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How Important Is the Operating System Decision?

The operating system, as the middleware of the server system, is the program or interface between the actual hardware and the application programs. Because the operating system is a key component of the server solution, selecting one wisely is important, and there are several important considerations. The operating system comprises all the tools that allow the server to be configured, maintained, and backed up, as well as the interface that allows the hardware to connect to the intranet. In many cases, the choices are minimized when the hardware has been selected. Other server hardware requires a decision to be made on the operating system. For example, if your server machine is a Sun computer, you likely will be forced to use Solaris, Sun's version of UNIX. On the other hand, if your server is a Pentium-based machine, you have many options from which to choose. In these cases, a well-selected operating system can be almost transparent to the operation of the server.

When deciding which operating system will run on your server, first turn to your hardware. Some hardware runs only with specific operating systems, as specified in Table 7.1. For example, SPARC-based or Macintosh server hardware has specific operating systems written by the hardware manufacturer. In some ways, these operating systems are a great choice, because they are designed, engineered, and supported specifically for the hardware selected. This eliminates many issues relating to drivers when installing and configuring the server. On the other hand, if you choose Intel-based server hardware, it is refreshing to know that you can select from several operating systems. However, the fact that you can use anything from a 386-based machine to an SGI minicomputer as your server makes the server hardware and software choice more difficult.

One of the important factors to consider is the level of technical competency of the systems administrator or whoever will be tending to the hardware and software needs of your intranet. If your resident techie is a master at troubleshooting MacOS or Windows problems but has never touched a UNIX box, you should consider using a MacOS or Windows version as the operating system for your server. On the other hand, if you have a UNIX specialist on staff, you can get away with a slower server running a version of UNIX, which is much faster than Windows or Mac.

Your operating system choice also is important for the future of your intranet. If you decide later that your intranet is too large to run on your Windows 95 or MacOS machine, it could be tough to translate some of your custom applications to a UNIX machine.

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