Slow access to Windows network resources in mixed NetWare/Windows network
(Last modified: 22Jan2002)
This document (10066731) is provided subject to the disclaimer at the end of this document.
fact
Microsoft Windows 98
Microsoft Windows 95
Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
Microsoft Windows NT 4.0
Novell Clients for Windows 95/98
Novell Clients for Windows NT/2000
symptom
Slow access to Windows network resources in mixed NetWare/Windows network
cause
When the Novell client is installed on a Windows workstation the NDS will be asked for any service requested from the network. If you want to open a file on a windows server, the client tries to find the server in the NDS which can last for a while (couple of seconds). Then it notices that it won't find the server hosting the file or service in the NDS and the request is passed on to the MS client.
fix
On Windows NT / Windows 2000 workstations you can change the network provider order (right-click "My Network Place" - "Advanced Tab" - "Provider Order") and move the "Microsoft Windows Network" to the top (which basically means that we have to wait till they finished their resolution)
On Windows 9x workstations you can change the name cache level to "1":
TID 10013620 explains this setting as follows:
Name Cache Level
Registry Key: HKLM\Network\Novell\System Config\NetWare DOS Requester\Name Cache Level
Registry Value: [string] 0
Default Value: 1
Range: 0, 1, 2 (0=disabled, 1=enabled, 2=enabled with persistence)
Client Version: Implemented in the 95/98 Client version 3.1 or higher.
Description:
Specifies the level name caching to be used by the Client. Name caching refers to the mapping of a Service Name to an address (IP or IPX). For example mapping the server name NW_NDS1 to the IP address of 151.155.204.32. Setting this to 2 allows the client to store Service Names and their address(es) in a file that will be read the next time the machine is booted, which can result in significantly reduced login times and network traffic.
The following will explain the settings closer:
1. NAME CACHE LEVEL=0
No good or bad names are cached on the Client -> the Novell Client tries to resolve every name on the wire.
2. NAME CACHE LEVEL=1
Good and bad names are stored to the memory of the workstation -> when the client fails or can resolve a name on the wire this is stored to cache in memory. So after rebooting the cache is empty.
3. NAME CACHE LEVEL=2
Good names are written to a file and the bad names are still kept in memory. So after rebooting only the badname cache is empty.
If the client tries to resolve a name in NDS once, and doesn't succeed, it'll put it in the Bad Name Cache, so the second time it won't ask NDS for the Name again and let the MS client proceed and resolve the name without waiting for Novell Client.
document
| Document Title: | Slow access to Windows network resources in mixed NetWare/Windows network |
| Document ID: | 10066731 |
| Solution ID: | NOVL65964 |
| Creation Date: | 12Dec2001 |
| Modified Date: | 22Jan2002 |
| Novell Product Class: | NetWare |
disclaimer
The Origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. Novell makes all reasonable efforts to verify this information. However, the information provided in this document is for your information only. Novell makes no explicit or implied claims to the validity of this information.
Any trademarks referenced in this document are the property of their respective owners. Consult your product manuals for complete trademark information.