
-----------------------------------------------------
UNIXWARE.DOC -- 19951205 -- Info on Novell's UnixWare
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	Feel free to add or edit this document and then email
	it back to faq@jelyon.com




Date: Wed, 8 Mar 1995 20:48:04 -0600
From: Joe Doupnik <JRD@CC.USU.EDU>
Subject: Re: Unixware

>I'm interested in Unixware but I would like to understand it better
>before I commit myself. Could someone (Joe ?) answer these questions:
>
>Our purpose: For the Faculty, we would like to install an ftp server, a
>gopher server, a dns, and especially an httpd to publish our Home page.
>We do not need a super server as we do not expect that access will be
>huge but we do need some reliability. (People from our faculty will
>access it constantly; something like 50 users simultaneously and almost
>non-stop but then the rest of the world will arrive here rarely [but then
>maybe not]).
>
>Once Unixware is installed, how compatible is it with the freeware
>available on the net (gopher, perl, etc.) ?

	Very good. Please note that 9x% of the free Unix packages are
written by and for pure BSD people, despite the acceptance of SVR4 as
the official winner of the Unix wars. However, we try to cure the worst
cases of narrow mindedness and use the bsdcompat material to run these
programs.
	Most people have heard of netlab2.usu.edu as an official mirror
site for Novell software. It's a NW 3.12 file server. However the actual
mirroring process runs on a UnixWare 386 machine with 16 MB: netlab1. The
mirror program is written in Perl. The ftpmail facility on netlab1 is
written in Perl with some extra C programs to lend a hand (MX record
verification, MIME encoding, etc), and the whole thing + mail runs over
sendmail (latest) which is pure bsd-ism C to put it mildly. Netlab2 merely
a) mounts a piece of volume to netlab1 via NFS, and b) supports NFS
namespace to deal with Unix filenames etc.
	Among other things netlab1 processes a large number of TCP/IP
(FTP and NFS) requests every day. A number of other sites mirror Novell
material from netlab1. It stays up until I want to play Saturday mornings
every few weeks. An APC UPS with Pwrchute (for Unix, looks the same as for
DOS) supplies the batteries.

>Does Unixware come right out of the box with all the software necessary
>for ftp, gopher, etc.? Which one ? If not, will it run those software
>that are available on the net ? Which variety ? (of httpd for instance, or
>gopher+ for instance).
	FTP, NFS, Telnet, NIS/yp are all standard features; DNS serving,
RARP, BOOTP are too. So is IPX and SPX support (both as a NW client and
as an object for backups onto your NW file server); it's smooth. A NUC.NLM
is shipped to permit a NW server to offer Unix namespace without having to
purchase NFS for NetWare. That means you can support goodies-9.3.5.tar.Z
filenames and forward slashes and dot-filenames all on the NW file server.
(Doubting Thomas' need only look at netlab1 vs netlab2 to see the NW server
files from both perspectives, or say QUOTE SITE UNIX (or DOS) to netlab2
for the same effect; the files live on NW.)
	You will find gopher, WWW/http, whatnot servers and clients listed
at the end of this message.
	CD-ROMs, plural, work fine, as do tape drives. SCSI, not the
floppy controller stuff of the DOS crowd. Oh, and UW 2 supports multiple
cpu's too (default 2, pay for more). Has Pentium optimizing compiler
and development tools+docs. Heck, Dynatext provides the GUI doc viewer,
just as for NetWare; 100+MB of manuals if you want to read them from
disk or from CD-ROM, plus conventional man pages.
	Patches (PTF's) are issued on the Internet, and the nice thing
is if you decide you don't like one then "pkgrm pkg-name" removes it
and restores the previous files. One wishes Windows used this method.
Many of the programs listed below are archived this way by contributors.
	I've attached a quicky-list below of the material offered by
Novell-UK as user contributions. Find these in the "usle", Unix System
Labs Europe, directory on netlab1/2 and on ftp.novell.de (from whence
I've mirror the files).

>Is it the right approach or would net-people recommend going with Linux
>or even a full RS6000 box or a SunSparc ?
	Some biased and very unscientific statments below; add salt to taste.
An RS/6000 or a Sparc station would do fine, if you can live with IBM's
variant of Unix. But they are gonna cost you dearly.
	I would not dream of using Linux for heavy work. Some of my grad
networking class students setup a couple of Linux machines for long distance
TCP heuristics work (45 miles by the crow, but across the country at least
twice to traverse from .edu to .mil lands). Two serious file transfers plus
several logins would kill the Linux machines (had to reboot them). Going
reverse path to netlab1 for many simultaneous UW users was just fine with
netlab1; it hardly noticed. Now this is not a true measure of Linux, as we
all know, so please save the nasty rejoiners for a better opportunity (beat
me up at Brainshare next week). But it is indicative of the state of affairs.

	My experience shows that UnixWare is solid. It doesn't crash, it
takes a beating and keeps on (oh no, not another bunny commercial; sorry).
The number of users supported comfortably depends on how much memory is
in the box (much less than NW). 50 users should be no big deal at all. The
UW division of Novell listens very carefully to user comments.
	I'm going to some trouble in this message to interest folks in
UW who have a need for a Unix system. The product is good, it's priced
reasonably, it works in the corporate environment, it's supported. For
just personal experimenting and looking at systems code then one of the
free Unices is a best fit. Having lived through that experience many times
I want a production machine which I can tame but not have to baby sit.
	Joe D.
----------
$ pwd
 ~mirror/usle/BINARIES

$ ls
BINARIES-INDEX    gs-2.5.2          pax-1.1           xbmbrowser-2.0
SML-0.93          gs-2.6.1          pbmplus10dec91    xcalendar-3.1
agrep             gzip-1.2.4        perl-4.0pl35      xcoral-1.76
axe-4.1           hpcdtoppm.0.3     perl-4.0pl36      xdiary
bash-1.13.5       httpd-1.1         perl-5.000        xditview
benchmarks        httpd-3.0         pine-3.91         xfig-2.1.6
bison-1.1         imagick           plan-1.1.2        xfig-2.1.7
bootselector      indent-1.6        pop3-2.0          xfishtank
cnews             ispell-2.0.02     rxvt-1.93         xgopher-1.3
cshar-2.3         ispell-4.0        screen-3.2        xgrabsc-2.2
ctwm-2.2          ix.codes          seyon-2.0.6       xinvaders-2.0
devscan           kermit            sound_blaster     xjewel
elm-2.4pl23       kit-2.0           sox               xlock2.3
elmdocs-2.4pl23   lsof_3.08         sunclock          xman
emacs-19.22       lynx              syslog            xmandel
expect-5.12       makepatch-1.6     t3d-1.0           xmine-1.0.3
expect3           metamail-2.7      tcl-6.4           xmris-3.03
faces-1.6.1       mitxterm          tcl-7.3           xpaint-2.0pl3
flex              mosaic-2.0        tcltools          xpm-3.2g
fvwm-1.21c        mosaic-2.4.mrun   tcpwrap           xrn-6.17
fvwm-1.24n        mpack-1.4         tin-1.22          xrn-7.01beta3
gawk-2.14         mpeg_play-2.0.1   tk-3.6            xroach
gdb-4.11          mtools-2.0.7      transfig-2.1.6    xswarm2.3
ghostview-2.4     mush-7.2.5        uemacs-3.7.1      xsysstats-1.0.1
gnuchess-4.0pl65  nettools          uwdialer          xtimex-1.95
gnudiff-2.0       nntpd-1.5.11      voxware           xv-2.20
gnufind-3.7       nntpd-t5          voxware.uw2       xv-3.00
gnumake-3.69      olvwm             wrapper           zmodem
gnutar-1.11.2     oneko             wuftpd-2.4
gopher2.1.1       patch-2.0.12u8    xaw3d-0.6B

$ cd ../SOURCES
$ ls
Mosaic2.1.tar.Z          ncftp185.tar.gz          xbomb.tar.Z
README                   nn-6.4.18.tar.Z          xcalendar-3.1.tar.Z
SML-0.93.tar.gz          nntp-1.5.11.tar.Z        xco.tar.Z
SOURCES-INDEX            nntp-t5.tar.Z            xcolormap.tar.Z
WWWDaemon_3.0.tar.Z      nntpd-1.5.12.1.tar.gz    xcoral173.tar.Z
WWWLibrary_2.17.tar.Z    nov.tar.Z                xcpustate.tar.Z
WWWLineMode_2.15.tar.Z   patch-2.0.12u8.tar.Z     xdaliclock.tar.Z
XpoolTable1.2.tar.Z      pax-1.1.tar.Z            xdiary.tar.Z
aXe-4.1.tar.Z            pbmplus10dec91.tar.Z     xditview.tar.Z
agrep.tar.Z              perl-4.036.tar.Z         xdu.tar.Z
archie.tar.Z             perl-4.0pl35.tar.Z       xfaces-2.2.tar.Z
bash-1.13.5.tar.gz       perl5.000-doc.ps.gz      xfedor.tar.Z
bind-4.9.tar.gz          perl5.000.tar.gz         xfig-2.1.6.tar.Z
bison                    pine-3.91.tar.gz         xfig-2.1.7.tar.Z
bison-1.22.tar.Z         plan.tar.Z               xfishtank.tar.Z
bootptest.tar.Z          popper.tar.Z             xfractint-2.01.tar.Z
btoa.tar.Z               psutils.tar.Z            xfsm.tar.Z
cern_httpd_docs.tar.Z    readline-1.1.tar.Z       xgetftp-v2.0.tar.Z
cern_httpd_guide.ps.Z    rxvt-1.93.tar.Z          xgopher.1.3.tar.Z
cnews.cr.E.tar.Z         rzsz.tar.Z               xgrabsc.2_2.tar.Z
crashme.tar.Z            saytime.tar.Z            xinvaders2.0.tar.Z
cshar-2.3.tar.Z          screen3.2.tar.Z          xjewel.tar.Z
ctwm.tar.Z               seyon-2.0.6.tar.Z        xless-1.4.1.tar.Z
diff-2.0.tar.Z           slurp-1.09.tar.Z         xlock2.3.tar.Z
elm-2.4.23.tar.Z         snd-driv-2.90.2.tar.gz   xman.tar.Z
emacs-19.22.tar.gz       sox.tar.Z                xmandel.tar.Z
expect-5.12.tar.Z        startx.tar.Z             xmcd.tar.Z
expect.tar.Z             sunclock.tar.Z           xmfm.tar.Z
find-3.7.tar.Z           swisswatch.tar.Z         xmine.1.0.3.tar.Z
flex-2.3.7.tar.Z         t3d.tar.Z                xmoontool.UW.tar.Z
fvwm-1.24n.tar.Z         tarmail.tar.Z            xmris3.03.tar.Z
gawk-2.14.tar.Z          tcl.tar.Z                xpaint2pl2.tar.Z
gdb-4.11.tar.gz          tcl7.3.tar.Z             xpaint2pl3.tar.Z
gnuchess-4.0.pl60.tar.Z  tcpdump                  xpeg1.0.tar.Z
gnumake-3.69.tar.Z       texi2roff.tar.Z          xpgs.tar.Z
gopher2_1_1.tar.Z        timex-1.95.tar.Z         xphoon.tar.Z
gs261.tar.Z              tin-1.20.tar.Z           xpm-3.2c.tar.Z
gzip-1.0.7.tar.Z         tin-1.22.tar.Z           xpm-3.2g.tar.Z
gzip-1.2.4.tar.Z         tk-3.0.tar.Z             xpostit.tar.Z
httpd_1.1-docs.tar.gz    tk3.6pl1.tar.Z           xrn-6.17.tar.Z
httpd_1.1.tar.Z          transfig-2.1.6.tar.Z     xroach.tar.Z
indent-1.6.tar.Z         trn-3.4.1.tar.Z          xrolodex.UW.tar.Z
ispell-2.0.0.2.tar.Z     trn-3.6.tar.gz           xscreensaver-1.18.tar.Z
ispell-4.0.tar.Z         trn.tar.Z                xswarm-2.3.tar.Z
kit-2.0.tar.Z            uemacs-3.7.1.tar.Z       xsysstats-1.0.1.tar.Z
lsof_3.08.tar.gz         uwdialer-1.0.tar.gz      xtacho.tar.Z
lynx-2.3.tar.Z           wscrawl2.tar.Z           xteddy.tar.Z
makepatch.tar.Z          wu-ftpd-2.4.tar.Z        xterm.tar.Z
metamail-2.7.tar.Z       x11fish.tar.Z            xv-2.20.tar.Z
mosaic-2.4.tar.gz        xaniroc.tar.Z            xv-3.00.tar.Z
mpack-1.4.tar.Z          xarchie-2.0.9.tar.Z      xvi.tar.Z
mtools-2.0.7.tar.Z       xaw3d-0.6B.tar.Z         xwave.tar.Z
mush-7.2.5.tar.Z         xbmbrowser2.0.tar.Z      xworm.tar.Z
ncftp170.tar.Z           xboard-2.0.pl25.tar.Z    zoo.tar.Z
$

-------------------------------

Date: Mon, 6 Mar 1995 16:55:14 -0600
From: Joe Doupnik <JRD@CC.USU.EDU>
Subject: Re: bootp w/o novell server

>I'm looking for a bootp server that does not require a
>novell or unix server and will support multiple network

You must mean a NetWare server or a Unix machine.

>interfaces.  Ideally I'd like to have a bootp server
>connected to 4 different networks that could run on some
>relatively inexpensive box, and would serve addresses for
>our LanWorkGroup users.
-----------
	So what's wrong with a Unix box? Same price as a PC because it
is a PC with either one of the free Unix variants or perhaps even UnixWare.
Novell is offering a bargin basement deal this month (ends this month) of
full UnixWare v2.00 Application Server plus UW SDK for US$195. One per
institution at that price. 75% off list if you have another Unix (as I
recall). That's the unlimited license edition, has all the bells and
whistles, and heck even uses ODI for lan adapters. It is also a NetWare
client and can be backed up by your favorite NW server based archiving
programs (has a TSA agent). It also supports dual Pentium processors, if
some of you are that rich. This is indeed an interesting item.
Call 1-800-RED-WORD.
	Joe D.

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 30 Sep 1995 12:35:11 -0600
From: Joe Doupnik <JRD@CC.USU.EDU>
Subject: Re: Bye Bye Unixware

>>>At the risk of going off topice, does anyone have any insight in
>>>to what Novell's future plans now hold, seeing as they've just got
>>>rid of half the SuperNos ? A statement or white paper as to their
>>>direction and forthcoming products would probably go down well at
>>>the moment . Has anyone seen anything ?
>I think thats a good and interesting question.
>Maybe developing 4.x closer to UNIX, I mean it's getting closer with the
>multi-processor kernal, their ideas about spreading load on a server to
>multiple servers(server clusters?). and there's the thing about a common
>NDS for servers and UNIX machines.
>
>Already you get TCP/IP with 4.10, and the possibility to do a remote
>console from a TCP/IP terminal.
----------
	No one is saying a word in public. The best I can make out from the
tea leaves (ok, coffee grounds) is "pervasive computing" which translates
into NEST and that translates into putting NetWare services into every
tiny box imaginable. A market of niches united by a form of NDS (no mention
of IPng which is where the action will actually be). This sort of thinking
tends to be seasonal and vanishes when the next good idea at the time
appears.
	What I would like to see would be NW 4 with
	NDS made optional
	Memory management similar to Unix so memory does not increase as we
	 add disk drives. Today's equipment is more than fast enough to do
	 the job of filling wires without huge caches (needed when MFM
	 drives were the norm).
	Utility programmability similar to Unix or whatnot such that we can
	 run scripts and control file open situations and user logouts on
	 a temporal basis, etc
	More router control over packets (MPR brought in fully) so we have
	 less subnetting troubles, can filter some undesirables from wires,
	 proxy arp, SAP control, NLSP level 2, bootp/dhcp, and similar
	Not Unix so we are free of the horrid heritages of that o/s
	A set of well considered strongly held purposes/directions of
	 endevour so we have a better idea of where the company is going
	 and hence where to invest our long term trust.

	Joe D.

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 5 Dec 1995 08:43:46 +0100
From: Henno Keers <Mailbox@ICE.NL>
Subject: Re: NetWare vs. UNIX(AIX) as NOS

>As part of an internal NOS Strategy Project, we're looking for
>information to help compare NetWare and UNIX(AIX-RS6000) as NOS
>platforms.
>
>Project objective-  Explore and identify a solution to existing
>Information Services NetWare 3.X file and printing architecture that
>will:
>
>   (1)   Reduce administrative costs
>   (2)   Improve reliability and maintainability
>   (3)   Enhance client access to network services
>   (4)   Reduce total hardware and software costs
>
>We're operating 30 NetWare 3.X servers for file/print service at six
>regional locations connected via WAN (56/64/128 Kbps); distributed
>UNIX platforms (RS6000s) presently focus on delivering multi-tiered
>corporate applications (form/print/database servicing).   Client
>systems (1500+) typically are MS-DOS/Window 3.X; a W95 transition is
>pending.
>
>Proceeding with NetWare 4.1 implementation/consolidation appears to
>be the best approach to meet project objectives for five local
>Information Services supported NetWare 3.1X servers; however, we
>haven't been able to find much on describing/comparing NetWare
>4.1 with UNIX(AIX) based on NOS functionality.  Regional folks have
>been playing around with FTP's NFS support and the question of moving
>NetWare file/printing to AIX app servers has been brought up.  The
>best we've got so far is that the AIX approach H/S costs more,
>doesn't scale well, NFS loads up the network- esp. slower WAN links,
>and a piecemeal set of software components are required to get close
>to NetWare 4.1 functionality (admin, security, ease of accessing
>service, etc).
>
>We'd appreciate input from those who have addressed the issue or have
>related experience/knowledge/information which compares the two as
>NOSs.

Pro NetWare 4.1.
-   True directory service database that makes management of the
    network a lot easier.
-   IPX is easy to route, if properly set up with a good naming and
    numbering plan, take a look at the Utah standard.
-   Third party stuff for NetWare is galore and for NDS coming up.
-   File and print service performance is unsurpassed, especially
    compared to any Unix platform.
-   Hardware cost can be kept low.
-   Updates of software on servers and clients can be done in aeasy
    way.
-   Better integration towards DOS/Windows based clients.

Con NetWare 4.1.
-   NDS has a steep learning curve.
-   The NDS tree must be designed ahead of implementation and must be
    neat & clean (no replica's across WAN connections, no thank you).
-   NDS aware third party tools are just starting to appear.
-   NetWare is not a OS for running apps, it is a real NOS.
-   You have to implement good filtering of RIP/SAP or go for NLSP
    to maintain usable WAN performance.

Pro IBM RS6k + AIX.
-   TCP/IP is a standarized and open network protocol, which does
    well on WAN connections.
-   It can be maintained by almost any Unix guru.
-   Can run "normal" applications and database servers.
-   Supports more then 1 cpu (?)

Con IBM RS6k + AIX
-   Is slow in disk i/o compared to NetWare
-   Needs a Unix guru
-   Has no overall directory service with easy central management
-   Needs tight IP numbering management.
-   Costs lot of $$
-   Fixes and updates may require kernel linking and downtime.

Regards,
Henno.

------------------------------

