Novell delivers

NetWare 5 ships next week, just in time to meet Novell's self-imposed end-of-summer deadline. We got our hands on the package early and found its new features - pure IP support, robust memory management, enhanced directory services and an eye-catching graphical administration interface - make it a World Class product.

Novell has rewritten NetWare to use pure TCP/IP and has even made it the default network protocol, dethroning Novell's own IPX. The company previously supported IP only by encapsulating it in IPX packets, which is a drag on performance.

How We Did It We ran NetWare 5 on a Gateway Pentium 120MHz system with 64M bytes of RAM and a 3Com 3c509 10Base-T adapter. Our clients were several Pentium and 486 systems running the Client32 software under Windows 95, 98 and NT. We installed both server and client software. We created and modified network objects and set up printers. We used the bundled Java utilities for remote server management, and ran sample Java applets on the server to test compliance. We also installed and configured a Netscape Web server.

Servers and clients can run both protocols, and a migration agent eases the transition if plans call for converting the network to all IP in stages. Novell also includes features that make IP more useable, such as Domain Name System and Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol tools that load automatically and are controlled through NWAdmin, Novell's NDS administrative interface.

Other additions include the Service Locator Protocol, which replaces most of IPX's chatty service advertisement broadcasts, and NetWare Storage Services. Large network volumes used to be slow to mount and prepare during server boot, especially after a problem. With NetWare Storage Services, volumes with millions of files stretching over hundreds of gigabytes of disks mount in just a few seconds.

That change in mount speed is the result of a new journaling system that creates a collection of pointers to directories and files, obviating the need to read the disk at boot-up time and improving crash protection.

The memory management system in NetWare 5 represents a departure from Novell's NetWare 4 approach. For the first time, NetWare uses a virtual memory scheme to stretch available RAM application space to the server hard disk.

Though this setup could potentially slow down applications, we found performance comparable to or slightly better than NetWare 4 for quick casual tests. This is thanks, no doubt, to the judicious use of RAM caching and server memory management.

NetWare 5 includes support for as many as four server CPUs for no extra charge. Although we were unable to test multiprocessor performance in time for this review, that should give you extra horsepower for server-based applications.

NDS extras

Enhancements to Novell Directory Services (NDS) include more granular control. For example, you can create an address administrator that can change and update mailing and e-mail addresses for every user on the network without seeing their files or other information.

Installation is faster than ever, although any speed gained through automation is offset by the busy graphical interface. Throughout the complete installation process, there unfortunately is no option to use the old C-Worthy interface. To save CPU overhead, you can turn off the graphical interface on running servers.

NetWare 5 eliminates the need to scramble for a DOS boot disk and CD-ROM drivers for server installation if your server supports the El Torito bootable CD-ROM standard. The license disk is now bootable and includes just enough of Caldera's DR-DOS to get rolling.

Another critical component of NetWare 5 is the easy upgrade to Client32 software for Windows 95, 98 and NT users. Simply copy some files to a network directory and add a single command to appropriate logon scripts, and every user's files will be brought up to date.

NetWare 5 includes a ZENworks starter pack, which offers automated software distribution but lacks the full product's hardware inventory and NDS-based remote-control features.

The one nit we found on the server side is the new ConsoleOne management interface.

Sure, it's pretty, and it's written in 100% Java. But it's slow, even when running on a workstation, and it's immature compared with the long-time administration utility, NetWare Administrator, which is still available.

From the client's seat

End users will also find some things to cheer about in NetWare 5.

NetWare 4 required a complete logon name to identify users in large networks. NetWare 5's context-less logon allows users to key in a first name and select from a list of matches.

The new default logon screen shows fewer details, but one click reveals all the NDS information a user needs. Browser buttons call up trees and contexts, so a client never has to type an entry from memory.

The NT Client32 software ties the NT and NetWare passwords together, giving users a single logon.

Client32 now adds a bright red N to the system tray on the taskbar. By rightclicking on this, you get a menu of network capabilities. From here you can see network status, map a network drive, capture a printer port and even send instant messages.

All these features were available before NetWare 5, but they were scattered throughout Network Neighborhood, Control Panel and Explorer.

Looking forward

While NetWare 4 was a big leap thanks to the appearance of NDS, NetWare 5 delivers more fundamental changes to the operating system than any previous upgrade.

Users won't see the new network protocol, memory management improvements, upgraded file system and graphical administration interface, but managers will rejoice at Novell's continued improvement of a rocksolid network operating system.

RELATED LINKS

Scorecard and NetResults
How we ranked NetWare 5.0 in several areas; key findings.

Novell's NetWare 5.0 page

For Novell, everything old is new again
Kearns on Novell's return to its roots; why NDS for NT and ZENWorks are so impressive. Network World, 9/7/98.

I like what I see at Novell
Gibbs chimes in, as well. Network World, 9/7/98.

GroupWise 5.5 leaves the launch pad
Network World, 9/7/98.

Forum: Cisco and NDS
NWFusion users have been talking about this issue for several weeks now. See what they've had to say, then add your thoughts.

Forum: NetWare vs. NT
Is NetWare destined to follow VINES and OS/2 into oblivion? Discuss its future in this forum.

Forum: Novell sucess stories

Gaskin writes books, articles, columns and jokes about technology and real life. He can be reached at james@ gaskin.com. Gaskin is also a member of the Network World Test Alliance, a cooperative of the premier reviewers in the network industry, each bringing to bear years of practical experience on every review.