Creating Networks with Windows
2000
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Contents
Traditional networks provide
simple fast access to information, improve information
management, and increase employee productivity through
better internal communications. By connecting to the
Internet, businesses can extend their networks to connect
customers and business partners to streamline
business-to-business communications and transactions.
Businesses of all sizes can benefit when the operating
system makes creating networks and Internet connections
simple, fast, secure, and reliable.
Microsoft� Windows� 2000
lets organizations quickly build internal networks easier
than ever before, and it offers simple and rich services to
make connecting to the Internet faster and more productive
than ever. Because Windows 2000 is an open, standards-based,
extensible networking platform, customers can build
e-business solutions that work with other operating systems
and increase business potential. From simple peer-to-peer
networks to globally distributed network incorporating
different vendor systems, Windows 2000 lets companies get
connected faster and makes it easier to keep up with the
pace of business change.
Windows 2000 networking
helps:
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Small businesses create
networks for internal communications
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Growing businesses do
more with the networks they have
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Enterprise businesses
maximize the potential of their network and the Internet |
With all this capability,
Windows 2000 is one of the best networking platforms for
network services and applications that Internet-enable your
business.
Windows 2000 includes
networking features that are ideal for small businesses.
From the local business on Main Street to an entrepreneur
working out of a garage, Windows 2000 makes it easier than
ever to build a network to share and secure information
without having to be a technical expert. These services are
built from networking standards, including the TCP/IP
standards used for the Internet. This means that small
businesses can grow their networks and connect with partners
and customers that also use Internet protocols.
Using Windows 2000
Professional or Windows 2000 Server, a small business
operator can quickly set up a workgroup to connect anywhere
from two to dozens of computers to share files, printers,
and other services on standard business PCs. Such a
workgroup network, commonly called a "peer-to-peer
network," can be created without requiring a dedicated
server or the special systems that are common in larger
networks.
A small business owner does
not need to be technically savvy to set up such a network.
With Windows 2000, if you�ve plugged in phones and booted
up a computer, you probably have the skills you need.
Windows 2000 Plug and Play technologies automatically detect
and install the appropriate software for hundreds of
different network modems and network interface cards from
leading networking vendors.
Some network hardware vendors
now offer network devices that plug into the USB connector
on your PC, so you don�t even have to open the PC case. By
just plugging the network port of each PC into a standard
network hub and turning on the systems, Windows 2000 can
self-configure the entire network. All you have to do is
give each PC a unique name.
And if you want to connect
the workgroup network to the Internet, the simple New
Connections Wizard will walk you through connecting one of
the PCs to the Internet, and let you share that connection
with the other computers in your business. You can do it all
with just a login name, password, and a telephone
number�all without answering technical questions.
Growing businesses will find
greater power and flexibility by graduating from a workgroup
network to the more advanced networking features designed
for medium-sized and larger organizations. With Windows 2000
Server, organizations can easily create a network that
supports hundreds or even thousands of users with more
complex network configurations and applications.
Windows 2000 Server supports
full-featured Internet standards for address naming and
management through Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
and Domain Name System (DNS), as well as legacy support for
the Windows Internet Naming Service (WINS). It also supports
legacy file and print sharing protocols like NetBeui, IPX/SPX,
and AppleTalk. Combined, these services give customers full
control over their TCP/IP network and let them share files,
printers, network connections and more with existing
Microsoft Windows NT� 4.0-, Novell NetWare-, or Apple
Macintosh-based networks.
Growing businesses will also
want to take advantage of additional communication services
provided in the Windows 2000 operating system. Some of these
services include the ability to connect remote users and
networks to the company network in a variety of ways. You
can use telephony services to integrate voice-mail and
e-mail, create video conferencing systems over your data
network, and integrate video conferencing into Web pages.
Whether you use telephone lines, leased lines, or the
Internet, Windows 2000 includes everything you need to
connect multimedia PCs and networks securely and easily.
Enterprise-class
organizations will appreciate the rich network services
included with Windows 2000 Server and Windows 2000 Advanced
Server. Full-featured DHCP capabilities make it easy to
centrally configure more than just the Internet Protocol
(IP) address. Dynamic DNS services integrate DHCP, WINS and
the Active DirectoryTM service to simplify
address and naming management in large geographically
disbursed networks. Load balancing, fail-over network
interface card support, fault-tolerant clusters, and fast
network connections let large companies build high-scale
e-commerce systems that keep business running 24 hours a
day, transferring loads as high as over 2 gigabits per
second on a single system. IP Security Protocol (IPSec)
security services with hardware encryption offload-support
let organizations protect high volumes of the most sensitive
data as it travels through complex networks. Powerful public
key infrastructure and smart cards combined with
RADIUS-based authentication and authorization let companies
integrate sophisticated network access systems to share
information with mobile workers, business partners and
customers. And through the Active Directory service and the
Microsoft Management Console (MMC), network access policy
and system administration can be done from any location in
the company with centralized control. With Windows 2000,
companies can reduce the costs of managing and growing large
networks that are the backbone of their business operations.
For companies wanting to
integrate diverse streaming voice and video applications on
networks that are supporting mission critical applications,
Windows 2000 offers more features to help. Integrated
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) standards for
telephony combined with multicast support and end-to-end
Quality of Service (QoS), help administrators control
traffic prioritization and network congestion. And for
companies building the next cutting edge e-business
applications, Windows 2000 offers open application
interfaces that let applications use Active Directory and
exploit these networking services at different levels to get
the most out of your network.
All in all, Windows 2000 is
one of the most powerful networking platforms ever.
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