Application Sharing: Shared applications are often installed on a file server that is specifically designed to run applications. In a small organization, however, they may be installed on the same server that provides other functions, such as Internet, security, and remote access services.

Printer Sharing: Sharing peripherals, such as printers, can increase the efficiency of managing resources and reduce costs for an organization.  Sharing other peripheral devices, such as fax machines, works in a similar manner.

A guest user account with very limited privileges is created during the installation of a NOS for the purpose of sharing resources without exposing the NOS core functions. By default, this account does not have a password.

Different NOSs have different interfaces for managing printers, but all NOSs can:

• Create a printer object, identifying the printer to the rest of the network.
• Assign the printer a unique name.
• Install drivers associated with the printer.
• Set printer attributes.
• Manage access to the printer.
• Remotely test and monitor printer functionality.
• Manage printer drivers.
• Manage print jobs.

System Resource Management:

• Memory: Servers can use both physical and virtual memory, too, as this section describes.
• Multitasking: The ability of a processor to perform many different operations in a very brief period of time.
• Multiprocessing: The support and use of multiple processors to handle multiple threads.