I.1 Comparison between NETX, VLM and Client 32 NetWare Client Software
[VLM are now becoming the past, Client32 the future, and NETX obsolete.]
VLM are a lot of different modules rather than one big program. You can choose which modules to load and where they are to be loaded (i.e. conventional, UMB or extended memory). VLM does for NETX what ODI did for IPX.OBJ, and provides more configuration options so the move from NETX to VLMs should be considered as inevitable as the move from IPX.OBJ to the ODI model.
You can use VLMs on NetWare 3.11 but to use packet burst technology you need to get and load PBURST.NLM (available from ftp.novell.com and its mirrors). Nothing else is required on the server but if you do not get and install the related security enhancements, you will need to add the command SET NCP PACKET SIGNATURE OPTION = 0 to your AUTOEXEC.NCF immediately after the line that loads PBURST.NLM. Also, you will need to configure your clients to use ODI drivers before they can use VLM as VLMs do not work with IPX.OBJ/IPX.COM.
Programs needing packet driver software are supported, via ODIPKT.COM, and Windows requires a different NETWARE.DRV for VLMs than for NETX. The DOS client kit can be ordered from any Novell vendor. This gives you a site license for VLM v1.1 and Novell's TCP stack, including WINSOCK.DLL. Price is $US99. You then upgrade to version 1.2 by getting the following files from ftp.novell.com: NWDLL2.exe WINDR2.exe and VLMUP3.exe. While there you may wish to pick up NET33X.exe for your NETX clients. For more information on VLMs, (installing, configuring, etc.), consult the manuals you get with the DOS client kit.
To obtain the latest ODIPKT.COM (now at version 3.0)
ftp://hsdndev.harvard.edu/pub/odipkt
To obtain the latest ODITRPKT.COM (version 3.0 for Token Ring)
ftp://dc.cis.okstate.edu/pub/oditrpkt
By the way, ODIPKT version 3.0 takes hex arguments, earlier versions used decimal values.
[Thanks to Gordon Keith, S.M.D. & James Harvey for this info]
There are huge architectural differences between them. VLM is a proper DOS redirector, doing most of its work underneath DOS. NETX is a shell, which grabs requests before DOS even gets a chance to see them. VLM is modular, allowing you to load only the bits you need; NETX is monolithic, and the whole thing must be loaded. VLM will perform a large degree of memory management on its own; you have to do this yourself for NETX.
There's only one VLM.EXE whether you want it in conventional memory, XMS (and this time it really _is_ XMS, not HMA), or EMS; you have to keep track of separate versions of NETX for these three different configs.
From a features viewpoint, VLM supports Personal NetWare, NDS (an option with NetWare 4.x), and bindery (NetWare 3.x and below, or bindery emulation on 4.x); NETX supports only bindery. VLM includes support for packet burst; no current NETX shell does. The corresponding Windows drivers for VLM have more functionality than those for NETX, too.
NETX is faster on small operations, as it doesn't suffer the overhead of DOS or of swapping bits and pieces of memory around. VLM is faster on larger operations, as it has packet burst.
NETX generally (though not always) eats up a bigger chunk of conventional/UMB memory; with VLM, you may find yourself with more free conventional memory, depending on machine configuration.
Back up one workstation and upgrade it. Beat on it and try out all of your software and make sure it's working perfectly before you roll it out. Chances are it will work once you figure out all the new stuff, but there _are_ still some apps that either won't work at all with VLM or require some adjustments to your configuration. You definitely want to find out about these before rolling VLM out to your workstations.
Also, make sure your 3.11 server is up-to-date on the packet burst, packet signatures, large internet packets (if applicable), and LAN drivers. If it isn't running PBURST, you won't get packet burst working and you'll probably notice a slight _drop_ in performance when in reality you should notice an _improvement_. If you don't have all of the updates for packet signatures, then make sure you disable them entirely at the server, or else all hell will break loose. LIP isn't going to make a difference unless there are some clients who need to go through a router to get to your server. And get the latest LAN drivers because packet burst is going to increase the stress on your server and there have been plenty of people posting here that setting up packet burst exposed weaknesses in the old LAN drivers they'd been using.
NETX is in the past. VLM is the future.
[Thx S.M.D.]
I.2 Sample NET.CFG for conventional NETX shells
Net.cfg is the preferred shell configuration file and replaces the obsolete Shell.cfg. Most troubles using net.cfg are from incorrect syntax, spelling, and punctuation (just the things you loved in school).
Important points. Major section headings are flush left, and their qualifying minor clauses must be indented. The word "protocol" is used twice in completely different and unrelated ways; beware. "Protocol" major sections are for programs which locate the section by the name after the word protocol; subclauses are for that program. The numbers 8137, 0800 etc. are for the indicated protocol kinds only, never to be mixed or used with other kinds. 8137 is only for IPX. Minor clause Bind .. is needed only if two or more logical board choices are available for a given protocol. There can be NO originality in the construction of these lines; if it's not documented then don't say it.
For more details on NET.CFG, see Kermit Project file MSKERM.BWR at:
ftp://watsun.cc.columbia.edu/kermit/a/mskerm.bwr OR ftp://netlab2.usu.edu/kermit/mskerm.bwr For Netscapers: ftp://netlab2.usu.edu/sys/anonftp/kermit/mskerm.bwr# Example file NET.CFG for conventional shells (MS-DOS) # # A "#" in column 1 or a ";" symbol makes what follows on that line a # comment. Do not try to use ":", "*" or "rem" as a comment character.
# The following PB buffers entry is only applicable to the elicit BNETX
PB buffers=6 show dots=on signature level=0
# Use only if more that one indented "protocol IPX..." line exists protocol IPX bind #1
# Use only if more that one indented "protocol IP..." line exists protocol KERMIT bind #1
# Below is for Novell's Lan WorkPlace for DOS Protocol TCPIP PATH SCRIPT d:\lwp41\net\SCRIPT PATH PROFILE d:\lwp41\net\PROFILE PATH LWP_CFG d:\lwp41\net\HSTACC PATH TCP_CFG d:\lwp41\net\TCP ip_router 129.123.1.254 ip_netmask 255.255.255.0 ip_address 129.123.1.145 tcp_sockets 16 udp_sockets 8 raw_sockets 1 # nb_sessions 4 # nb_commands 8 # nb_adapter 0 nb_domain usu.edu # bind slip_ppp
Link Support Buffers 7 1500 MemPool 2048
Link Driver NE2000 Frame Ethernet_II Port 360 Int 5 Protocol IPX 8137 Ethernet_II Protocol IP 0800 Ethernet_II Protocol ARP 0806 Ethernet_II Protocol RARP 8035 Ethernet_II
Link Driver SLIP_PPP DIRECT YES BAUD 9600 OPEN ACTIVE TCPIPCOMP VJ PCOMP YES PORT 3F8 INT 4 FRAME SLIP # FRAME PPP Protocol IP 0800 SLIP
link driver IPTUNNEL gateway 129.123.1.123
I.3 Sample NET.CFG for VLM redirectors
# Example file NET.CFG for VLM redirectors # Don't forget to say LASTDRIVE=Z in CONFIG.SYS! # Comments begin with a ; or a line starting with a #[Thanks to H.K. and Joe D. for this info]# Following 6 lines for a 3C507 on a particular machine Link Driver 3C507 Int 10 Port 320 Mem d0000 Frame Ethernet_802.3 Protocol Ipx 0000 Ethernet_802.3 ; # Following 4 lines for a 3C507 on a particular machine Protocol IPXODI Bind 3C507 SPX Connections = 5 IPX Sockets = 20 ; NetWare DOS Requester Auto Reconnect = OFF ; OFF=Do not load auto.vlm Average Name Length = 8 ; Shrinks connection table Cache Buffers = 4 ; 0=Removes cache (default pretty ; good) Cache Writes = Off ; ON=Faster writes but lost data ; integrity if there's a crash. Checksum = 0 ; 0=OFF=speed up high quality links Connections = 8 Dos Name = MSDOS First Network Drive = F LIP Start Size = 1500 Load Conn Table Low = Off ; Recommend trying defaults for the load low pair shown below ; [with low loading giving best performance but least low memory] Load Low CONN = On ; OFF=Connection table in high memory Load Low IPXNCP = On ; OFF=Put IPX material in high memory Load Low NETX = Off Load Low REDIR = Off Local Printers = 1 Long Machine Type = IBM_PC Max Tasks = 50 Message Level = 3 Message Timeout = 540 ; Name Context is read for DS only. ; Name Context = "O=USU" ; ? Joe ? Netware Protocol = NDS,BIND Network Printers = 3 Pb Buffers = 1 Pburst Read Window Size = 128 Pburst Write Window Size= 64 ; Preferred server is read for Bindery only. Preferred Server = _Your_Server_Name_Here_ ; Preferred Tree is read for DS only. ; Preferred Tree = _Your_Tree_Name_Here_ Print Buffer Size = 64 ; 0=Disables PrtSc CAPTURE, saves 64b Print Header = 64 Print Tail = 16 Read Only Compatibility = On Show Dots = On Signature Level = 0 ; 0=Don't load security.vlm True Commit = Off ; OFF=let server buffer writes
; VLM SELECTION, *** ORDER SENSITIVE *** ; For Bindery include bind and netx, omit nds. ; For Directory Services include nds, omit bind and netx. use defaults=off ; OFF=Use explict list of vlms that follow vlm=conn.vlm ; Connection tables vlm=ipxncp.vlm ; NCP over IPX vlm=tran.vlm ; Transport services worker vlm=security.vlm ; Security, optional ; vlm=nds.vlm ; DS, NCP Directory Services vlm=bind.vlm ; Bindery, NCP vlm=nwp.vlm ; Transport services worker vlm=fio.vlm ; File I/O vlm=general.vlm ; General support routines vlm=redir.vlm ; Redirector vlm=print.vlm ; Print services, optional vlm=netx.vlm ; Bindery, shell compatibility ; vlm=rsa.vlm ; DS, RSA encryption, optional ; vlm=auto.vlm ; DS, autoreconnect/retry, optional ; vlm=nmr.vlm ; Managment responder, optional
Netx show dots=on
## Below this line material (board drivers) is the same as for NW 3.11 ## net.cfg. Please do not trash with unrelated commands.
Link Support Buffers 7 1500 MemPool 2048 etc. as for regular shells.
I.4 Tuning the performance of the NetWare DOS Requester
When tuning the performance of the NetWare DOS Requester, there are generally 2 goals (or a blend of both): Maximum speed and Minimum memory footprint.
NOTE: The following is for version 1.20 of the Requester, which ships with NetWare 4.1. NetWare 4.02 ships with 1.10, right ? If you don't use 1.20 yet, then I suggest you upgrade to it. You should get files VLMUP3, NWDLL2 and WINDR2 at your favorite ftp.Novell.COM Mirror. Use the 1.10 docs as a reference.
As you might read on the NOVELL@listserv.syr.edu list, the NetWare DOS Requester is a network requester which uses the DOS Int2F redirection interface. VLM.EXE only creates the environment for the modules that actually provide the functionality, i.e. the .VLM files.
When VLM.EXE starts, it creates 3 segments:
- Startup segment [in real mode memory] - Global segment [in real mode memory or Upper Memory Blocks (UMBs)] - Transient segment [in XMS or EMS]
VLM loads a part of the .VLM files in the StSeg but most code goes into the GSeg or TSeg, depending largely on settings in the net.cfg file.
The StSeg is cleaned up when VLM has initilized the GSeg and TSeg and the .VLM's are loaded in it. VLM does the memory management and the swapping of .VLM code from TSeg into GSeg - this takes some time and thus speed.
The "Load Low" parameters in the net.cfg file determine if that module is loaded in Tseg (= Off) or in GSeg (= On). GSeg gives best performance since it is within the (real mode) 1024 KByte memory boundary but it depends on the amount of UMB's you have available.
Play with these, you can change net.cfg settings, unload VLM (VLM /U), re-load and then check memory footprint (mem /c |more), VLM memory status (VLM /d |more) and performance using Perform2.
I.4.3 Module loading tuning / general tips
For maximum speed on directory searches, you should keep IPXNCP in GSeg by using "Load Low IPXNCP = On" in the net.cfg.
For better performance on NETX calls, keep NETX in the GSeg.
For better performance on small files, keep REDIR also GSeg.
For a better overview, don't use the "Load = ....VLM" line.
This generally means tuning NCP Packet Burst and LIP.
"Pb Buffers = 1" sets packet burst On, 0 sets it Off.
The "Cache Buffers" line determines the amount of packet buffers. You can increase these for speed but it costs GSeg space. The "Read Window" and Write Window sizes are the amount of packets that will pass until an "ack" is required, you should play with these to see the results, they highly depend on buffering of the NIC's that you use.
The LIP start size helps when you use routers in your net, set it to the maximum packet size your net can handle. This prevents the Requester from testing your LAN/WAN on the maximum LIP size it can use.
Another tip regards NCP searches. I found that the Requester performs better on searching through directories when you increase the "Maximum Outstanding NCP Searches" console set parameter from the standard value of 51 to say, 200 or 300. On NetWare 4.x servers you can use SERVMAN NLM to play with these parameters, but on NetWare 3.x you have to work with SET commands, and put the right one in your NCF file manually.
[Thx H.K. & S.M.D.]
I.5 An Example STARTNET.BAT for use with the VLM Redirector
@echo off set nwlanguage=ENGLISH lsl.com ne2000.com ipxodi /d vlm /mX /v4 /c=c:\nwclient\net.cfg @echo on[Thx Joe D.]Notes: /d omits diagnostics responder, saves memory /mX puts shell in eXtended memory, /v4 is extra verbose during loading /c is path to net.cfg in case there's confusion
I.6 Sample Appletalk entries in AUTOEXEC.NCF
Here are portions of two autoexec.ncfs for two file servers that appear in the same zone. Lots ofmacs and printers and AppleShare servers appear in this zone as well:
file server name GORILLA
ipx internal net 80e3c201
load appletlk net=10006 zone={"CIRCA II"}
load ne2000 port=300 int=3 frame=ethernet_snap name=public_lab_apple
bind appletlk to public_lab_apple net=0-0
load afp
file server name whale
ipx internal net 80e3c202
load appletlk net=10007 zone={"CIRCA II"}
load ne2000 port=300 int=3 frame=ethernet_snap name=public_lab_apple
bind appletlk to public_lab_apple net=10004-10005 zone={"CIRCA II"}
load afp
Note that file server WHALE is defining zone information while file server GORILLA is learning it.