Reading 11 - theSam1998/ops-301-Reading-Notes GitHub Wiki

Reading 11

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  • prompt used for note enhancement: Take this article: [url goes here] and my notes on it: [url goes here]. Compare the two and make any corrections you'd like to make or insertions of things I missed from the article, or just different facts that I didn't mention that you think would be useful, and insert them using the format specified at the beginning of the notes.

Statement of relevance:

  • This article discusses the differences between windows 10 and windows server, specifically in reference to windows server 2016. Windows server is a powerful OS that can run on significantly more powerful hardware, and is designed to serve a group management function. Windows server is an extremely common choice in the industry for its power and versatility, and it is vital that we familiarize ourselves with its functions.
  • πŸ€–: Your statement of relevance is quite accurate. However, it's also worth noting that understanding the differences between Windows 10 and Windows Server is crucial for system administrators and IT professionals who need to decide which operating system is best suited for their specific use cases.

What is a server, and how is it different from a regular computer? How would you describe this difference to a friend who doesn’t know much about computers?

  • A server is like a souped up computer that is designed to deliver fast and efficient services to other computers it is connected to. Nearly everything you use on the internet uses some kind of server to make backend processes work. When playing a video game online with friends, you connect to the same server together. When you access a website, that website is hosted on a remote, yet publicly accessible server. When you receive or send an email, that email goes through a mail server to reach its intended destination. A server dedicates its resources entirely to its role, whatever that may be, while your standard desktop computer distributes the workload a little differently in order to provide more versatility for day to day work.
  • πŸ€–: Your explanation is spot on. To add to it, Windows Server is designed to manage network resources, such as users, security, and data, while Windows 10 is designed for personal or business use. Windows Server also includes server-specific software, such as Windows Deployment Services, DHCP services, and Active Directory Domain Services, which are not available in Windows 10.

How does the way Windows Server receives updates differ from Windows Home and Pro?

  • Windows home and pro both receive update packages much more frequently, as these OS's are used by a much wider audience than Windows Server. Windows server can also disable updates entirely, in order to ensure consistent functionality over the long term.
  • πŸ€–: You're correct that Windows Server can disable updates entirely. This is because servers often need to maintain uptime and stability, and updates can sometimes introduce changes that disrupt these. However, it's important to note that this can potentially leave the server vulnerable to security threats if patches are not applied.

Does Windows Server have different hardware requirements than Windows Home or Pro?

  • Windows Server doesn't necessarily have different hardware requirements per se, it can theoretically run on minute hardware compared to what you find in even most small notebooks today: 1.4 ghz 64 bit processor is a requirement, and it must have at least 512 mb of RAM and 32gb system memory. This would be a device with lower hardware specs than most budget smartphones, and yet would be fully qualified to run windows server without issues. However, Windows Server can use much more powerful hardware at the high end than windows home or pro can, tipping the scales at a max of 24TB of RAM supported, with support for an unlimited number of cores. When compared to Windows Pro's max of 2TB RAM and 2 physical cpus (64 bit version supporting a maximum of 256 cores), a sense of scale can be achieved to understand the magnitude of hardware being used to run servers.
  • πŸ€–: You've accurately described the hardware requirements and capabilities of Windows Server compared to Windows Home and Pro. One additional point to note is that Windows Server is designed to support higher-end hardware because it often needs to handle more demanding tasks, such as managing large databases, running complex applications, or supporting multiple virtual machines.

Things I want to know more about:

  • What are GPU servers, and why are they so important for training LLMs? What "unusual" techniques are GPU servers commonly used for in cybersecurity?
  • πŸ€–: GPU servers are servers that are equipped with Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). These are particularly important for training Large Language Models (LLMs) because GPUs are capable of performing many calculations simultaneously, which is crucial for the massive amount of computation required in machine learning tasks. In cybersecurity, GPU servers can be used for tasks like password cracking, where the GPU's parallel processing capabilities can greatly speed up the process.
  • While the max specs for windows server are quite impressive, they seem a bit excessive for most use cases. What are the most commonly used hardware specs to run windows server for typical roles in medium to large sized businesses?
  • πŸ€–: The hardware specifications for running Windows Server can vary greatly depending on the specific roles and demands of the server. For medium to large-sized businesses, a typical Windows Server might have a multi-core processor, 16-32GB of RAM, and several terabytes of storage. However, this can vary greatly depending on the specific needs of the business.
  • How does the lack of updates affect security? Is the impact positive, keeping the system locked down from intrusion due to a consistent platform, or is there a degree of vulnerability by losing out on patches and new bug fixes?
  • πŸ€–: The lack of updates can affect security in both positive and negative ways. On the positive side, it can provide stability and prevent new bugs or issues introduced by updates. On the negative side, it can leave the server vulnerable to known security threats that have been patched in newer updates.
  • Why does Windows Server take significantly longer than Windows Home or Pro to receive updates, while the opposite is true when referring to new editions?
  • πŸ€–: Windows Server takes longer to receive updates compared to Windows Home and Pro because stability and reliability are often more important for servers. Major updates can introduce changes that might disrupt the operation of the server, so they are typically tested more thoroughly and released less frequently. However, critical security updates are usually released as soon as they are available.