NetBIOS Node types

The node type of a networked computer relates to the way it resolves NetBIOS names to IP addresses. There are four node types.

* B-node: 0x01 Broadcast
* P-node: 0x02 Peer (WINS only)
* M-node: 0x04 Mixed (broadcast, then WINS)
* H-node: 0x08 Hybrid (WINS, then broadcast)

The node type in use is displayed by opening a command line and typing ipconfig /all. A Windows computer registry may also be configured in such a way as to display "unknown" for the node type.

Microsoft has changed the way its client OS has handled NetBIOS queries and subsequently the node types. More Info is here :

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/160177

Lecture : Windows Deployment Services Framework

For many of us, the thought of having to install Windows Operating Systems on hundreds of client computers can be daunting and boring. More boring than some modules of Labsim... :)

So the thought of having the entire process automated and centrally managed should make all of us very happy. Poor MS has tried their hands at perfecting this technology over the past 12 years and this is how they have fared.

Platform	Verdict
Win NT 4.0 Server based Deployment	FUBAR
Win 2000 Server - Remote Installation Services	Aborted Mission -Slow, buggy and too many hurdles to justify being practical
Win Server 2003 - RIS	Great in Theory, May work in Practice After a LOT and LOT of Pain
Win Server 2008 - Windows Deployment Services	MS Got this one Right ! Well ALMOST

Anyways, I am attempting to breakdown all the concepts behind setting up such a WDS architecture. For this to succeed we need Services like AD-DS, DHCP, DNS, LDAP, PXe to all work smoothly together, much like a Swiss watch. One wrong step and we will have to start from scratch.

Surely MS could have done a better job at integrating all this together, but yeap; we just have to learn to live with WDS.

Lecture on WDS Concepts starts at 10.30 AM on Wednesday 18th NOVEMBER

This will be followed by a LAB at 12.30 PM same day