One common element of these UNIX versions is the use of the TCP/IP network protocol. This common networking protocol allows communication among systems in a multi-vendor environment. Most network operating systems provide accommodation for the TCP/IP protocol. (see protocol section)

NFS (network file system) is an industry standard application service developed by Sun Microsystems as an extension of the FTP (file transfer protocol) available in the TCP/IP . NFS provides for file and print sharing, as well as remote terminal access, and is frequently used to provide file sharing between dissimilar systems running TCP/IP .

What does it do?

A traditional UNIX environment follows the host system model. It provides user-access through dumb terminals. It offers services to manage users and files, and executes processes on behalf of the users.

UNIX uses a text interface (command-line) that consists of a collection of rather cryptic commands. For example, the print command is lp, and a directory listing is obtained by typing ls. These commands may vary based on the shell being used. The shell is the command interface, and three versions, the Bourne, Korn, and C shells are all available.
Because of the complexity of the command lines in UNIX, a number of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) are available. The most common of these are the X-Windows and Motif GUIs. These function much the way that MS-Windows functions with DOS, to present the user with a more intuitive control of the operating system.

Another attribute of the UNIX system is a file system that allows file sharing between users. Unlike the file systems in common PC operating systems where there is a unique file name for each file, UNIX identifies a file with a unique number. Multiple users can establish a link with file, and give it a unique name. It then appears that they have a copy of the file in their directory, but in reality they only have a link to a shared single copy of the file.

How is it used?

UNIX was first used as a traditional host-based time-sharing operating system. It was later adopted in single-user versions for use on high-end workstations, such as Sun Microsystems, Apollo, and other RISC based platforms. Within the PC computing environment, it is frequently used as an application server operating system (see application servers). It is well-suited to this task because of its speed, file sharing capabilities, multi-tasking and multi-user features. Its use of the industry-standard TCP/IP network protocol provides a service called Remote Procedure Calls (RPC), which allows for remote execution of processes on the UNIX system.

Where do I get more information?
Contact your local CBV Office.