Very Computer

As I noted in another thread (re: rdate), we're in the process of
trying to integrate a new site into our enterprise.  Our enterprise
heretofore has been "UNIX-centric", in that the servers have all
been UNIX servers and the MS-DOS clients have typically been
connected via one-or-another TCP/IP product.  (Presently: SunSoft's
PC-NFS and SolarNet PC-Admin.)

This new site is *all* Netware (Now 4.1).  We are connected via
ISDN and it's a loooooong haul (US <-> UK).

We tried Novell's NFS Server (?) product at the UK site.  But the

Information Service) updates from the root master server every few
seconds--keeping the ISDN line up full time.  Even when absolutely
*nothing* was going on.  Novell support was pretty-much useless
for help on this.

I don't really want to go to the expense and time of maintaining
a Netware server here just for replication purposes, but nothing
else we've tried so far has worked.  By the same token: the folks
at the other end know absolutely nothing about UNIX and little
about TCP/IP.  So the only solution we've come up with that seems
like it'll work for us is to do Netware across the WAN and run the
Novell NFS Server stuff on the local Netware server.  Yuck.

It's a few of the DOS/Windows-boxes here that need access to the
stuff on the Netware server at the far end.  Could we run Netware
client support on them along with the Sun PC-NFS stuff and have
the far end site supply the needed Netware services via IP
rather than IPX?  (Wanting to avoid dual stacks on the clients.)

I've got a potential vendor that has, amongst other things, a
"Netware on UNIX" product (can't remember their name--it's at the
office and I'm at home).  Anybody had any experiences with any of
these?

And however we do it, and assuming that we run Netware across the
WAN link, would it be better to run IPX across the WAN link, or IP?

BTW: We're also running Notes.  The server is on a Sun Solaris
box.  The folks at the Netware site will be using Notes and
replicating from the server here.  I kinda suspect that will make
a difference in the answer.  And then there's AutoPlanII--also
client/server, also served off of the Sun server.  Don't know
exactly *what* management's plans are wrt wider deployment of that
thing.

I'd like to see this accomplished in the most straight-forward
and efficient way.

Thanks Much,
Jim "just learning Netware" Seymour
--
Jim Seymour             | "Unix is a general purpose operating system (e.g DOS,


Farmington Hills, MI.   |

                 ----snip-snip-chop-hack-etc-etc----

Have you looked at UnixWare?  Without digging further into your
configuration and sitting down and researching a solution (for free,
that is :-) ) it looks like it would be worth investigating.
--

We have experience problems when running Netware 4.x over an ISDN
line. It will be up all the time, as the servers are exchanging RIP
and SAP packet all the time, to keep the NDS (the Novell way of NIS)
up to date. There is a new solution to this, Novell Link State
Protocol, but we have not been able to get it running here.

Hi James:

My company, Puzzle Systems, makes two products you might be interested in.
SoftNet Utilities is a Novell server emulator that allows a UNIX system
(yes, we support Solaris 2.x) to see and understand IPX as well as another
one called SoftNet NFS which allows the Novell server to also function as
an NFS server.

Both products are free to evaluate in your own environment. If you are

some information regarding product specifics and free eval software if you
so choose.

Jim Leslie
Puzzle Systems

RIP and SAP information are not exchanged end to end between servers,
but only between neighbouring routers (Netware Servers are alose
routers). The problem of ISDN connections is that servers log into each
other to exchange NDS information. These are not RIP or SAP packets but
NCP like packets. Furthermore each server contacts the primary time
server to adjust its clock. NLSP will not help to reduce your ISDN bill.

Our temporary solution (also it is not a very clean one) is to
configure the ISDN routers in such a way that server to server traffic
does not generate a connection (this can be done by testing if the node
address is 1). Only workstations can generate connections. Once a
connection is established by a workstation, the servers can connect to
each other and echange NDS and time information.

Marcel

I have had much experience with both platforms in separate and in
integrated environments.  It is my experience that Novell only tolerates  
 tcp/ip and, considering your remoteness, I would replace the Novell with
Unix.  Then you can administer from UK and/or train people to manage.
The only consideration would be the size of the novell net.  If it is real
large, you might have to come up with a work around.  If constant traffic
in down times is a problem, you could attempt to predict the slow times
and have cron shut the gate.
I am sure you will get differing opinions from novell people, but UNIX is
made for this kind of network, novell is not.