Pos355 Assignment 1

Huffman Trucking Computer Network

Ivan Lee

POS/355

Nov 21, 2011

Instructor: Ashok Rao

The Computer at Huffman Trucking

Huffman Trucking Company is a large trucking company with office in California, Missouri, New Jersey, and Ohio. Base on the preliminary observation, Huffman Trucking Company was using mixed computer systems with various operating systems in all its computers and network. Its computer network was disorganized and was not connected from one branch to another. These mixed operating systems are Windows 3.1, Windows NT, Windows 95, Windows 2000 Professional and server, Windows XP, and adding to the mess was Novell server 4.11.

Operating Systems

Windows 3.1 was a popular operating system in the work place and some of its newer computers had Windows 95, and its California Plan was using Windows NT. Windows 3.1 was introduced by Microsoft in 1992. At that time, Windows was real become an operating system (OS) for offices and homes. It was Windows 3.1 that broke through the barrier of DOS (Disk Operating System). Windows started to have significantly better performance, advanced graphics with 16 colors, and improved icons. A new wave of 386 PCs helped drive the popularity of Windows 3.0. With full support for the Intel 386 processor, programs ran noticeably faster. Program Manager, File Manager, and Print Manager arrived in Windows 3.0. Shortly after Windows 3.xx, Microsoft introduced Windows NT in 1993. Windows NT was designed to be the high end, 32-bit operating system which made Windows NT a strategic business platform that supported high-end engineering and scientific programs (windows.microsoft.com). However, the really true Windows Operating System was Windows 95 which Microsoft released in 1995. Windows 95 was a true 32-bit operating system which had built-in Internet support, dial-up networking, and new Plug and Play capabilities that make it easy to install hardware and software. The 32-bit operating system also offered...