lairdkb@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Kyler Laird) (01/27/91)
Hmm...I was advised to get networking help from dealers, but what do I do when they don't know what they're doing? So here I am. I want to have diskless workstations running on 3Com 3+Open Lan Manager 2.0. I want them to boot OS/2. They will connect to the network with Ethernet twisted pair adapters (with boot-ROM). Story from The Future Now (Indianapolis) - they're providing network software --------------- "IBM's version of OS/2 is reported to be completely functional on diskless workstations, according to our Network Team here in Indianapolis. It is currently up and running on several IBM configurations." Story from Northgate Computer Systems, Inc., Version 1.0 --------------- Yes, diskless workstations can boot OS/2 from the network server. $200 credit for no floppy drives. Story from NCS, Ver. 2.0 --------------- No way! OS/2 workstations must have a hard disk to boot. Story from 3Com --------------- Sure no problem! When I persisted in questioning the possibilty of booting _OS/2_ I was referred to tech. support. (ring, ring, ring...) My thoughts: I've read through IBM LAN Server 1.2. I know I can boot a workstation from the server IF I boot DOS. I don't want DOS. I want OS/2. Never mind that OS/2 does a lot of swapping to disk. If I can save $500 on drives, I can afford some memory (8-16MB) and a fast server drive. I also don't want drives available to users. Too much opportunity to upload unwanted programs/data, download material, boot DOS, screw up the hard drive... Thanks! --kyler
frank.battiston@canrem.uucp (frank battiston) (01/29/91)
In the article <4596@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>, lairdkb@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Kyler Laird writes:
KL> Subject: Diskless OS/2 Nodes
KL>I want to have diskless workstations running on 3Com 3+Open Lan Manager 2.0
KL>boot OS/2. They will connect to the network with Ethernet
KL>twisted pair adapters (with boot-ROM).
Kyler, I have a work colleague who just came back from LAN Man 2.0
training at Microsoft U in Seattle, and he said one of the lab exercises
was remote booting of diskless workstations. Apparently, the boot process was,
in a word, SLOW. But he did do it, so I assume 3Com's OEM version should also
be able to.
Good luck,
Frank
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NorthAmeriNet Hostjel@tuura.UUCP (Jerry Lahti) (02/01/91)
lairdkb@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Kyler Laird) writes: >I want to have diskless workstations running on 3Com 3+Open Lan Manager 2.0. I >want them to boot OS/2. They will connect to the network with Ethernet >twisted pair adapters (with boot-ROM). Well, my info is for Microsoft LAN Manager 2.0 but my understanding is that the 3+Open LM 2.0 is just MS LAN Manager with a few add-ons (NBP protocol, etc.) but no major changes. MS LAN Manager 2.0 allows booting diskless OS/2 workstations *but the support works only with IBM Token Ring*. However, our company has developed in co-operation with Microsoft an improved Remote Boot service which allows booting both OS/2 and DOS to even completely diskless workstations. Both Token Ring and Ethernet are supported as long as the workstation network adapter has a boot PROM which implements the IBM RPL protocol which is used also by the current LAN Manager RPL service. We currently sell (and ship!) this service as an LAN Manager add-on and it will be a standard feature of the upcoming LAN Manager 2.1 release. However, it may take a while before LM 2.1 comes out of the door since it is supposed to include quite a lot of other enhancement, too. If you are in a hurry you can of course buy it from us. :-) The real catch may be the lack of RPL boot PROMs for the network adapters you want to use. We have a PROM for our own Ethernet adapter and a twisted pair version should be out relatively soon. However, I am not so sure if 3COM has RPL compatible PROMs (yet) since I have a vague recollection that they have been using their own proprietary boot protocol in their diskless 3stations. [This is really just hearsay but it is straight from the guys who did the job: they sit next to me. Unfortunately I am not one of them :-( ] I hope this helps, Jerry Lahti Nokia Data Systems Oy, Systems Division/Network Operating Systems Group Finland Domains: jel@xerver.data.nokia.fi