NAS Operating Systems
• NAS operating systems are optimized for file
services:
– Stripped-down versions of Unix or Windows, or
– Purpose-built on Linux, BSD, etc microkernel
• Advantages over Traditional File Servers:
– Better performance
– Enhanced file security
– Cross-protocol locking enables support for
heterogeneous environments
– Much better scalability
NAS operating systems need to be small in order to perform their specialized
functions as fast as possible. Some NAS operating systems use stripped-
down versions of existing operating systems like Unix or Windows, with
performance enhancements for file services. Others use a specialized NAS
operating system that is built on just the microkernel of an open-systems OS
like Linux or BSD Unix.