APPENDIX A: IntranetWare Client for Windows NT Features
Articles and Tips: article
01 May 1997
The IntranetWare Client for Windows NT includes all the features users are familiar with in the NetWare clients they are using today. The IntranetWare Client builds on these features to deliver a number of advanced capabilities. This appendix provides a summary of the key features included in the IntranetWare Client for Windows NT v4.10. It also provides a feature comparison between the IntranetWare Client and Microsoft's Client for NetWare Networks.
Full IntranetWare Connectivity. With the IntranetWare Client for Windows NT, users can access NetWare 3.x and 4.x resources throughout the network, with full connectivity and backwards compatibility with all services and information. The IntranetWare Client Redirector supports simultaneous multiple frame types, protocols, and name services (NDS and Bindery). At this time, the IntranetWare Client does not support peer-to-peer connections via Personal NetWare. However, Windows NT users can maintain peer-to-peer connectivity with other Windows NT servers and workstations on the network.
Improved Installation and Upgrade Procedures. The IntranetWare Client comes with a Windows NT-based SETUPNW.EXE program.This customizable installation program is integrated with the native Windows NT installation process and follows Microsoft's INF format. As a result, the IntranetWare Client can be installed either alone or along with the Windows NT operating system through the NT unattended install facility. The client software is installable via floppy disk, local hard drive, network drive, or CD-ROM drive.
The setup program allows easy upgrade of previous Novell clients, including NETX and VLMs, and of computers running the Microsoft Client for NetWare Networks. It auto-detects existing LAN drivers and configures the updated client software to match the detected settings. Upgrades can be centrally administered via Automated Client Update (ACU).
Simplified Management of User Accounts. NT users who require access to IntranetWare must have both an NT workstation user account and a NetWare user account. The NetWare Graphical Identification and Authentication (NWGINA) module, included with the IntranetWare Client for Windows NT, simplifies login by transparently extending the NT workstation login to also execute the IntranetWare login. The IntranetWare Client also comes with the Novell Workstation Manager, which dynamically generates user accounts on NT workstations when the user logs in to IntranetWare. This eliminates the need to manage users separately in NDS and NT domains.
Support for UNC. The IntranetWare Client supports the use of UNC (Universal Naming Convention) for specifying volumes and directories on network servers. Directory Services names can be included in the UNC path; for example, note the NDS Volume object name in this UNC path:
\\novell_inc\.nrd_sys.nr.appnotes.novell\path
Expanded LAN and WAN Connectivity. For connectivity between the workstation and the server, the IntranetWare Client supports 32-bit certified server ODI LAN drivers and 32-bit NDIS drivers. Because the IntranetWare Client uses Microsoft's NWLink IPX/SPX-compatible transport protocol, no shim or translation module is required when using NDIS drivers. The IntranetWare Client sets up its transport protocol automatically through dynamic and self-configuring protocol parameters, which are optimized for the computer on which they are installed.
Remote Access. The IntranetWare Client for Windows NT supports the Dial-Up networking feature that Microsoft provides with Windows NT for remote connections through modems, ISDN network adapters, or X.25 network connections. Users can access network services through NetWare Connect 2.1 or higher, or through a Windows NT Remote Access Server (RAS).
LIP and Packet Burst Support. With the IntranetWare Client for Windows NT, support for Large Internet Packets (LIP) and Packet Burst comes enabled by default to provide improved LAN and WAN performance.
Multiple NDS Tree Support. Users can authenticate to and simultaneously browse resources on multiple NDS trees, graphically within Windows NT. (At this time, multiple tree support does not include support for Linked Trees or Federated Trees.)
Improvements over Previous NT Clients. The IntranetWare Client for Windows NT provides full 32-bit operation on workstations having Intel 386 or higher processors. Unlike the previous NetWare Client for Windows NT, the IntranetWare Client supports login script processing, enabling users to map network drives, set environment variables, and execute programs or menuing systems when they initially log in.
Performance Enhancements. The IntranetWare Client is integrated with the Windows NT cache manager and uses Novell's new performance-oriented NCPs developed for NetWare 4.1 and above. This allows workstation users to increase performance through resource caching.
Automatic Reconnection. The IntranetWare Client for Windows NT enables a complete restoration of the user environment after a network failure. The automatic reconnect capabilities include not only reauthentication of the user connection, but also re-establishment of open files, mappings, file locks, and printer captures. This increased level of auto-reconnect means that applications can have a complete environment restoration, which provides better data integrity for the application and its data files. This automatic reconnection is performed in the background, making it transparent to users.
Dynamic Reconfiguration of Client Settings. With the IntranetWare Client for Windows NT, the client software no longer requires a NET.CFG file for making configuration settings. Novell has integrated the client software with the Microsoft Registry database so that changes made to the client properties are reflected as updates to the Registry. The IntranetWare Client uses dynamic, self-configurable parameters, where possible, to minimize the need for individual administration of workstations.
User Profile and System Policy Support. The IntranetWare Client extends the Windows NT user profile feature by allowing user profiles to be copied and accessed from NetWare servers in addition to local workstation disks. When a user logs in from a location other than the local workstation, Windows NT loads the user's profile information from the server and configures the desktop accordingly. This allows users to see the same familiar desktop configuration regardless of their login location.
Windows NT also allows administrators to use system policies to manage the configuration of Windows NT workstations. The settings in these policies override settings made in the local registry. The IntranetWare Client allows system policies to be copied and accessed from NetWare servers.
IntranetWare Login Facility. In addition to the NWGINA logon interface users see when they start up their Windows NT workstations, the IntranetWare Client also has a separate GUI login facility so that users do not have to restart their workstations when they need to log into additional resources after the initial login.
NetWare Provider. The NetWare Provider utility extends the functionality of the Windows NT Network Neighborhood and Explorer utilities to provide capabilities such as supporting bindery-based connections and NDS connections to more than one NDS tree. The NetWare Provider also allows graphical management of NetWare files, directories, and trustee access.
Network Management Tools. The IntranetWare Client for Windows NT provides several tools to help administrators manage the network. It comes with a 32-bit version of the NetWare Administrator (NWAdmin) utility designed specifically for Windows NT workstations. NWAdmin provides full NDS administration, GroupWise and MHS service administration, control of all access rights, management of files, directories and volumes, and navigation of the network and searching of objects.
Also included at no extra cost is the Novell Application Launcher (NAL), which allows you to centrally administer users' access to applications through NDS. NAL allows you to build a custom working environment for each user without having to travel to each user's workstation. Users can then access the network applications assigned to them without having to install or maintain the applications themselves. NAL operates through existing network access rights to maintain network security. The NAL program group is associated with the user ID, so a user always sees the same program group regardless of login location. The administrator component of NAL is a snap-in to the NWAdmin utility, making it easy to use because it operates through the familiar NWAdmin user interface.
32-bit Novell Client API Libraries. For developers who are writing applications using Novell's DeveloperNet 2000 components, they require the 32-bit Client API libraries that are supported in the IntranetWare Client for Windows NT.
As Novell continues to enhance its NDS tools and client services (such as NWAdmin for Windows NT, NDS Manager, Novell Application Launcher, DeveloperNet 2000 OCX application support, and so on), the 32-bit libraries must become the foundation for your desktop environment. By making the decision to use Novell's IntranetWare Clients now, you are laying the groundwork for current and future Novell enhancements that can be leveraged by applications that require this library support.
Comparative Matrix of Windows NT Clients for NetWare Networks
|
Feature
|
IntranetWare Client for Windows NT
|
Microsoft Client for NetWare Networks
|
|
Installation Method |
Via Network Control Panel or Setup Wizard Automatic Client Update from server if newer version is available Client installed at same time as Windows NT |
Via Network Control Panel only No automatic update Single installation process not supported |
|
32-bit NetWare Administrator |
Yes |
No |
|
Novell Application Launcher |
Yes |
No |
|
Novell Workstation Manager |
Yes |
No |
|
Login |
||
|
GUI Login to IntranetWare |
Customizable by user or admin, four tabbed option sheets to mix and match |
One version for all users |
|
Log in to multiple NDS trees at once |
Yes |
No |
|
Search and specify a NetWare Server |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Search and specify an NDS Tree |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Specify context |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Specify login script at login |
Yes |
No |
|
Drop-down lists for use at login |
Last user names, Servers, NDS Trees and Context |
Servers, Trees and Context |
|
Specify login script variables at login |
Yes |
No |
|
Option to clear other connections at login |
Yes |
No |
|
Ability to change expired passwords at login |
Yes |
No - requires use of SETPASS.EXE text utility in a DOS box after login |
|
Ability to automatically synchronize Windows Login username and password with Novell Login |
Yes |
No |
|
Provider |
||
|
Displays NDS Tree in Explorer |
Yes |
No |
|
Supports Novell Application Launcher (NAL) |
Yes |
No |
|
GUI management of network files, directories and trustee rights |
Yes |
No |
|
Driver support |
Novell 32-bit ODI and NDIS |
NDIS |
|
System Policy support |
Yes |
Yes |
|
User Profile support |
Yes |
Yes |
|
User Profile support in NDS environment |
Yes |
No |
|
Ability to send messages graphically |
Yes |
No - requires use of SEND.EXE text utility |
|
Configuration |
||
|
Advanced Settings (GUI tab) |
13 definable parameters |
1 definable parameter |
|
On-line configuration help |
Yes |
No |
|
Does not require a reboot to force parameter change to take effect |
Has dynamic parameters that can be changed "on the fly" via a GUI interface |
No |
|
NDS Support |
||
|
Login to multiple NDS treeS |
Yes |
No |
|
Supports extended NDS Schema: view objects added to the NDS tree |
Yes |
No |
|
Manage/assign file access rights from the Windows NT Explorer |
Yes |
No |
|
Supports Application object extensions (via NAL) |
Yes |
No |
|
Auto Reconnect |
||
|
Reconnect to servers |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Reconnect to NDS tree |
Yes |
No |
|
Reconnect drive mappings |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Restore open files |
Yes |
No |
|
Restore file locks |
Yes |
No |
|
Protocols |
||
|
Named Pipes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
NetBIOS |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Server Message Block (SMB) |
Yes |
Yes |
|
NetWare/IP 2.2 |
Yes |
No |
|
NetBEUI |
Yes |
Yes |
|
32-bit native IPX/SPX API support |
Yes |
No |
|
16-bit DOS/Windows IPX/SPX API emulation |
Full |
Partial |
|
TCP/IP |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Packet Burst and Large Internet Packets (LIP) |
Yes |
No |
|
Packet Signing |
Yes |
No |
|
General |
||
|
Resource caching |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Bidirectional NCP support |
Yes |
No |
|
Remote Access Server (RAS) support |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Global DOS support (VLM and NETX) |
Yes |
No |
|
Extended attribute support |
Yes |
No |
|
Bind IPX to multiple frame types |
Yes |
No |
|
IntranetWare IP/IPX Gateway support |
Yes |
No |
|
SMS TSA backup support |
Yes |
No |
|
SNMP support |
Yes |
No |
|
Host Resource MIBs for ManageWise |
Yes |
No |
|
16-bit Novell Client API libraries |
Yes |
No |
|
32-bit Novell Client API libraries |
Yes |
Yes |
* Originally published in Novell AppNotes
Disclaimer
The origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. While Novell makes all reasonable efforts to verify this information, Novell does not make explicit or implied claims to its validity.