What is Multi-User operating System?
- In a multi-user operating system, multiple numbers of users can access different resources of a computer at a same time.
- The access is provided using a network that consists of various personal computers attached to a mainframe computer system.
- The various personal computers can send and receive information to mainframe computer system.
- Thus, the mainframe computer acts as the server and other personal computers act as clients for that server.
- The examples of multi-user OS are UNIX, Windows 2000, Novell Netware
Advantage of multi-user system
- It helps in the sharing of data and information among different users.
- It also helps in the sharing of hardware resources such as printers and modems.
Disadvantages of multi-user system
- It requires expensive hardware to setup a mainframe computer.
- When multiple users log on or work on same system it reduces the overall performance of system.