IBM LAN Server
| Company type | Product |
|---|---|
| Industry | Network operating system software |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Founder | IBM |
| Fate | Discontinued |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Network operating system software |
| Owner | IBM |
| Parent | IBM |
IBM LAN Server was a network operating system developed by IBM and launched in 1988, now discontinued. It was derived from Microsoft's LAN Manager and initially targeted for use with the Operating System/2 (OS/2) Extended Edition platform. The network client component, known as IBM LAN Requester, came pre-installed with OS/2 EE version 1.1. IBM subsequently broadened client compatibility by introducing additional products such as the IBM OS/2 File/Print Client, IBM OS/2 Peer, along with clients compatible with Microsoft Windows. While the designation LAN Server most commonly identifies the IBM OS/2 LAN Server product, IBM also released versions tailored for other operating systems, notably AIX—which is currently marketed as Fast Connect—and OS/400.
Version history
| Version no. |
Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | 1988 | designed for OS/2 EE 1.0 |
| 1.2 | 1990 | compatible with OS/2 EE 1.2 |
| 1.3 | 1991 | released for OS/2 EE 1.3; IBM committed to equal support for LAN Server and NetWare |
| 2.0 | 1992 | associated with LAN Manager version 2.0 |
| 3.0 | 1993 | introduced Entry and Advanced editions; no equivalent LAN Manager release |
| 4.0 | 1994 | Entry and Advanced editions featuring a new object-oriented UI and peer-to-peer capabilities |
| 5.0 | 1996 | bundled within OS/2 Warp Server |
| 5.1 | 1999 | included in OS/2 Warp Server for e-business |
Earlier iterations included the IBM PC LAN Program (PCLP). Specialized versions encompassed LAN Server Ultimedia, optimized for multimedia file distribution, and LAN On-Demand. Additional modules enhanced its capabilities, such as Directory and Security Server, Print Services Facility/2 (later renamed Advanced Printing), integration with Novell NetWare for OS/2, and a variant for Macintosh systems.
Innovations
LAN Server pioneered essential file and print sharing functionalities, including the implementation of domains and domain controllers, networked COM port sharing, domain aliasing, as well as automated detection and installation of printer drivers.