OS/2 LAN Manager 2.x and IBM Lan Server 1.2 Interoperability (65769)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft LAN Manager 2.0
  • Microsoft LAN Manager 2.1
  • Microsoft LAN Manager 2.1a
  • Microsoft LAN Manager 2.2
This article was previously published under Q65769

SUMMARY

Because OS/2 LAN Manager and IBM Lan Server adhere to the same UAS (user account system) standard and support the same set of APIs (application programming interfaces), they can coexist and interoperate together in a mixed network environment.

MORE INFORMATION

There are some extensions that are not shared between both products, but these can be viewed as towers on top of the common functionality. Please refer to the following chart for more information on this topic: 
                                        +---------+
    Optional          +---------+ |
    Additional        |         |
    Functions         |         |-+
                      +----|----+
   ...........................................................
    Common           +-----|------+        +--------------+
    Core Functions   | IBM LS 1.2 |<------>| OS/2 LM 2.x  |
                     +------------+        +-------^------+
                                                   |
    Enhanced Core                              +---v------+
    Functions                                +-|          |
                                               |          |
                                             | +----------+
                                             +----------+
Interoperability is seamless between the core functions that are common to IBM Lan Server and OS/2 LAN Manager. On top of these core functions, the IBM Lan Server provides additional options such as the Alias functions, which only work between systems with common towers. In addition, OS/2 LAN Manager supports enhanced core functions such as UPS (uninterruptable power supply). These enhanced core functions are an extension to the common core functions and do not prevent interoperability or require similar functionality on an IBM Lan Server system.

COMMON CORE FUNCTIONS

Ring 3 server
DOS and OS/2 redirector
User Account System
User-level security
APIs (except NETBIOS and PROFILES)
Printing
Network command line interface for OS/2

LAN SERVER OPTIONAL FUNCTIONS

  1. IBM's Concept of an SSI (Single System Image)

    IBM's single system image allows one or more servers to be managed as a single logical system. An IBM Lan Server installation can be set up to make the shared resources on all servers in the domain appear as a single pool of resources. The concept of aliases assists with this (an alias is really just a "nickname" for a shared resource).
  2. Network Applications

    This is a facility where an administrator can define application profiles that can be made available to logged on users of the domain. The definition of an application includes the ability to make resource assignments (do NET USEs) automatically prior to starting the program.

    Network applications can be displayed on a user's program starter (OS/2 Desktop Manager window), and on IBM's "served application panel" on MS-DOS requesters at logon time.
  3. LOGON Resource Assignments

    IBM has a full-screen interface that allows an administrator to easily define logon assignments. Logon assignments might be applications or other resources, similar to our LOGON SCRIPTs, but with a full-screen interface.
  4. UPM (User Profile Management)

    This service provides a set of user and group validation and management functions for IBM's OS/2 EE components. UPM is available in both a standalone and a network version. UPM is used to control access to resources and access authorization control for the following:

    LAN Server requester
    DATABASE Manager
    Communication Manager

    This means that once a user is logged on, the different EE components will recognize this and do not require the user to enter their username and password each time they start one of the EE services.

LAN MANAGER ENHANCED CORE FUNCTIONS

  1. 386 Server

    The 386 Server is the high-performance, 32-bit server that takes full advantage of the Intel 386 architecture and provides local security.

    Benefits:

    • Faster network response time.
    • Enables a single server to service more client workstations.
    • Secure console; prevents unauthorized access to the server from the local console.
  2. Fault Tolerant Disk Operation

    This feature helps to save data should a disk error occur. This is accomplished through the following methods: 
          Method          Description
      ------          -----------

      Hot Fixing      Detects bad sectors and reroutes data to a good
                      sector on the disk.

      Disk Mirroring  Sets up two identical partitions on two hard
                      disk drives using the same disk drive
                      controller.

     Disk Duplexing   This is similar to disk mirroring, except that
                      the hard disk drives are on separate disk drive
                      controllers.
    Benefits:

    • Assures that server data is always reliable and available.
    • Minimizes system down time.
  3. UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply)

    This service keeps the server running during a power failure until the system can be safely shut down, or until the administrator stops the server.

    Benefit:

    • Data integrity and orderly shutdown that will enable a shorter restart and recovery time.
  4. PEER Service

    This service provides limited server capability on a client workstation that will enable a workstation to make resources available to the network (disk, printers, etc.).

    Benefits:

    • The customer does not need to pay a full server license when they want to share for example a printer on a workstation with other users.
    • Allows an administrator to backup workstations over the network.
  5. OS/2 RIPL

    This service allows MS-DOS and OS/2 workstations to be booted from the server.

    Benefit:

    • Allows installation of lower cost workstations (diskless), and eases the administration of operating system upgrades and installations (one central place, instead of doing it for each workstation).
  6. Multiple Adapter Support

    This feature allows a single server to support more than one network.

    Benefit:

    • Enables the administrator to split the network in case network traffic becomes a bottleneck, and allows a single server to support more clients.
  7. BACKUP Domain Controller

    This service allows the domain controller to be replicated to other servers (like a standby system).

    Benefit:

    • You can avoid having a single point of failure in a network. Operation can be switched to the backup domain controller when the primary domain controller is down (for hardware or maintenance reasons).
  8. NDIS and JETBEUI

    This is the NetBIOS driver and the network device interface architecture supported by OS/2 LAN Manager.

    Benefit:

    • Allows you to interoperate with hundreds of network cards from a variety of vendors.

INTEROPERABILITY SCENARIOS AND RULES

Rules

  1. IBM OS/2 EE workstations always require an EE domain controller.
  2. An IBM OS/2 EE workstation has to log on to an EE domain controller.
  3. Additional IBM EE LAN Server functions (in addition to the common core functions) will only work between OS/2 LAN Server systems.
  4. Enhanced core functions require an OS/2 LAN Manager system, but the services may be accessed by an IBM Lan Server system (for example, Peer service).
  5. An OS/2 LAN Manager client can log onto either an IBM Lan Server or an OS/2 LAN Manager domain controller.
  6. An IBM Lan Server system can access all OS/2 LAN Manager resources via the UNC (Unique Naming Convention) (no aliasing); OS/2 LAN Manager resources must be declared external to IBM Lan Server (outside of the IBM Lan Server's SSI name space).

Scenario

     +-----+                    +-------+ +-----+
     | disk|                    |Printerdisk|
     +---|-+                    +-|-----+ +-|---+
     +---|------|               +-|---------+
     | IBM LS   |               |  OS/2 LM  |
     |DomainCtr.|---------------|  Server   |
     +----------+               +-----------+
           |                          |
     +----------+      TRN      +-----------+
     |  IBM LS  |       A       |  OS/2 LM  |
     |  Client  |               |  Client   |
     +----------+               +-----------+
          |                            |
          +----------------------------+
  • All systems are on the same Token-Ring network.
  • The domain controller resides on the IBM EE LAN Server for both OS/2 LAN Manager and IBM Lan Server systems.
  • The printer and spooler are connected and running on OS/2 LAN Manager, and will handle both IBM Lan Server and OS/2 LAN Manager printing.
  • All disk resources on the network can be accessed by either OS/2 LAN Manager or IBM Lan Server systems.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:9/30/2003
Keywords:KB65769
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.