A comparison of Windows 2000 Professional and XP Desktop operating systems

¶ … Windows Comparison: Windows 2000 Pro and XP Desktop Comparison

OS Availability

According to Douglas Ludens of About.com, with the release of Windows XP Professional and its home-based XP Desktop Comparison, Microsoft finally delivered on its long-given promise of creating a functional system for both home and professional use. However, there still are substantial differences between the two systems that home and professional users must keep in mind. Windows 2000 Professional is still more suitable than the XP Desktop Comparison for professional use, because of the Pro's use of a Remote Installation Service what "automatically" installs "OS, applications across the network." (Ludens, 2004)

OS Reliability

Although both systems contain support to enhance user reliability, the professional version 'keeps in mind' that the users may be part of a larger network, use more memory and engage in more file system sharing and remote access, and thus requires additional security and support protocols.

File System Protection

The professional version has additional controls protecting the user's rights to limit access to certain files, given the greater ability of the user to participate in an extended part of a network, thus leaving one's files more exposed to additional, potential influences. (Ludens, 2004)

Windows Installer Enhancements

Both computer systems, through the Internet can access the Microsoft website and receive periodic system updates. Active Directory Application Mode (ADAM) is a part of both directory services, and is built specifically to address directory-enabled application scenarios. (ADAM, 2004)

OS Security Features

The professional version contains additional security features, as delineated below.

Kerberos Support

Kerberos was originally designed as a network authentication protocol. It is now finding extensive use in operating system security plans," including Microsoft's Windows XP operating system for professional use. "It is designed to provide strong authentication for client/server applications by using secret-key cryptography. Microsoft promoted and subsequently gained traction with in the Windows 2000 Server, the Kerberos authentication protocol is today being developed into and delivered with each version of the Windows XP." (Columbus, 2001) This is yet another example of how the professional operating system contains additional cryptography support.

Encrypted File System (EFS) Support

Only the XP contains an encrypting file system, giving the user the ability to encrypt files stored on NTFS partitions. (Ludens, 2004)

Internet Connection Firewall

Some sites attempt to use firewalls to solve their network security problems. Unfortunately, firewalls assume that people who want to illegally gain access to the system are on the outside, which is often a very bad assumption. Insiders carry out most of the really damaging incidents of computer crime," noted one insider analyst. Also, for professional use, "firewalls also have a significant disadvantage in that they restrict how" a wide range of a system's users can use the Internet. "After all, firewalls are simply a less-extreme example of the dictum that there is nothing more secure then a computer that is not connected to the network -- and powered off!" Thus, in many places, these restrictions are simply unrealistic and unacceptable." This is why the firewall protections provided by the Windows professional version are supplemented with EFS support for these reasons regarding the imperfect nature of the firewall system, and also the occasional need to disarm it for remote or expanded use, unlike the desktop home version of the system. (Columbus, 2001)

Smart Card Support

However, before one feels that the home desktop version is entirely bereft of security features to enhance its attractiveness, it should be noted, "beginning with Windows XP, however, both the consumer and business versions of Windows will be based on the same code. This is good news for applications developers and hardware manufacturers, because they will not have to write separate versions of their software for separate versions of Windows. This is also good for Windows users, because the code that the two versions share in common is based on the much more stable code from the business product line." (Ludens, 2004)