Question about Novell

[Garrett Goebel]

Jonathan Hutchins wrote:
> Brian Kelsay wrote:
> > I just installed a Novell 6 demo from a free download so I
> > could learn something about it.  Well I finally got it
> > installed after some problems, but now I can't log in to
> > it remotely from Windows or from the Console One app.
>
> Which is why Novell belongs in the land that time forgot, forever frozen
on an
> EISA 486.  It doesn't work.  It will screw up your network.  It will crash

> your workstations, if they manage to boot with it's client.  If they do
run,
> they will run far more slowly.

Talk about close-minded FUD mongering :)

Novell Netware does well what it has always done well: managing and
delivering file and print services.

Brian Kelsay wrote:
> Rick Meeker wrote:
>
> > Are you using the Netware client to login, or are you
> > trying to login through the standard Windows login?
>
> On the Windows side I just went to the Network Neighborhood
> and double clicked then looked at Computers near me(using
> Windows 2000).  Double clicked on the Netware server name
> and tried...

Its been a while since I administered a novell network... so YMMV.

Get novell's latest netware client from their website installed and use it.
Microsoft has a client for netware which you can install. But I wouldn't.
And if you've already installed it... I'd remove it and install novell's
netware client. This may no longer be an issue however.

> My next step will be to load the netware client on the windows
> box.  That is probably the problem.

yep.

>  On the server install I
> did install the windows services and the NFS services, so I
> didn't think I would need the netware client just to connect

Installed the windows services and configured them? Which one's? file,
print, domain authentication? I've been out of the loop on netware for some
time... So I'm not familiar with the "windows services" offering. But
there's usually more to it than just installing the services. A quick look
through the documentation:

http://www.novell.com/documentation/lg/nw6p/index.html?page=/documentation/l
g/nw6p/native/data/hz8pck9v.html

mentions:

> Native File Access for Windows software being configured
> to use the Domain authentication method
[...]
> most users must also have a simple password created for
> them before they can access network resources using native
> protocols

My advice: Read The Fascinating Manual ;)

> I don't know how many people here have checked out Netware
> or use it on  a regular basis, but it has some striking
> similarities to Linux.

Well netware was based on CPM and pre SVR4 UNIX. Hard to believe but
netware's selling point was that it was easier for joe-IT-guy to manage for
file and print services than UNIX.

> If the OpenLDAP guys got their stuff simplified a little there
> wouldn't be much need for Netware at all.  The NDS stuff from
> what I've read uses the X.500 protocol, which is LDAP, and they
> just have a neat little GUI tool for administration.

LDAP is a "Lightweight" version of X.500. Novell's directory services are
very nice. I can remember 8 years ago ironing out the details so people
could fly in from an office in Galway, Ireland to Kansas City, sit down at
any computer, log-in, print to the nearest printer, run network based apps
off the nearest server, and still access personal and departmental files
back home. I worked and once you got there... it was easy to maintain.

> If I can get it to work, I'm going to learn
> some more about LDAP from it before I install OpenLDAP on
> Linux.  From having worked w/ Active Directory on Windows
> 2000 I see a LOT of similarities between it and NDS (AD
> also uses the X.500  protocol).

Novell has had good network and administrative services built around X.500
for close to 10 years. I'd wager that without NDS, novell wouldn't exist
today in any relevant context. Everyone else is playing catch-up. I hope
they do. NDS is a good thing. Though I'm also willing to bet mom and pop
linux shops won't be able to afford the Linux version.

--
Garrett Goebel
IS Development Specialist

ScriptPro                   Direct: 913.403.5261
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www.scriptpro.com          garrett at scriptpro.com