Installing and Configuring Devices

A network consists of computers connected to each other. The users on the network share the files and folders on a network. You must install devices, such as, network adapters to allow users to connect to other computers in the network. The computer communicates with the devices using a program called driver.

You can install two types of devices:

Plug-and-Play - Includes devices that you can add or remove from the computer with little or no intervention. In addition, you need not manually change the hardware configuration of the computer for adding or removing a Plug and Play device. For example, for adding a plug and play device, you need not change the motherboard jumper settings to make the device compatible with the computer. Plug and Play devices come with hardware and software support that enables a computer to recognize and install the device. You can install several Plug and Play devices by just plugging the device to the computer. Most of the devices manufactured since 1995 are Plug and Play. You can install hot swapping devices to a computer. Hot swapping devices are devices that you can attach and detach without switching off the computer. This indicates that you can use a hot swapping device by just attaching the device to a running computer.

Non Plug-and-Play devices - Includes devices whose drivers are not installed by Windows Server 2003 automatically. You need to provide the vendor-supplied drivers for installing Non Plug-and-Play devices.

Also read:

1. Add Hardware Wizard

2. Configuring Drivers

3. View Driver Files

4. Updating Device Drivers