NOVELL TECHNICAL INFORMATION DOCUMENT TITLE: NetWare/IP Fixes and Enhancements DOCUMENT ID: TID200042 DOCUMENT REVISION: C DATE: 12JUL94 ALERT STATUS: Yellow INFORMATION TYPE: Symptom Solution README FOR: NIP191.EXE NOVELL PRODUCT and VERSION: NetWare/IP 1.1 ABSTRACT: The NetWare/IP software update contains both bug fixes and enhancements. The enhancements consist of new optional parameters, which can be set using new UNICON utility screens. Also included, a utility to help diagnose DSS configuration problems. Read this entire document before applying this file. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ DISCLAIMER THE ORIGIN OF THIS INFORMATION MAY BE INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL TO NOVELL. NOVELL MAKES EVERY EFFORT WITHIN ITS MEANS 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. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ SYMPTOM Description: With TCPIP.EXE loaded high, NWIP.EXE will fail to load. The error message ""can not get parameters"" is displayed. Component: NWIP.EXE Description: NWIP.EXE is not setting the MTU correctly. This can affect performance if server max rcv pkt size > net.cfg buffer size. Component: NWIP.EXE Description: NWIP.NLM failed to load if NLSP is already loaded. Error message ""Failed to bind IPX to NWIP"" displayed. Component: NetWare/IP Server Description: NWIP.NLM did not broadcast NLSP packets. Component: NetWare/IP Server Description: NWIP client some times doesn't connect to a NW SAA server when running IBM's PC/3270 client software. Component: NWIP.EXE Description: User will get "invalid semaphore passed to OS abend", if nwip.386 did not bind NWIP driver to OS successfully. Component: NetWare/IP Server Description: On NetWare 3.11, NWIP.NLM will abend if its virtual IPX net is the same as the system's internal net. Component: NetWare/IP Server Description: AdvertiseServices, QueryServices and IPXGetLocalTarget APIs would not work without first loading VLM. Component: NWIP.EXE Description: NWIP.NLM tells NW OS service is hop 15 away instead of 16 when NWIP.EXE client shutdowns previously advertised service. Component: NetWare/IP Server Description: NWIP can not SyncOS if LANalyzer Agent 1.0 is running on the same machine. Component: NetWare/IP Server PATCH: DSS abends when it is forced to give up CPU during maintenance. Component: Domain SAP/RIP Server PATCH: DSS takes up lot of CPU during TTL maintenance. Component: Domain SAP/RIP Server Description: Report that client connection is dropped when copied a 20K size file from client to the server. Component: NetWare/IP Server Description: A improved altogithm for determining best DSS and NWIP server. Component: Domain SAP/RIP Server Description: NWIP gateway server does not send all SAPs shutdown to DSS. Component: NetWare/IP Server PATCH: Named.nlm responses with "server failure" when root.db has no entries. Component: NAMED.NLM Description: Initial NWIPSyncOS does not sync all SAPs and RIPs. Component: NetWare/IP Server Description: DSS secondary does not load without the primary. Component: Domain SAP/RIP Server Description: DSS.NLM abends server in routine UpdateTtl. Component: Domain SAP/RIP Server Description: NMS reported that NWIP.EXE reports good status when the receive ecb length is less than the ipx len. Component: NWIP client PATCH: There is a small window during NWIP loading that it can abend the server,NetWare/IP Server. Component: NetWare/IP Server Description: NWIP server/client can not receive a DSS list that had more than 15 DSS's. Component: NetWare/IP Server and NETDB.NLM Description: Primary DSS's DSS_Write can be blocked for a long time and timed out if the receiver encountered error. Component: Domain SAP/RIP Server Description: There is a small window in HandleFullDBXfer routine which the temporary btrieve files do not close. Component: Domain SAP/RIP Server Description: Unload DSS via UniCon while there are connections abended the NetWare server. Component: Domain SAP/RIP Server Description: Customer request that NWIP server retries DSS's if they are down. Component: Domain SAP/RIP Server Description: TCPIP.NLM version 2.02l spins in a infinite loop when secondary DSS can not locate primary DSS. Component: NetWare/IP Server Description: RPRINTER does not work with NWIP. Component: NetWare/IP Server Description: NAMED: Replica DNS server does not answer some queries correctly. Component: Named.NLM Description: DSS: Does not return 5 SAP records in response to Nearest Server Query under certain conditions. Component: Domain SAP/RIP Server Description: Certain IPX based applications do not work under NWIP. Component: NWIP.EXE Description: NMS could not identify "route" to net and Mac address. Component: NWIP.NLM Description: NetWare 3.11 rconsole can hang if there are lots of rconsole servers. Component: NWIP.NLM Description: NetWare/IP components need to minimize WAN usage. Component: NWIP.NLM, DSS.NLM, NWIP.EXE, NWIPAGT.NLM, NWIPADM.NLM, and INSTALL.EXE. Description: NetWare/IP server is not returning (non-SAP and non-RIP broadcast packet) ECB to LSL. Component: NetWare/IP server Description: NetWare/IP does not select the "preferred DSS" correctly. Component: NWIP.NLM, NWIP.EXE, and DSS.NLM. Description: DSS abends the NetWare server under very heavy traffic Condition. Component: DSS.NLM Description: Primary DSS abends the server during secondary DSS to primary DSS zone transfer. Component: DSS.NLM ADDITIONAL CONFIGURATION Other: Special consideration --------------------- The DSS.NLM and NWIP.NLM modules MUST be upgraded in the entire environment prior to upgrading NWIP.EXE on any of the clients. The new NWIP.EXE will NOT work with the old server modules. Previous versions of NWIP.EXE will stillwork with these server modules. After having upgraded the server modules, we recommend that you update NWIP.EXE on all the clients. These changes are necessary to provide better IPX compatibility and support for Novell's NMS NET EXPLORER. In order to get the user interface screens for the new NetWare/IP parameters using UNICON, you must upgrade the modules NWIPADM.NLM, NWIPADM.HLP and NWIPAGT.NLM. SOLUTION Apply NIP191.EXE Self-Extracting File Name: NIP191.EXE Revision: A Files Included Size Date Time \ NIP191.TXT (This File) MASTERTD.TXT 1392 06-15-94 9:35a PINSTALL.NLM 132824 03-21-94 11:45a \NWIP1\ SPACE.DAT 10 02-01-93 3:58p PFILES.DAT 794 06-09-94 10:57a README.TXT 26170 06-24-94 2:38p PCONFIG.DAT 918 05-20-94 8:43a PCONFIG.HLP 2183 07-29-92 1:27p PCONFIG.NLM 15934 09-17-93 6:03p PINSTALL.HLP 6798 06-21-93 2:53p PINSTALL.NLM 130422 11-08-93 6:39p P_UNINST.HLP 892 07-27-92 12:02p P_UNINST.NLM 72042 11-08-93 6:40p \NWIP1\SYSTEM\ DSS.NLM 70443 06-06-94 4:18p NWIP.NLM 58878 06-06-94 2:45p NAMED.NLM 50983 06-06-94 6:33p NETDB.NLM 57940 03-08-94 2:25p NWIPADM.HLP 10411 03-28-94 3:49p NWIPADM.NLM 52946 05-13-94 2:09p NWIPAGT.NLM 10485 05-13-94 2:11p \WS_DOS\ NWIP.EXE 68178 06-06-94 2:48p NWIP.MSG 3833 03-07-94 9:52a DSSPING.EXE 33975 04-05-94 3:47p INSTALL.EXE 177200 05-16-94 2:09p INSTALL.MSG 11166 03-29-94 3:47p Installation Instructions: This README file includes the following sections: 1. Updating NetWare/IP 1A. Updating NetWare/IP on a Server 1B. Updating NetWare/IP on a Client 1C. Using NetWare/IP with the NetWare Management System 1D. Updating the Domain Name Server 2. Using the New Features 2A. Setting the Retry Time Parameters 2B. Improving Communication Parameters 2C. Optimizing NetWare/IP for WAN Environments NOTE: If you receive network errors when transferring data, configure the Tunable parameters described in Section 2B, "Improving Communication Parameters" of this README file. 3. Solution Specifics 3A. Using the /v Switch 3B. DOS DSS Ping Use the search features of your text editor to go directly to the section of this README file that you want to read. NOTE: You should read the entire README file before you install or update the NetWare/IP on a server or client. To enable the new features included in the NetWare/IP software update, you need to configure the parameters described in this document. ============================================================ 1. Updating NetWare/IP ============================================================ This section explains how to install the NetWare/IP software update on a server and on a client. It also includes information about the NetWare Management System (NMS) function included in this update and installing a bug fix to DNS servers. ============================================================ 1A. Updating NetWare/IP on a Server ============================================================ The NetWare/IP software update contains new files that you must install on NetWare/IP servers. CAUTION: When you install the NetWare/IP update on the server, do not delete the original NWIP1.1 software from the server. This update replaces only the following files: Filename Version ----------- ------- NETDB.NLM 2.21 DSS.NLM 1.08j NAMED.NLM 2.21f NWIP.NLM 1.10v NWIPADM.NLM 1.09y NWIPADM.HLP NWIPAGT.NLM 1.02p To update a server that already has NetWare/IP installed, proceed as follows. From your client workstation, perform the following steps: 1. Log into the server. 2. Rename the existing NetWare/IP files. For example, rename DSS.NLM to DSS.OLD. You must rename each NetWare/IP file listed. 3. Create a new directory named NWIP.PAT on any valid NetWare volume. For example: MD NWIP.PAT 4. Change to the NWIP.PAT directory. For example: CD NWIP.PAT 5. Copy the self extracting file NIP191.exe into the directory NWIP.PAT and then type NIP191 to extract the files. From your NetWare/IP server, perform the following steps: 1. Load the Installation program by typing LOAD INSTALL 2. If the server is 4.x server, select the following: -> Maintenance/Selective Install -> Products Options If the server is a 3.x server, select PRODUCT OPTIONS. The Currently Installed Products Menu appears and lists the following product: NWIP 1.1 NetWare/IP 3. Press and then to install the update files. The SPECIFY DIRECTORY PATH dialog box appears. 4. Type in the path to the NWIP1 directory where the NIP191 file was extracted. Example: SYS:\NWIP.PAT\NWIP1 After the Installation program installs the files, the Currently Installed Products menu appears and lists the following: NWIP 1.1 NetWare/IP NWUPD 1.1B PTF-F191 NetWare/IP Patch 5. Exit the Installation program or press +. The system console prompt appears. 6. Type UNISTOP at the system console prompt to unload the NetWare/IP modules from memory. 7. Type UNISTART to start the modules again. This NetWare/IP rev contains optional parameters for network customization purposes. If you want to change these parameter settings, use the UNICON utility as described in Section 2, "Using the New Features" in this README file. If you changed the parameter settings, then at the system console type: UNISTOP to unload the NetWare/IP modules from memory. Type UNISTART to start the modules again. ============================================================ 1B. Updating NetWare/IP on a Client ============================================================ You can update the NetWare/IP client software automatically from the server or manually from diskette. This section provides step-by-step instructions for both methods. Updating the software using a diskette requires you to visit each client workstation individually; therefore, we recommend that you update your clients using the server-based installation whenever possible. NOTE: The NetWare/IP client install program does not configure the clients NET.CFG for Ethernet_II frame support. Furthermore, if Ethernet_II is already configured, it will be commented out during the install. Please update the NET.CFG to support the Ethernet_II frame type for NetWare/IP client software to work. If NetWare/IP client software is installed on "C:" drive, the NET.CFG file is found in the C:\NWCLIENT dir. The NetWare/IP software update contains the following files: Filename Version ----------- ------- NWIP.EXE 1.11f (940603) NWIP.MSG INSTALL.EXE INSTALL.MSG NOTE: You must update the NetWare/IP server before you update the NetWare/IP client. Two new optional parameters, called Tunable Parameters, are included in this update, which improves communication. These Tunable parameters should be configured during the client installation. The two Tunable parameters are: - Preferred DSS parameter, which specifies the desirable DSS servers for the client to locate. - Nearest NetWare/IP server, which specifies the NetWare/IP servers with the closest route to the client. This parameter can directly improve the response time for some IPX applications that use the General SAP query (for example, RCONSOLE). UPDATING A CLIENT USING A SERVER-BASED INSTALLATION If you want to update all existing NetWare/IP clients without visiting each client workstation individually, perform the following steps: 1. Create a directory NWCLIENT on any valid NetWare Volume. Example: MKDIR NWCLIENT Copy the contents of the 4 client disks that came with NetWare IP 1.1. Example: XCOPY A: F:\NWCLIENT /s/e Where F: is a drive mapped to a valid NetWare volume and A: is a valid floppy disk drive. The 4 client disks are WSDOS_1, WSDRV_1, WSWIN_1 and WSTCP_1. 2. Copy the following new NetWare/IP client files from the WSDOS_1 directory, that is located in the NWIP.PAT directory, to the NWCLIENT directory on the server. NWIP.EXE NWIP.MSG INSTALL.EXE INSTALL.MSG 3. Provide the NetWare/IP client users with the appropriate information needed to install the new software. This information is contained on the Client Worksheet provided in the "NetWare/IP Administrator's Guide." 4. Inform the NetWare/IP client users of the server name and login, and then tell each user to install the new NetWare/IP client software by changing directories to the NWCLIENT dir and typing INSTALL. For more in-depth installation instructions, refer to page 9-3 of the "NetWare/IP Administrator Guide." If you want your client users to configure the Tunable parameters, you should add them to the Client Worksheet. The client users should configure the Tunable parameters during installation as follows: 1. From the NetWare/IP Client Install v1.11 screen, scroll down to Step 5 and press . A new screen appears with additional options. 2. Scroll down to Step 7 and select Tunable Parameters. The NetWare/IP Tunable Parameters screen appears. For example: NetWare/IP Tunable Parameters DSS Preferences (Host/IP Address/Network) Preference #1: boston Preference #2: 127.39.1.0 Preference #3: 129.0.0.0 Preference #4: 19.20.1.1 Preference #5: 120.5.0.0 Nearest Server Preferences (Host/IP Address/Network) Preference #1: boston Preference #2: 127.39.128.0 Preference #3: 150.100.1.1 Preference #4: 127.39.0.0 Preference #5: For complete information on the Tunable parameters, see Section 2B, "Improving Communication Parameters" of this file. UPDATING AN EXISTING CLIENT USING A DISKETTE Using the diskette method requires you to visit each NetWare/IP client workstation individually to update the software. Copy the contents of the WSDOS_1 directory, from the self extracting file NIP191.exe, onto a diskette. If you are using a diskette to update a client that already has NetWare/IP installed, perform the following steps: 1. Rename the existing NWIP.MSG and NWIP.EXE files in the client's NWCLIENT directory. For example: rename NWIP.MSG to NWIP.OLD. 2. Copy the NWIP.EXE file from the diskette to the NWCLIENT directory. 3. Copy the NWIP.MSG file from the diskette to the following NWCLIENT\NLS\ENGLISH directory. For complete information about installing NetWare/IP on a client, see Chapter 9, "Installing and Configuring the NetWare/IP Client Software" in the "NetWare/IP Administrator's Guide." If you are going to configure the optional Tunable parameters, you should edit the C:\NWCLIENT\NET.CFG file now. For information on configuring the Tunable parameters, see Section 2B, "Improving Communication Parameters" of this file. If you currently have the server-based installation set up on your server or if you plan to set it up in the future, you must update the client software (after completing the set up procedure) using Steps 1 and 2 of the server-based installation procedure described in the first part of this section. If you are installing NetWare/IP on a client for the first time and you cannot use the updated server-based installation, you must install the original NWIP1.1 software on the workstation using the installation diskette and then use the diskette procedure to update. ============================================================ 1C. Using NetWare/IP with the NetWare Management System ============================================================ The NWIP.NLM in this software update includes the NetWare Management System (NMS) Automatic Discovery function. The new NWIP.EXE file provides better IPX compatibility and support for the NMS NET Explorer Automatic Discovery function. You should add the following to the NetWare/IP client NET.CFG file to enable the Automatic Discovery function: NWIP1_1 COMPATIBILITY OFF If you have a mixed NetWare/IP environment in which the servers have either NetWare/IP v1.1 or this update installed, set the value to ON, which is the default value. Set the value to OFF only when you have installed this update on all of the servers in your environment. ============================================================ 1D. Updating the Domain Name Server ============================================================ The DNS server(NAMED.NLM) included in this NetWare/IP update contains a bug fix for servers that use the old DNS server that came with the NFS gateway 1.1/1.2 or NetWare/IP 1.1. The bug fix applies only to the servers that use the NAMED.NLM replica function. The old DNS server did not create an accurate replica database (a local copy of the zone database imported from the master/primary DNS server). This problem causes an invalid response to Start of Authority (SOA) and Name Server (NS) queries. To apply the bug fix, initiate a fresh zone transfer to these servers by doing one of the following: 1. Manually delete the zone database file on the DNS replica servers. To locate the zone database file on the servers, search for the entry that begins with the keyword "secondary" in the SYS:ETC/NAMED.CFG file. After you delete the zone database file, reload the NAMED.NLM. For example, in the entry SECONDARY FOO.COM 1.2.3.SYS:ETC/DNS/ZONE.DB the zone database file is ZONE.DB. Then you would go to the SYS:ETC/DNS/ directory and delete the ZONE.DB file. 2. Manually edit the serial number field in the SOA record for the zone at the master name server to increment the number by one digit. To locate the file to edit, search for the entry that begins with the keyword "primary" in the SYS:ETC/NAMED.CFG file. ============================================================ 2. Using the New Features ============================================================ This NetWare/IP update contains new optional parameters that provide the following features: - Retry Time parameters, which configure the number of times and the interval at which the modules retry contacting a DSS server at startup. - Communication parameters, which when configured, enable NetWare/IP to provide more efficient communication between the NetWare/IP client, NetWare/IP server, and DSS servers. - Optimization parameters, which optimize NetWare/IP running under WAN environments. When you change the parameter settings, type UNISTOP to unload the NetWare/IP modules from memory. To start the modules again, type UNISTART ============================================================ 2A. Setting the Retry Time Parameters ============================================================ You can configure the following optional parameters on the NetWare/IP client and NetWare/IP server to indicate the time for which the modules retry contacting a DSS server at startup. - AUTORETRIES, which specifies the number of times to retry. The default is 0. The range is 0 through 10. - AUTORETRY_SECS, which specifies the number of seconds between retries. The default is 10. The range is 5 through 60. If you specify a value for these parameters that is not in the valid range, the NetWare/IP server uses the default value. CONFIGURING THE NETWARE/IP CLIENT To configure these parameters on a NetWare/IP client, edit the NWIP section of the NET.CFG file in the C:\NWCLIENT directory. For example: AUTORETRIES 3 AUTORETRY_SECS 4 In this example, a NetWare/IP node re-issues DNS queries (such as NS and SOA record types) if it cannot communicate with either the DNS or DSS server. The NetWare/IP node retries three times and waits at four second intervals between each retry before giving up. CONFIGURING THE NETWARE/IP SERVER To configure these parameters on the NetWare/IP server, use the UNICON utility. Start at the UNICON utility's Main Menu and select the following: -> Manage Services -> NetWare/IP -> Configure NetWare/IP The NetWare/IP Server Configuration screen appears, as shown: NetWare/IP Server Configuration NetWare/IP Domain: nwip.novell.com Preferred DSSes: Initial DSS Contact Retries: 3 Retry Interval: 4 seconds Slow Link Customization: To configure the AUTORETRIES parameter, edit the Initial DSS Contact Retries field. To configure the AUTORETRY_SECS parameter, edit the Retry Interval field. ============================================================ 2B. Improving Communication Parameters ============================================================ You can configure the NetWare/IP client to improve its communication with both the DSS servers and NetWare/IP server. You can also configure the NetWare/IP server to improve its communication with the DSS servers. The preferred DSS parameter specifies the desirable DSS servers for the client and server to locate. When you configure a Preferred DSS parameter on either a client or a server, you must specify a hostname, an IP address, or a partial IP address. The specified IP address can represent a subnetwork address or an IP address matching pattern. You can specify up to five preferences per parameter. For information on specifying a subnetwork or IP address, see the "Physical Addresses and Internet Addresses" section of Appendix B, "TCP/IP Protocol Suite" in the "TCP/IP Transport Supervisor's Guide." CONFIGURING THE NETWARE/IP CLIENT To improve the NetWare/IP client's communication, you can configure the following two optional parameters: - Preferred DSS parameter, which specifies the desirable DSS servers for the client to locate. - Nearest NetWare/IP server, which specifies the NetWare/IP servers with the closest route to the client. Using this parameter, a NetWare/IP client can rely on the closest NetWare/IP server to resolve subsequent queries. This parameter can directly improve the response time for some IPX applications that use the General SAP query (for example, RCONSOLE). Specify this parameter only on the client. If NetWare/IP is already installed on the client, you must edit the C:\NWCLIENT\NET.CFG file and add the parameters under the NWIP section. For example: PREFERRED DSS boston 127.39.1.0 129.0.0.0 19.20.1.1 120.5.0.0 NEAREST NWIP SERVER boston 127.39.128.0 150.100.1.1 127.39.0.0 CONFIGURING THE NETWARE/IP SERVER To configure the Preferred DSS parameter on the NetWare/IP server, use the UNICON utility. At the UNICON utility's Main Menu, select the following: -> Manage Services -> NetWare/IP -> Configure NetWare/IP Server -> Preferred DSSes: The Preferred DSSes (Host/IP Address/Network) screen appears. For example: Preferred DSSes (Host/IP Address/Network) Preferred DSS #1: 20.19.0.0 Preferred DSS #2: 120.5.1.1 Preferred DSS #3: 127.39.1.0 Preferred DSS #4: 128.0.0.0 Preferred DSS #5: sanjose ============================================================ 2C. Optimizing NetWare/IP for WAN Environments ============================================================ New optional parameters are defined on the NetWare/IP server that optimize NetWare/IP under certain conditions. For a NetWare/IP domain configured to span WAN links, you can configure the Tunable parameters for the following conditions: - For a NetWare IPX client that occasionally times out or gets disconnected while accessing remote servers. - To control the network traffic between DSS servers and NetWare/IP servers, and between the primary DSS server and secondary DSS servers To optimize a NetWare IPX client that occasionally times out or gets disconnected while accessing remote servers, you can configure the Ticks Between Nodes Tunable parameters. These parameters specify the approximate one-way time for a packet to travel, in ticks, between two NetWare/IP nodes on the same IP subnetwork, same IP network, and different IP networks. A tick equals 1/18th second. To configure these parameters use the UNICON utility. At the UNICON utility's Main Menu, select the following: -> Manage Services -> NetWare/IP -> Configure Primary DDS -> Tunable Parameters The Tunable Parameters screen appears. For example: Tunable Parameters UDP Port Number for NetWare/IP Service: 43981 DSS-NetWare/IP Server Synchronization Interval: 5 Primary-Secondary DSS Synchronization Interval: 5 Maximum UDP Retransmissions: 3 UDP Checksum? No Ticks between Nodes on the Same IP Subnet: 1 Ticks between Nodes on the Same IP Net: 2 Ticks between Nodes on Different IP Nets: 3 Configure the last three parameters on the list: - Ticks between Nodes on the Same IP Subnet: - Ticks between Nodes on the Same IP Net: - Ticks between Nodes on Different IP Nets: The example shows the defaults, which in most cases are sufficient. You can estimate the time for a packet to travel between nodes on the same subnetwork, same network, and different networks, by using the NetWare PING utility. If modifying the Ticks Between Nodes Tunable parameters does not completely solve your timeout problems, you can configure the NetWare/IP servers for host/networks across slow WAN links from which they send and receive packets. You should specifically modify the tick values on those NetWare/IP servers that act as IPX/IP gateways and/or send and receive packets over slow WAN links. You should specify a remote IP network/host address and the approximate one-way time (in ticks) to ping a remote host on the other side of the slow link using the UNICON utility. You can specify up to five network/host-tick pairs. At the UNICON utility's Main Menu, select the following: -> Manage Services -> NetWare/IP -> Configure Primary DDS -> Slow Link Customizations: The Remote Access Via Slow Links screen appears. For example: Remote Access Via Slow Links Network/Host IP Address Tick Value atlanta 2 127.39.0.0 20 Use the NetWare Ping utility to estimate the time for a packet to travel the slow links. To access the Ping utility, enter LOAD PING ip_address at your system prompt. Use the average that the PING utility calculates. To optimize the network traffic between DSS servers and NetWare/IP servers, and between the primary DSS server and secondary DSS servers, you can modify the following Tunable parameters on the primary DSS server. Using the UNICON utility, access the Tunable Parameters screen as previously described and modify the following: - DSS-NetWare/IP Server Synchronization Interval, which specifies how often a NetWare/IP server queries a DSS server for updated information. The default is five minutes. If you want the latency between the servers and their DSS servers to be small at the expense of extra local traffic, then you should specify a smaller value for this parameter (particularly if your configuration gives each site its own DSS server). - Primary-Secondary DSS Synchronization Interval, which specifies how often a secondary DSS server queries the primary DSS server for update information. The default is five minutes. If you reduce the traffic between the primary and the secondary DSS servers at the expense of higher DSS-DSS latency (if your configuration spreads DSS servers across WANs), then you should specify a larger value for this parameter. ============================================================ 3. Solution Specifics 3A. Using the /v Switch ============================================================ Use the /v (Verbose) switch when you load the NWIP.EXE file the first time(for example, nwip /v), to display status messages on the screen. These messages indicate the status of the communication between the client and the DNS and DSS servers. For example: C> nwip /v NetWare/IP IPX Far Call Interface Emulator v1.11f (940603) (C) Copyright 1990-1993 Novell, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This is a post NWIP v1.1 client Resolving NWIP domain NWIP1.TEST.NET ************************************ Sending DNS Query to address: 127.74.7.114 Responding DNS address: 127.74.7.114 Resolving NWIP SOA record from DSS ************************************ Sending DNS Query to address: 127.74.7.114 Responding DSS address: 127.74.7.114 Trying to get parameters from DSS: 127.74.7.114 Successfully received parameters from DSS: 127.74.7.114 Configuration: Node address: 127.74.6.79 UDP Port: 43981 43982 Checksum: No When you load the NWIP.EXE file with the /v anytime after that, no status messages appear on the screen. For example: C> nwip /v NetWare/IP IPX Far Call Interface Emulator v1.11f (940603) (C) Copyright 1990-1993 Novell, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This is a post NWIP v.1.1 client TSR. *DSS address: 127.74.7.114 NO_ANS Count: 0 DSS address: 129.23.3.1 NO_ANS Count: 1 DSS address: 19.6.7.1 NO_ANS Count: 2 *NWIP Server address: 127.74.7.114 NO_ANS Count: 0 NWIP-210-13: NetWare/IP has already been loaded. EXPLANATION: * - Indicates the current DSS or NetWare/IP server that the client is communicating with. NO_ANS Count - The number of times the node has not answered a query requested by the NetWare/IP client. ================================================================= 3B. DOS DSS Ping ================================================================= With most of the customers' issues related to configuration, NetWare/IP engineering has created some utilities to help ease problem determination. Available immediately is the DSS Ping utility. This utility allows a user to ping one or the list of DSS's in a NetWare/IP domain. If the DSS is not set up properly or the DSS is down, the user will be notified. The syntax is dssping NetWare/IP_domain_name The verbose /v mode tells you more detail information about the IP DNS traffic. If only domain name is specified, a SOA query will be issued to each dss in the NetWare/IP domain. If either a dss name or IP address is specified, the utility will send SOA query only to the specified dss/IP address. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Any trademarks referenced in this document are the property of their respective owners. Consult your product manuals for complete trademark information. ---------------------------------------------------------------- ÿ