Review:NetWare
enabled features of Microsoft Of
the pre requisites to migrate your old
are considering becoming dependent
fice 2000 including, for example,
NDS to NDS version 7 or 8, and helps
on an Enterprise Directory Service
Web folders and the WebDAV
you decide which version to use. NDS
take a very serious look at the new
standard for Internet file manage
eDirectory is designed for scalability
CDE (Certified Directory Engineer)
ment. In essence, this makes it eas
up to billions of users, implements na
training.
ier to publish documents from your
tive LDAP and now uses an indexed
Note that the NetWare 4.11 To Net
desktop to the Internet or (probably
database engine (so catalogues aren't
Ware 5 Update course (course 529,
more usefully) to an internal com
needed, although the new search func
which NetWare 4 CNEs have to pass
pany intranet.
tions will work with the previous tech
an examination in before August 2000
G
Halcyon InstantASP is an open de
nology).
in order to keep their CNE status), has
ployment
framework
for
Mi
One disappointment is that Net
changed. The NetWare 4.11 To 5.1 Up
crosoft's Active Server technology
Ware 5.1 doesn't do more with NSS
grade course now lasts five days in
that allows you to deploy Active
(Novell Storage Services). It's still ex
stead of three, and should be available
Server pages on any Java servlet
tremely useful for CDs (as it was in
soon. Apparently the new course will
enabled Web Server or Application
5.0), and the concept of a 64 bit jour
teach some of the material previously
Server. Essentially, it increases the
nalling file system which can abstract
covered only as background reading,
compatibility
of
non Microsoft
the physical details of storage from the
and CNIs (Certified Novell Instruc
platforms with Windows NT.
logical view seen by users is still bril
tors) have to retake the exam before
liant. However, in practise NSS
they can teach the course, which usu
Admin Advances
doesn't support many of the useful
ally implies rather more than a cos
features of Novell's current file system
metic update to NetWare.
Of particular interest to network
the NSS management utilities aren't
It is probably worth waiting until
administrators will be improvements
particularly intuitive and some NSS
the new course comes out, despite the
in speed and usability for ConsoleOne
features are a bit flaky.
extra time and cost involved, because
and, even better, the new NetWare
NSS volumes in NetWare 5.1 do not
the version of NetWare 5 used for the
Management Portal for managing
support data migration, data duplex
current course 529 has fallen some way
NetWare 5.1 servers (and partial man
ing, disk mirroring, disk striping, file
behind the version of NetWare 5
agement of 4.x and 5.0 servers) from a
compression,
transaction
tracking
you're currently running, if you've ap
browser.
(needed for NDS, so SYS cannot be an
plied the service packs.
To use this you simply type in your
NSS volume), File Transfer Protocol
server's IP address at the browser and
(ftp), VREPAIR, Network File System
Conclusion
authenticate to NDS. You are then pre
(NFS), or file name locks. However,
sented with a powerful management
Novell still seems committed to get
NetWare 5.1 is a worthwhile up
utility and a much nicer user interface
ting NSS right eventually: see Life
grade. It introduces IBM's WebSphere
than Novell usually manages. It even
Without Drive Mappings at
www.
to NetWare, as well as tidying up most
includes a traffic light style indicator
novell.com/products/nss/dfs brain
of the issues with the point zero re
for server health.
share.pdf
for an idea where this is all
lease, and it probably represents Net
However, ConsoleOne is appar
going.
Ware's last chance to make it as an
ently still strategic for NetWare, and is
Novell has already started on Net
application server.
getting faster. Administrators may
Ware 5.1 Application Compatibility
It appears to be well up to this job,
also appreciate a new ACU (Automat
Testing. There are two stages to this:
and may even be given a chance to
ic Client Upgrade) utility, run from the
first NetWare 5.1 ready , which is
prove it, as its main competition, from
network login script, to check whether
vendor self verified, and tested, ap
Windows 2000, is effectively in the
you need a client upgrade and to man
proved and directory enabled , which
point zero release stage.
age the process if you do.
involves testing by a Novell Author
ised Testing Centre (NATC).
What's Inside
PCNA
Training Requirements
Under the hood, the most impor
tant feature of NetWare 5.1 is probably
Finally, the issue of training. Is 5.1 a
Copyright ITP, 2000
the latest version of Novell's Directory
big enough upgrade to need a new
Services, Version 8, or (as we should
training programme for staff? Prob
now call it) NDS eDirectory. This has
ably not, if staff are already up to speed
been available for NetWare 5.0 from
on NetWare 5. However, if staff will
The Author
the Novell Web site for some time, but
need to spend some time learning
it now ships in the box.
about WebSphere and the other new
David Norfolk is a freelance IT
It is a serious upgrade to NDS; a
features, and are going to use any of
journalist and regular contributor
new Network Deployment Manager
the new features in production, formal
to PCNA. He can be reached as
helps you work out whether you have
training would be a good idea. If you
david.norfolk@itp journals.com.
File: R1615.2
Issue 117 (April 2000) page 22
PC Network Advisor
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