NetWare Deployment Web Site: Your Source for NetWare 5 Information
Articles and Tips: article
01 Sep 1999
You've been reading about NetWare 5 for more than a year now, and although you are probably tempted to upgrade your company's network, you may find the prospect of a company-wide upgrade a little daunting. Whether you want to upgrade an earlier version of NetWare or implement a new installation of NetWare 5, you must evaluate how the change will affect the network, and you must carefully plan each step in the process. For example, is the server hardware up to the task? What utility should you use to perform the upgrade? What should you do first? Where can you find help?
You can always start with the Internet: You can search for online manuals, troubleshooting documents, and FAQs. Unfortunately, online support sometimes suffers from the biggest problems plaguing Internet surfers: All of the information you want is online--somewhere--but access and download times are slow, and finding the right answer to a question can be both time-consuming and frustrating.
To consolidate all of the information about NetWare 5 in one place, making it easy to locate and to use, Novell recently unveiled the NetWare Deployment web site (http://www.novell.com/products/deployment). The NetWare Deployment web site is frequently updated so you always have the most current information about deploying NetWare 5.
Novell has divided the process of deploying a NetWare 5 network into six main steps. Each step has its own section on the deployment web site and includes links to other Novell web sites and third-party web sites.
STEP 1: GET STARTED
The first step in deploying NetWare 5 is making the decision to upgrade. When you select this step, you can view or download a white paper that explains the business advantages of upgrading your company's network to NetWare 5. This white paper also includes case studies of companies using NetWare 5 and lists the industry awards NetWare 5 has received.
You can also view or download the "Adjusting Your Aim: Targeting Your Presentations to Upper Management" article. This article teaches you the skills you need to effectively present your recommendations to upper management.
STEP 2: INSTALL NETWARE
Whether you are installing a new NetWare 5 server or upgrading a NetWare 3 or NetWare 4 server, you'll find the information you need in the Install NetWare step. This step features detailed instructions for installing NetWare 5, including screenshots, cautionary notes, and links to relevant sections in the NetWare 5 online manuals.
In addition, you will find information about how to integrate your new NetWare 5 server into an existing directory tree or how to create a new directory tree. You'll also find instructions on how to install other networking products and services, such as Novell Public Key Infrastructure Services (PKIS), that ship with NetWare 5.
STEP 3: INSTALL WORKSTATIONS
NetWare 5 enables you to integrate workstations running almost any operating system into your company's network, allowing these workstations to communicate with each other. In this step, you'll find information about how to install NetWare 5 client software on Windows NT, 98, 95, and 3.1x, Macintosh, and DOS workstations. You will also find links to NetWare 5 client software online documentation.
STEP 4: INSTALL NETWORKING PRODUCTS
NetWare 5 includes advanced networking services, including Novell Distributed Print Services (NDPS), Novell PKIS, Internet and intranet access, Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) Services for NDS, and the ZENworks Starter Pack. When you select this step, you will find information about installing and configuring the tools that come with NetWare 5. You'll also find links to Novell online manuals, white papers, third-party web sites, FAQs, and discussion forums.
In addition, you will find information about other Novell products and services that work with NetWare 5, such as GroupWise 5.5, Novell Replication Services, and BorderManager. This step also provides information about configuring these additional networking services to optimize the performance of your company's network.
STEP 5: MANAGE NETWARE
After you have installed NetWare 5, you're not done. You must still optimize your company's network performance, identify and prevent potential problems, and catch up on the latest tips and tricks. This step provides links to information about how to do these things.
For example, you can follow the links to NetWare 5 online documentation (http://www.novell.com/documentation/lg/nw5/docui/index.html). In this documentation, you'll find troubleshooting guides, reference materials, and more.
If you want to view tips, tricks, FAQs, and the latest information about GroupWise, ZENworks, and Novell Directory Services (NDS), visit the Novell Cool Solutions communities at http://www.novell.com/coolsolutions. The Novell Cool Solutions communities also provide forums where you can interact with other network administrators.
STEP 6: SUPPORT NETWARE
This step features a link to the Novell Support Connection web site. At this web site, you can find an online database of support tips, recent patches, information about Novell technical support, and links to a discussion forum where you can share your experiences with other networking professionals.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
While you are in the process of upgrading your company's network, you may find that you need additional information. The NetWare Deployment web site includes an entire section of additional resources. These additional resources are frequently updated with new information.
These additional resources include white papers, Novell'sAppNotesandDeveloper Notespublications, competitive information, and NetWare 5 product marketing information.
You can also view or download analyst reports about NetWare 5, information about Novell's consulting services, and information about NetWare 5 training. You can even find links to downloadable software tools, Novell technical support, and the web sites of Novell partners.
IT'S WHAT YOU NEED
In short, the NetWare Deployment web site is what you need to keep up to speed on what's going on in the world of NetWare 5 and other Novell networking tools. At the top of every page on the NetWare Deployment web site, there is a link to the search engine at Novell's web site. You can use this search engine to look for Technical Information Documents (TIDs) and other information about installing, optimizing, managing, and troubleshooting NetWare 5.
Lorna Payne works for Niche Associates, an agency that specializes in writing and editing technical documents.
* Originally published in Novell Connection Magazine
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.