History of Windows Server Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

History of Windows Server - Essay Example A better appreciation of the current server operating system is more possible if the earlier versions before 2003 are included in the appreciation of the Windows servers. The Windows server prototypes were the NT platforms which began with the release of Windows NT Advanced Server 3.1 in 1993 upgraded to Windows NT Server 3.5 in 1994, Windows Server 3.51 in 1995, Windows Server 4.0 in 1996, Windows NT Server 4.0 Enterprise Edition in 1997, Windows NT Server 4.0 Terminal Server Edition in 1998, and winds up with the Windows 2000 Server Platform (multiple editions) in 2000 where the NT part of the title was completely given up. A discussion of the early Windows server O/S is vital because they form the basis of the more modern versions. In addition, a complete historical perspective will give emphasis to the leaps and bounds by which the 21st Windows servers have progressed. Microsoft introduced its first server operating system with Windows NT version 3.1. This version is a 32-bit system that incorporated Win32 concepts that are MS DOS, Windows, OS/2 and POSIX compatible. It also provided a US Government C-2 security level protection as well as â€Å"portability to different microprocessor architectures, symmetric multiprocessing support, built-in networking capabilities and support for multilingual applications† (Allan p. 15/2). The NY system is usable in Intel microprocessors, MIPS workstations and the DEC Alpha architecture, needs 12 to 16 megabytes of memory to work and requires a 486 processor or better and more powerful microprocessors (Allan p. 15/2). The following year, version 3.5 came out in September, which upgraded the earlier version by reducing the hardware requirements and advancing reliability (Allan p. 15/3). This version was characterized by enhanced speed and greater connectivity to Novell and UNIX, two of Microsoft’s stiff competitors (Long 2008). It was however, version 3.51 that was considered the