multi user system

The term multi-user system originates from the 1970s and stands for a data processing system that enables the connection of several workstations, e.g. terminals, to the central unit of a data processing system.

With a multi-user system, several users can work simultaneously. Multi-user workstations require appropriate operating systems, since the access rights of the various users must be controlled centrally.

In multi-user systems, the application software is distributed on one or more servers. Various protection mechanisms prevent files from being overwritten and indicate that a file is being edited by another user. Access to the servers is time-shared according to specified time slots.

The opposite of a multi-user system is the single-user or single-workstation system, where only one employee is connected to the central computer.