[comp.dcom.lans] Naive Novell Questions

chaiklin@shibuya.cc.columbia.edu (Seth Chaiklin) (08/13/90)

I am a "mere user" of a Novell LAN and I would like to ask a few
questions to protect myself from the forces of evil (i.e. SA) that
tell me that "it cannot be done."  I apologize if this is the wrong
place to post these questions and would appreciate some direction to
the right place.

We are running Novell Netware 2.12 Rev B with an ethernet,
I think mostly 3Com 3c501 cards.

1.  Is it possible to control access to printers on the LAN so 
that only certain people can get access to certain printers?

2.  Is it possible to have a log made of each use of a printer?

3.  What are the virtues/problems of making a bridge vs.
connecting all the machines into one big LAN?
Doesn't a bridge just make one big LAN with more
performance problems?

4.  If there is a bridge, then it should be possible to get access to any
printer on EITHER network, right?

5.  Is there any problem with mixing different ethernet cards
in a Novell LAN.  The SA claims that we cannot use different
cards on the same LAN.

Many thanks for your help.

Seth Chaiklin

chaiklin@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu
seth@ny-yn.UUCP

louie@rruxi.bae.bellcore.com (Paul Louie) (08/14/90)

chaiklin@shibuya.cc.columbia.edu (Seth Chaiklin) writes:

> I am a "mere user" of a Novell LAN and I would like to ask a few
> questions to protect myself from the forces of evil (i.e. SA) that
> tell me that "it cannot be done."  I apologize if this is the wrong
> place to post these questions and would appreciate some direction to
> the right place.

I don't know any other place to post.  I gladly answer any questions
you have.

> We are running Novell Netware 2.12 Rev B with an ethernet,
> I think mostly 3Com 3c501 cards.
>
> 1.  Is it possible to control access to printers on the LAN so 
> that only certain people can get access to certain printers?

Yes.  Set up their print queues in the login scripts and take away printer
commands, such as printcon, so that a user cannot add/change.

> 2.  Is it possible to have a log made of each use of a printer?

Well, without programming (capturing the print interrupt at the user workstation) it is somewhat difficult.  Some print software (3rd Party) contain this 
feature.  If you are using vanilla Netware, you can assign a dummy print queue
along with the real one.  This way, the print data get stored at the phantom
queue for you to browse with the Pconsole command.  Just keep in mind that a
undrain queue can built up pretty fast.

> 3.  What are the virtues/problems of making a bridge vs.
> connecting all the machines into one big LAN?
> Doesn't a bridge just make one big LAN with more
> performance problems?

Well, this depends on the topological design in your installation.  For one 
thing, there are limits on how far an node can be away from the server (this
depends on the medium used, ie.- Thick or thin coax, twisted pair, fiber, etc.)
Going across a local bridge (remote bridge means a modem arrangement) does 
post some performance degradation, but if design properly you should get the 
same or better performance than one huge LAN (for one, eliminates collission and
wait time for transmission).

> 4.  If there is a bridge, then it should be possible to get access to any
> printer on EITHER network, right?

Only if your default server has those printers.  The default server is the one
you logged-in or attached to (via a "login servername/userid" or the ATTACH
command).

> 5.  Is there any problem with mixing different ethernet cards
> in a Novell LAN.  The SA claims that we cannot use different
> cards on the same LAN.

He is full of sh... He is pulling your chain.  You can use any ethernet cards
as long as they fits the medium.

> Many thanks for your help.
> 
> Seth Chaiklin
>
> chaiklin@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu
> seth@ny-yn.UUCP

No problem.  I am glad I can help.

Paul Louie, consultant to Bellcore Communication Research

bellcore!kitchen!louie

hamish@waikato.ac.nz (08/15/90)

In article <1990Aug13.083025.1150@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu>, chaiklin@shibuya.cc.columbia.edu (Seth Chaiklin) writes:
> I am a "mere user" of a Novell LAN and I would like to ask a few
> questions to protect myself from the forces of evil (i.e. SA) that
> tell me that "it cannot be done."  I apologize if this is the wrong
> place to post these questions and would appreciate some direction to
> the right place.
> 
> We are running Novell Netware 2.12 Rev B with an ethernet,
> I think mostly 3Com 3c501 cards.
> 
> 1.  Is it possible to control access to printers on the LAN so 
> that only certain people can get access to certain printers?
>

  Yes. PCONSOLE is the program to do this. Look in the manuals
 
> 2.  Is it possible to have a log made of each use of a printer?
>

 Not at the moment. A VAP could do it with double queueing.
 
> 3.  What are the virtues/problems of making a bridge vs.
> connecting all the machines into one big LAN?
> Doesn't a bridge just make one big LAN with more
> performance problems?
>

 Ethernet has a limit to the number of taps on the line (ie # of T's )
and also a length limit. A bridge gives you 2 different nets. A repeater
or router will also do the job, although they pass everything, not just
packets for the particular net.
 
> 4.  If there is a bridge, then it should be possible to get access to any
> printer on EITHER network, right?
>

 Yes!
 
> 5.  Is there any problem with mixing different ethernet cards
> in a Novell LAN.  The SA claims that we cannot use different
> cards on the same LAN.
> 

 We use 3Com 3c501's, WD8003's and ISOLan 16 bit ethernet cards. The only
problem I have is with the 16bit ISOLan cards in a fast (386SX @16Mhx) 
server, where the 3c501's can't keep up and die.

> Many thanks for your help.
> 

 No problem!

> Seth Chaiklin
> 
> chaiklin@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu
> seth@ny-yn.UUCP



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vanden@studsys.mu.edu (vandenberg) (08/16/90)

In article <26039@bellcore.bellcore.com> louie@rruxi.bae.bellcore.com (Paul Louie) writes:
>chaiklin@shibuya.cc.columbia.edu (Seth Chaiklin) writes:
>> 5.  Is there any problem with mixing different ethernet cards
>> in a Novell LAN.  The SA claims that we cannot use different
>> cards on the same LAN.
>
>He is full of sh... He is pulling your chain.  You can use any ethernet cards
>as long as they fits the medium.

Technically I heard that there is a small difference.  All thin-net 
manufacturer's boards support cable lengths of at least 600ft(IEEE spec).  Many 
manufacturers have pushed that length to 900ft.  As I said it's a small 
difference.

Tom Vandenberg                {..uunet..uwvax!uwmcsd1..}!marque!studsys!vanden
vanden%studsys@marque.UUCP             {..uwvax..arpa..}!studsys.mu.edu!vanden

ccoombs@pilot.njin.net (Cliff Coombs) (08/16/90)

Although many vendor Ethernet Cards *CAN* work together, as a campus
network administrator, I have to defend this guy's SA.  In order to
keep some sanity, the fewer types of cards I have connected the better I
can support the users.  

Cliff
-- 
  Cliff Coombs                        Voice (201) 527-2729  Fax (201) 355-5143 
  Campus Network Coordinator 	 	 		ccoombs@pilot.njin.net
  Kean College of New Jersey        			 ccoombs@bart.kean.edu
  Disclaimer: "I know noth-ing" -Schultz (Hogan's Heros)   ccoombs@NJIN.BITNET