WINS and Server 2008

Overview of the Windows Internet Name Service 

WINS is a NetBIOS Name Server (NBNS). Windows hosts support two types of names, host names and NetBIOS names. 

In a Windows OS, network services can be requested using Windows Sockets, Winsock Kernel, or NetBIOS. If Windows Sockets or Winsock Kernel is requested, the host name is used. Windows Sockets is used to access network services in many applications. The newer applications that were designed for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 use Winsock Kernel.  If NetBIOS is used, the application uses a NetBIOS name.