jpd@gordon.UUCP (Jim Drummey) (06/22/91)
We are looking into purchasing Netware for VMS and are looking for comments, flames, etc from experienced users. In addition to the product, we'd like to hear any comments on the support offered by Novell and its reliability. Thanks in advance. ============================================================ Jim Drummey Access Technology, Inc. Natick, MA harvard!necntc!gordon!jpd ===========================================================
jrd@cc.usu.edu (Joe R. Doupnik) (06/23/91)
In article <229@gordon.UUCP>, jpd@gordon.UUCP (Jim Drummey) writes: > > We are looking into purchasing Netware for VMS and are looking for > comments, flames, etc from experienced users. In addition to the product, > we'd like to hear any comments on the support offered by Novell and its > reliability. Thanks in advance. > > ============================================================ > Jim Drummey > Access Technology, Inc. > Natick, MA harvard!necntc!gordon!jpd > > =========================================================== Jim, I can help a little. We run two copies of NW/VMS here at Utah State Univ., one on the main 6510 VAX and another on my MicroVAX. Each looks like a NW 2.10 file server to users. Both are very much (5-10X) slower than a NW 386 system. One nice feature of NW/VMS is the bundling of TES, an Int 14h hooker for terminal emulator connections straight to the frontend of VMS. TES is popular here. File visibility. Yes, files can be seen from both VMS and NW perspectives, with some footwork by the VMS system manager. Binaries do not transport across this boundary even if they are visible. No Mac support, no VAPs, no NLMs, and no nice cache memory (a VMS artifact). CPU consumption. Not much really. My MicroVAX spends about 30 min cpu time per day on routing traffic and the per connection loading seems light. General maintainance by Novell. Alas, NW/VMS is placed on a low rung of the development ladder at Novell. Problems in the field: only one here - the extra router, NWRTR, caused a "killer bee" attack on a NW 386 server (sending packets at the poor thing rapid fire without ceasing), for reasons unknown. Almost melted the coax until I deleted that program. Otherwise all is well. Joe D.
mike@elec.canterbury.ac.nz (06/24/91)
In article <229@gordon.UUCP>, jpd@gordon.UUCP (Jim Drummey) writes: > > We are looking into purchasing Netware for VMS and are looking for > comments, flames, etc from experienced users. In addition to the product, > we'd like to hear any comments on the support offered by Novell and its > reliability. Thanks in advance. > > ============================================================ > Jim Drummey > Access Technology, Inc. > Natick, MA harvard!necntc!gordon!jpd > > =========================================================== -- In my experience Novell for VMS is a dog. We ran it on a uVAX and it was so slow that it was not much use. It may be ok on a big VAX. I feel it is better to use a 386 or 486 fileserver and get your VAX connectivity with TCP/IP. ******************************************************************************* * * * ____ * * cosmik.debris@elec.canterbury.ac.nz O=(VVVV) * * psi%(5301)30000012::cosmik.debris / \VV/ * * / / * * ~ ~ * * " I owe money therefore I am. " * ******************************************************************************* ******************************************************************************* * Mike Shurety * * Computer System Manager * * Electrical & Electronic Engineering * * University of Canterbury * * New Zealand * * ____ * * mike@elec.canterbury.ac.nz O=(VVVV) * * psi%(5301)30000012::mike / \VV/ * * m.shurety@canterbury.ac.nz / / * * psi%(5301)30000034::m.shurety ~ ~ * * * * FAX : (64) (3) 642-761 * * phone work : (64) (3) 642-295 * * phone home : (64) (3) 891-629 * * * * "I owe money, therefore I am" * *******************************************************************************
jamesp@world.std.com (james M peterson) (06/25/91)
If you need tech support for netware/vms sign up with interconnections (the folks who wrote it). They cant send out software since novell has exclusive marketing rights but they can tell you why problems occur and if there is a way to get around them. (On the other hand, intercon- nnections retains the rights to the source code so neither can do much without the other - you figure it out.) jamesp@world.std.com
jms@mrsvax.mis.arizona.edu (Joel M Snyder) (06/25/91)
In article <229@gordon.UUCP>, jpd@gordon.UUCP (Jim Drummey) writes... > >We are looking into purchasing Netware for VMS and are looking for >comments, flames, etc from experienced users. In addition to the product, >we'd like to hear any comments on the support offered by Novell and its >reliability. Thanks in advance. > Hah!!! Novell's vision of software support for VMS is a complete hoax. They seem to think that VMS should be handled in the same way that PCs are: via "educated" resellers. What this means, in fact, is that it is very, very difficult to get any sort of meaningful answer from anyone about problems with Netware for VMS. In addition, Novell feels no real obligation to keep its VMS sites up-to-date: they lagged a full year behind on the VMS 4 to VMS 5 upgrade. Netware/VMS is only suitable for a site that has a left-over MicroVAX that they don't know what to do with except have run Netware. Novell believes strongly in the concept of "dedicated servers," and their Netware product for VMS fits into that mold. I would grade the product documentation with a D, the product with a C-, and support as an F. You should investigate Digital's IPX gateway before buying Novell for VMS. jms Joel M Snyder, 627 E Speedway, 85705 Phone: 602.626.8680 FAX: 602.795.0900 The Mosaic Group, Dep't of MIS, the University of Arizona, Tucson BITNET: jms@arizona Internet: jms@arizona.edu SPAN: 47541::telcom::jms "Communication without purpose is artistic masturbation." - Rod Steiger