. To retain the competitive position established by Microsoft® Windows NT Server 4.0, Windows 2000 Server has updated its file system, indexing and search capabilities, storage services, and printer functions using state-of-the art technology. In addition, file and print operations are now integrated both with an organization’s internal intranet and with the external Internet. You gain new functionality when you add Windows 2000 file and print servers to an existing network environment, and then gain more features when you upgrade—at your own pace—to a Windows 2000 network.
All of the changes to file and print services have been made with both network administrators and application developers in mind. Windows 2000 makes managing file and print services more efficient, and the open architecture of Windows 2000 Server is designed to facilitate third-party developers’ efforts to provide additional functionality in response to evolving business needs.
© 1999 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
The information contained in this document represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation on the issues discussed as of the date of publication. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information presented after the date of publication.
This white paper is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS DOCUMENT.
Microsoft, Active Directory, ActiveX, MSN, Windows, and Windows NT are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
Microsoft Corporation • One Microsoft Way • Redmond, WA 98052-6399 • USA
1999
Contents Introduction
File and printer sharing, information retrieval, and data storage are among the most frequently used network services. They are therefore crucial factors to consider when choosing a network operating system.
Microsoft built the Windows® 2000 Server operating system from the ground up as an integrated, multipurpose operating system. The operating system design responds to customer demands for sophisticated but easy-to-manage file and print services, for integration of Web and media content with file and print information sharing, and for meeting exponential growth in storage requirements while lowering storage cost. In addition, its open architecture lets third-party developers provide additional functionality in response to ever-changing business requirements.
Microsoft developed specific file and print features to meet widespread customer needs: Reduced cost. Remote Storage migrates infrequently used files to lower-cost secondary storage, yet keeps that data available if needed. Removable Storage helps reduce costs by letting multiple client applications share local libraries and tape or disk drives while ensuring that client applications do not corrupt each other’s data. Better manageability. The improved NTFS file system, distributed file system (Dfs), and Indexing Service make it easier to find and access files across expanding networks. New interfaces make operating system services easier to manage; for example, the new printer interface makes it simpler for both administrators and end-users to configure and manage their printing needs. Increased availability and reliability. Dfs replication and File Replication service (FRS) synchronization help keep data available to users, even if a server or disk drive fails or a shared folder or file becomes corrupted. Dynamic volumes formatted with NTFS 5 allow fewer reboots when adding disks and creating, extending, or mirroring a volume. Scalability. The Windows 2000 NTFS version 5 file system and the Windows 2000 storage subsystems let users efficiently store and retrieve ever-larger quantities of data.
Organizations that install Windows 2000 file and print servers in their existing network can take advantage of several new features. When they upgrade to a Windows 2000 network, additional file and print capabilities become available.
This overview focuses primarily on the Windows 2000 Server implementation of the standard file and print services components. However, it includes mention of several Web-related features where they are inextricably bound up with file and print services.
File Services
The majority of network servers provide file service; that is, they off...