6.1 Workstations and Servers  
  6.1.1 Workstations  
A workstation is a client computer that is used to run applications and is connected to a server from which it obtains data shared with other computers. A server is a computer that runs a network operating system (NOS). A workstation uses special software, such as a network shell program to perform the following tasks:
  • Intercepts user data and application commands
  • Decides if the command is for the local operating system or for the NOS.
  • Directs the command to the local operating system or to the network interface card (NIC) for processing and transmission onto the network
  • Delivers transmissions from the network to the application running on the workstation

Some Windows operating systems may be installed on workstations and servers. The NT/2000/XP versions of Windows software provide network server capability. Windows 9x and ME versions only provide workstation support.

UNIX or Linux can serve as a desktop operating system but are usually found on high-end computers. These workstations are employed in engineering and scientific applications, which require dedicated high-performance computers. Some of the specific applications that are frequently run on UNIX workstations are included in the following list:

  • Computer-aided design (CAD)
  • Electronic circuit design
  • Weather data analysis
  • Computer graphics animation
  • Telecommunications equipment management

Most current desktop operating systems include networking capabilities and support multi-user access. For this reason, it is becoming more common to classify computers and operating systems based on the types of applications the computer runs. This classification is based on the role or function that the computer plays, such as workstation or server. Typical desktop or low-end workstation applications might include word processing, spreadsheets, and financial management. On high-end workstations, the applications might include graphical design or equipment management and others as listed above.

A diskless workstation is a special class of computer designed to run on a network. As the name implies, it has no disk drives but does have a monitor, keyboard, memory, booting instructions in ROM, and a network interface card. The software that is used to establish a network connection is loaded from the bootable ROM chip located on the NIC.

Because a diskless workstation does not have any disk drives, it is not possible to upload data from the workstation or download anything to it. A diskless workstation cannot pass a virus onto the network, nor can it be used to take data from the network by copying this information to a disk drive. As a result, diskless workstations offer greater security than ordinary workstations. For this reason, such workstations are used in networks where security is paramount.

Laptops can also serve as workstations on a LAN and can be connected through a docking station, external LAN adapter, or a PCMCIA card. A docking station is an add-on device that turns a laptop into a desktop.