TITLE: Before Beginning Installation of NWL DOCUMENT ID: TID1200470 DOCUMENT REVISION: 1 DATE: 31MAR95 ALERT STATUS: Yellow README FOR: NA NOVELL PRODUCT and VERSION: NETWARE LITE V1.1 ABSTRACT: NA --------------------------------------------------------------------- DISCLAIMER: THE ORIGIN OF THIS INFORMATION MAY BE INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL TO NOVELL. NOVELL MAKES EVERY EFFORT WITHIN ITS MEAN TO VERIFY THIS INFORMATION. HOWEVER, THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS FOR YOUR INFORMATION ONLY. NOVELL MAKES NO EXPLICIT OR IMPLIED CLAIMS TO THE VALIDITY OF THIS INFORMATION. --------------------------------------------------------------------- ISSUE: BEFORE BEGINING INSTALLATION OF NETWARE LITE NetWare Lite is designed to allow multiple computers (nodes) in a physical LAN segment (network) to share resources like printers and disk space. Computers that make resources available to the network are called servers. Computers that access resources are called clients. In NetWare Lite's peer-to-peer environment, almost any computer on the network can be a server, a client, or both. The only limitation is that a server must have a hard disk. However, there are other things to consider when deciding which computers will be servers, clients, or both. Before you begin installing NetWare Lite, take a few minutes to consider the following: -o- Which computers have printers, applications, or data that need to be shared? -o- How big or fast are the hard disks and CPUs in the computers that will be part of the network? -o- Where will the computers and printers be located? Are they close enough together for the cabling system that you plan to use? -o- What kind of network board will you use? -o- Can one of the computers be made a dedicated server to increase network performance? -o- Will any of the computers be connected to another network at the same time? -o- Which computers can be made physically secure? -o- How sensitive will information on this network be? -o- Who will be responsible for network administration? All of these items will effect whether you decide to make a computer a server, a client, or both. In general, the machines with the fastest hard disk/CPU combinations should be made servers. Installing applications on the computer with the greatest disk capacity will facilitate centralized administration and maintenance but may not be the best choice from a performance standpoint. Example: Suppose everyone on the network uses the same word processor that is installed on computer A, but only one person uses the spreadsheet application managing a large database. Because the spreadsheet application can demand large amounts of processing capacity, it would probably be better to install the spreadsheet and database on a server other than computer A. That way the spreadsheet and word processor will not have to compete for processing time. A major consideration in setting up any network is what type of cabling system (topology) will be used. The most important factor is distance between computers. Another factor is how cabling can be routed through your office or building. There are several widely used systems to choose from, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. For information on cabling and other hardware issues see the series of fax documents on "Hardware." If there is only one server in your network or a particular server does not require access to other servers' resources, then you should consider making it a dedicated server. See the fax document "Dedicated Servers" for more information on setting up a dedicated server. For information on installing NetWare Lite in a preexisting network, see the series of fax documents on "NetWare and NetWare Lite." Security requirements will also determine which computers should be servers/clients. NetWare Lite provides three levels of security to protect your sensitive data. However, it is best to physically protect computers containing sensitive material as well. This may mean having to place such computers behind locked doors. How your network is administered will contribute significantly to user satisfaction. NetWare Lite greatly simplifies network administration by decentralizing the databases used to keep track of items such as who can log in or who has privileges to what. A major feature of NetWare Lite is the ability to administer the network from any computer on the network. This means that each person who administers the network does not have to use "the server" to perform administrative tasks. For more information on administration and security, see the series of fax documents on "Network Administration." To access the fax document system, do the following: 1. Call 1-800-NET-WARE 2. Press the * key during the initial recording. The computer will then switch over to the FAX system and prompt for some information. 3. When it prompts for the FAX document number, type 1. After hanging up, the computer will call up your fax machine and send you each document requested. Note: Document 1 is an index to other documents available on the fax system. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Any trademarks referenced in this document are the property of their respective owners. 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