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Q129593: Windows NT Workstation and Server Optimized For Different Roles

Article: Q129593
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 3.5 4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbnetwork
Last Modified: 08-AUG-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 4.0 
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SUMMARY
=======

This article discusses the roles for which Windows NT Workstation and Windows NT
Server are optimized.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Microsoft optimized both Windows NT Workstation and Windows NT Server to better
serve their intended purposes. Windows NT Workstation is a great corporate
client for users who need the power, scalability, fault tolerance, or security
it offers. Windows NT Server is a powerful server environment for customers who
want to leverage its application server, file and print services, or remote
access capabilities. The following optimizations were made in Windows NT version
3.5:

- The write-throttling mechanism (the point at which dirty data is flushed to
  disk) is implemented differently for the Windows NT Server and Windows NT
  Workstation. This allows the server to handle server-like loads and the
  workstation to handle desktop-like tasks.

- The internal code that provides the Windows NT Server server functionality
  (SRV.SYS) is less pagable. This leads to better response times under heavy
  server-type loads.

- Under Windows NT Workstation, the Windows NT Virtual DOS Machine (VDM) is
  pre-loaded for improved application startup times. Windows NT Server does not
  pre-load the VDM, but instead optimizes server file operations.

- Windows NT Workstation and Windows NT Server use a different number of system
  worker threads and threads for blocking operations. Windows NT Server is
  optimized for fast server type I/O operations and Windows NT Workstation is
  optimized for desktop applications.

- Windows NT Server can be optimized for file and print server performance or
  application server performance, allowing you to tune it for maximum
  throughput depending on the type of server usage. Windows NT Workstation does
  not have this feature. Internal testing has also shown that Windows NT
  Workstation performs about the same as Windows NT Server up to approximately
  10 different, simultaneous inbound user connections. This enables Windows NT
  Workstation to function well in a small peer environment. Windows NT Server
  is the correct choice if you want to deploy a server in a larger environment
  or want to scale your network in the future.

These optimizations changed the performance of Windows NT Workstation when used
as a server. As a result, peer networking is still supported for basic
connectivity between users on a network. You can still make unlimited outbound
connections to server resources. However, Windows NT Workstation now supports a
maximum of 10 simultaneous inbound connections. Our research has shown that
systems with this many connections are almost always being used as dedicated
file, print and/or application servers.

While Windows NT Server can certainly provide excellent file and print services,
it can also be used extensively as an application server platform for database
and other services. The Windows NT Server file and print capabilities can be
selectively implemented.

Windows NT Server includes the following capabilities not available on Windows NT
Workstation:

- Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server service (Both Windows NT
  Workstation and Server have DHCP Protocol)

- Windows Internet Naming Service (WINS)

- Single network logon

- Data protection features (disk striping, RAID 5, disk mirroring)

- Remote Access Server service can handle 255 concurrent incoming calls
  (Windows NT Workstation limited to one incoming call)

- Gateway Services for NetWare(GSNW)

- Gateway to NetWare file and print resources for MS network clients


- Services for Macintosh (allows Macintosh clients to access file and print
  resources on the Windows NT Server, and allows Microsoft network and
  Macintosh clients to access AppleTalk-based printers)

- Netlogon request authentication (for running logon scripts)

- Account lockout security

- Network Client Administrator

- Administrative tools (Server Manager, User Manager for Domains)

- Support for remote boot of diskless workstations (RPL)

Because Windows NT Server is optimized as a server platform, it is required to
run Microsoft BackOffice products (Systems Management Server, SNA Server, SQL
Server, and the upcoming Exchange Server).

Microsoft recommends Windows NT Workstation as a desktop operating system and
Windows NT Server as a server operating system for server applications. This
provides you an environment that is architecturally very clean, since both the
desktop and server are running the same operating system, and have the same
APIs, etc.

Additional query words: prodnt difference comparison

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Keywords          : kbnetwork 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT350search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTW350 kbWinNTW350search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400 kbWinNTS350 kbWinNTS350search
Version           : 3.5 4.0

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