Benefits of using WINS

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 8 Beta

Benefits of using WINS

WINS provides the following benefits for administering your TCP/IP-based network:

  • A dynamic name-to-address database that maintains support for computer name registration and resolution.

  • Centralized management of the name-to-address database, alleviating the need for managing Lmhosts files.

  • Reduction of NetBIOS-based broadcast traffic on subnets, by permitting clients to query WINS servers to directly locate remote systems.

  • Support for earlier Microsoft® Windows® and NetBIOS-based clients on your network, permitting these types of clients to browse lists for remote Windows domains without requiring a local domain controller to be present on each subnet.

  • Support for DNS-based clients by enabling those clients to locate NetBIOS resources when WINS lookup integration is implemented.