Question : WINS Server

On our network, the servers all run Windows 2003, except two that run Windows 2000. All domain controllers run 2003. We do not have an Exchange Server, users connect to a hosted mail server offsite. Our users do access network shares on the 2003 servers.  The shares are mapped automatically at logon through a script. We have one domain, and use a 255.255.0.0 subnet mask. We don't have any remote offices, etc.. We have a WINS server, but is it really necessary in our environment?

Thank you!

Answer : WINS Server

WINS decreases client NetBIOS broadcasts and probably improves network performance in a /16-network when not having all clients broadcasting to every other client. NetBIOS is a broadcasting protocol which isn't routed, and neads WINS/NetBT (NetBIOS over TCP/IP) to be routable. You should keep WINS if you nead to use NetBIOS for network browsing or other application depending on it, otherwise it can propably be skipped if you can disable NetBIOS broadcasting.

Article about disabling NetBIOS
http://www.petri.co.il/disable_netbios_in_w2k_xp_2003.htm