Windows NT
With multiple servers, in the past,
Windows NT required a domain, where users were assigned a password to
each domain. To maintain all the passwords, the domain controller was
created to allow users to have one password and be able to have access
to all the resources on all the servers.
The domain controller manages user
access to the network and stores the security account information into
a common security database, called the Security Access Manager (SAM).
SAM verifies passwords, enables users to store and secure
information, and searches for information on the network. When a user
has successfully logged into the database, the domain controller
issues the user an access token. Access tokens allow users to access
any service without having to type in each password.
Novell NetWare
Novell NetWare 3.x relies on a security
database, called the Bindery, which uses only IPX/SPX. NetWare 4.x and
5.x relies on Novell Directory Services (NDS), which is a built in
directory service that uses TCP/IP or IPX/SPX. NDS is based on the
Internet Directory Standard X.500, which uses a resource called the
NDS tree to organize all user and resource information. The NDS tree
allows users to log into the network and have the ability to access
any of the resources, which are available.
UNIX
The UNIX directory services use a file
system called the Network File System (NFS), which is similar a DOS
file system. This NFS grants users permission to certain parts of the
file system and controls the security of the UNIX systems. Because the
shared files are transparent, users using NFS are able to view and edit
files on other UNIX hosts.
UNIX systems can also use Microsoft
Clients and servers using SAMBA to have the ability to communicate
with Server Message Block (SMB). Because UNIX connects to the Windows
Network running SMB, Microsoft clients and servers view the UNIX as if
it were another Windows client. UNIX also uses DNS to resolve
Transport Layer names into logical network addresses.
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