srk@actnyc.UUCP (Shalom Krischer) (12/26/87)
Some time ago I remember seeing a lot of dicussion about the Novell networking product. At the time I did not think much about it, since I am more involved in the Mainframe and Mini world, but recently a friend asked me if I could find out about it (or a better way of networking 4 or 5 IBM AT's together). Please E-mail to me, and I will post the results if there is any interest. Thanks... ...!uunet!actnyc!srk
johng@trwind.TRW.COM.UUCP (01/16/88)
I am in the final stages of developing a networking card for IBM PC/XT/AT and
compatibles and the need has come up to test them extensively with novell
software. I would be very interested in hearing from people who frequently use
the Novell system as to what they think of it (i.e. ease of use, installaion,
diagnostics, etc.). It would be extremely helpful, please respond by E-Mail
and I look foward to reading you comments.
Thanx again.
--
John E. Greene "People are just like frankfurters....You have to decide
if you're going to be a hot dog or just another wiener" DLR
TRW Information Networks Division 23800 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance CA 90505
ARPA: johng@trwind.TRW.COM USENET: ..trwrb!trwind!johngcook@sybil.cs.Buffalo.EDU (John M. Cook) (04/08/90)
The company I am working for has asked me to upgrade our current
ELS II Network to an Adv 2.15. They were budgeting for a 25Mhz-386
fileserver with a 160 Meg HD running Adv 2.15. Now my first of a
series of questions was "How much faster will 386 run with 386 Netware
vs 386 with Adv 2.15 in 286 mode?" The load on the network will
consist of 8 286 machines. Software will be mainly Invoicing and
Inventory control programs. These programs will have will have more
than 1000 items in their databases. The plan is to bring dial-in
remote lines and a couple more local 286/386s.
We currently use our ELS II server as a workstation (Non-Dec),
will Netware 386 allow us use the server as a workstation?
I still can't see how an 386SX-16Mhz would be faster than a
286-16Mhz. I do understand the features of 386 machines, but if you
run in 286 mode do you gain anything by having a 386 machine? Since
my company was not prepared to buy Netware 386, what would I gain or
loose by running Netware 386 on a 386SX-16Mhz vs Adv 2.15 on a
286-20Mhz. (There are no type-o's yet I am talking about many
different server options.)
If I go with a 386SX and Netware 386, I can put in for larger
server next year and already have Netware 386.
Since the company mainly has 12Mhz 286 machines, what size of
server would be best with out over kill. I was tempted to just get a
20Mhz 286 server because the workstations will only be as fast as
there 12Mhz clock. Since the load isn't that great but file activity
will be quite often, should a larger machine be purchased?
To summarize: Netware 386
Non-Deciated mode?
features above Adv 2.15?
Should it be used with a 386SX?
Adv 2.15
Does running this on a 386 perform better than
on a 286?
If workstations have top speed of 12Mhz is a
20Mhz-286 server a fast enough server?
One last thing how much RAM will I need for a 160Meg HD in the
Server? My current estimate is 4Meg.
Thanks for any and all your help.
John Cookmguyott@imposter.samsung.com (Marc Guyott) (04/09/90)
In article <21096@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU> cook@sybil.cs.Buffalo.EDU (John M. Cook) writes: >Now my first of a >series of questions was "How much faster will 386 run with 386 Netware >vs 386 with Adv 2.15 in 286 mode?" I'm not sure how much faster it will run but it should run faster. Another thing to consider is available software that will co-exist on the Novell server in the same box. Novell supports software known as VAPs (Value Added Programs or something like that) which are specifically written to run on a Novell server along with novells network operating system. These are the only other programs that can run on a dedicated novell server with the novell operating system. The VAP concept is only now beginning to catch on but if you should decide that you want to run one or more VAPs on the server I believe that you will find the performance under the 386 version of Netware will be better then under the 286 version. If you are going to spend the money to get a 386 server I would recommend spending the money to get Netware/386. > We currently use our ELS II server as a workstation (Non-Dec), >will Netware 386 allow us use the server as a workstation? I believe you can intially set up your server to permit this but it really limits the performance of the server and I believe that most people you talk to will recommend against doing this. > I still can't see how an 386SX-16Mhz would be faster than a >286-16Mhz. I do understand the features of 386 machines, but if you >run in 286 mode do you gain anything by having a 386 machine? I thought you said that you were going to get a 25MHz 386? >Since >my company was not prepared to buy Netware 386, what would I gain or >loose by running Netware 386 on a 386SX-16Mhz vs Adv 2.15 on a >286-20Mhz. (There are no type-o's yet I am talking about many >different server options.) My guess is Netware/286 on a 20MHz machine will be faster then Netware/386 on a 16MHz machine. But that's just a guess. > Since the company mainly has 12Mhz 286 machines, what size of >server would be best with out over kill. I was tempted to just get a >20Mhz 286 server because the workstations will only be as fast as >there 12Mhz clock. But remember you may have up to a dozen 12MHz machines being serviced by this one file server. I would recommend the 20MHz machine. Another thought, you might want to talk to Novell and see if you can trade in your Netware/286 in a year to get a discounted version of Netware/386. I believe they do things like this and in that way you are not throwing away all of your investment in the 286 setup. >Since the load isn't that great but file activity >will be quite often, should a larger machine be purchased? I think you are contradicting yourself here. You say the load will not be that great but there will be a lot of file activity. A lot of file activity means that the load on the server will be significant. The above are opinions based on my limited networking experience. Use this information at your own risk. Marc ---- Two of the worst things we teach our children are that a knowledge of science is nice but not necessary, and a knowledge of sex is necessary but not nice. Marc Guyott Samsung Software America, Inc. mguyott@samsung.com (508) 685-7200 Andover, Mass. 01810-2442 USA ...!uunet!samsung!mguyott
cs4g6ag@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca (Stephen M. Dunn) (04/09/90)
In article <13623@samsung.samsung.com> mguyott@imposter.UUCP (Marc Guyott) writes:
$In article <21096@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU> cook@sybil.cs.Buffalo.EDU
$> We currently use our ELS II server as a workstation (Non-Dec),
$>will Netware 386 allow us use the server as a workstation?
$I believe you can intially set up your server to permit this but it really
$limits the performance of the server and I believe that most people you talk
$to will recommend against doing this.
Another thing to consider is that networks with nondedicated servers
on average crash more often than those with dedicated servers. On a
NW 386 system, presumably the virtual 386 mode would make nondedicated
use more robust, but I'd be surprised if a nondedicated server was as
reliable as a dedicated one. (I can just sense the influx of mail
telling me of nondedicated networks that run perfectly and dedicated ones
that die ... so before you write me, note that I said "on average")
$My guess is Netware/286 on a 20MHz machine will be faster then Netware/386
$on a 16MHz machine. But that's just a guess.
Keep in mind, though, that the performance of NW 386 degrades more
gracefully as load increases than does the performance of NW 286 systems.
But a 286-20 running NW 286 should outperform a 386SX-16 running NW 386
under all but the heaviest loads.
$But remember you may have up to a dozen 12MHz machines being serviced by
$this one file server. I would recommend the 20MHz machine. Another thought,
$you might want to talk to Novell and see if you can trade in your Netware/286
$in a year to get a discounted version of Netware/386. I believe they do things
$like this and in that way you are not throwing away all of your investment
$in the 286 setup.
But how painful is the conversion from NW 286 to NW 386? If it turns
out that it'll take a week of someone's constant attention, with lots of
crashes until everything gets up and running properly again, in order to
upgrade, it would make sense to go with NW 386 now if possible. I don't
know how painful such an upgrade would be ... it may be easy, it may be
even worse than the example I gave (if anyone has done it, please let us
know your experiences ... I'm sure others would be interested)
$>Since the load isn't that great but file activity
$>will be quite often, should a larger machine be purchased?
$I think you are contradicting yourself here. You say the load will not be
$that great but there will be a lot of file activity. A lot of file activity
$means that the load on the server will be significant.
It depends on what the use of the files will be. If it's just 12
people accessing a 1M database, mostly reading from it, and doing a read
every couple of seconds, that's pretty low load. Of course, if it's
12 people doing a search of the database and updating it every second,
then that's quite a high load.
$The above are opinions based on my limited networking experience. Use this
$information at your own risk. Marc
Ditto.
--
More half-baked ideas from the oven of:
****************************************************************************
Stephen M. Dunn cs4g6ag@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca
<std_disclaimer.h> = "\nI'm only an undergraduate ... for now!\n";jfb@naucse.UUCP (Jamie Bradford) (04/10/90)
From article <21096@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU>, by cook@sybil.cs.Buffalo.EDU (John M. Cook): > To summarize: Netware 386 > Non-Deciated mode? No. > features above Adv 2.15? Mostly enhancements in terms of security, such as password encryption "on the wire." Also has a much more advanced console, better memory management, trustee rights may be assigned at the file level, and greater disk management facilities. > Should it be used with a 386SX? I don't know as I've never asked Novell and I've never tried. > Adv 2.15 > Does running this on a 386 perform better than > on a 286? Not that I have noticed, although it is possible. > If workstations have top speed of 12Mhz is a > 20Mhz-286 server a fast enough server? In most cases the speed of your workstations vs. the speed of your server is irrelevant. The concerns I would have revolve around the type of applications you will be running and how fast the data throughput of your server is. That is, how fast can your server service a disk request under a heavy load. Speed in this area is usually related to disk bottlenecks rather than server speed. Keep this in mind when designing your server. Hope this helps! Jamie Bradford {jfb@nau.cse.nau.edu}