Transcript The Windows NT Platform - University of Wisconsin–La Crosse

The Windows NT Platform
Physical Security that Rivals a
Blank Password
The Rap Sheet
• Late 1980s: Microsoft and IBM joined together to create the
successor operating system to DOS for the x86 Platform. It
would become a “thoroughly modern, fully 32-bit, robust,
multipurpose operating system.”
• 1990: Microsoft released Windows 3.0. IBM viewed Windows
as a stepping stone to the superior OS they had both been
developing (OS/2). Microsoft wanted to expand Windows to
compete with OS/2. Microsoft eventually split with IBM and
took their portion of development with them.
• August, 1993: Microsoft released Windows NT 3.1, having
the same GUI as the normal Windows Operating System,but
was a pure 32 bit OS while still providing the ability to run
older DOS and 16 bit Windows apps, as well as character
mode OS/2 1.3 programs and POSIX applications.
Why is NT used?
• Many Enterprise Applications are built into the
Operating System making setup and administration
relatively easy when compared to *nix alternatives.
(IIS, DHCP, DNS, WINS, RADIUS)
• Low cost licensing gets students and employees
“hooked” on the Windows GUI much like drug dealers
get junkies hooked. (UW-L is a prime example)
• Windows Server OS is closer to “plug and play” with
Windows Client OS (that the users happen to be hooked
on) than *NIX.
• Windows GUI is familiar to many people, including the
Administrators themselves. This makes Administration
much easier than with most *NIX alternatives.
• Steve Ballmer looks like your cool uncle that used
to buy you beer when you were in High School.
What is being used?
• As of 2000
– NT holds 36%
– Linux holds 24% but
is “growing like gang
busters”
– Novell NetWare is
hanging on to a 19%
share
– Other Operating
Systems (Proprietary
Systems) hold the
remaining 21%
NT
Linux
Novell
Other
•“And one rogue Linux
server located in a
Fortune 500 company's
office in the Kansas
hinterlands still can be
counted…”
Why is NT not used?
• Many *NIX Distributions are FREE, and also come with built in
Enterprise Applications.
• *NIX variants are far and widely known to be more secure and
have far few security flaws than NT. (CodeRed, NIMDA,
Sapphire Slammer)
• NT is currently strictly x86 only software, while there are *NIX
variants for almost every platform.
• *NIX can be configured to be Windows and Mac friendly with
the use of special applications (Samba).
• Because NT is widely used NT is widely cracked and hacked.
• You have a deep, philosophical understanding that
Microsoft is a devil incarnate and should be stopped
at all costs.