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IT Interview Questions:What is WINS and when do we use it?

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IT Interview Questions:What is WINS and when do we use it?

Microsoft Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) is an RFC-compliant NetBIOS name- to- IP-address mapping service. WINS allows Windows-based clients to easily locate resources on Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) networks. WINS servers maintain databases of static and dynamic resource name to-IP-address mappings. Because the Microsoft WINS database supports dynamic name and IP address entries, WINS can be used with Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) services to provide easy configuration and administration of Windows-based TCP/IP networks. WINS servers provide the following benefits:

Dynamic database that supports NetBIOS computer name registration and name resolution in an environment where the dynamic TCP/IP configuration of DHCP-enabled clients is dynamically configured for TCP/IP.

Centralized management of the NetBIOS computer name database and its replication to other WINS servers.

Reduction of NetBIOS name query IP broadcast traffic.

Support for Windows-based clients (including Windows NT Server, Windows NT Workstation, Windows 95, Windows for Workgroups, and LAN Manager 2.
x
).


Support for transparent browsing across routers for Windows NT Server, Windows NT Workstation, Windows 95, and Windows for Workgroups clients. to the WINS server. The WINS server returns the destination computer's IP address to the original computer without the need for broadcast traffic.

The second reason for using WINS is that it's dynamic. As computers attach to and detach from the network, the WINS databases are updated automatically. This means that you don't have to create a static LMHOST file that the computers can read to determine IP addresses.

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