The network operating system is the most essential component
of the network, and the network is arguably the most essential component
of a company and its ability to make money. Tread lightly and carry a big
stick.
COMPARED
IntranetWare
solution
IntranetWare
Novell Inc.
OS/2 Warp
Server solution
OS/2 Warp Server 4.0 SMP Feature IBM
Solaris
solution
Solaris 2.5.1
Sun Microsystems
Windows NT Server solution
Windows NT Server 4.0 Microsoft
Testing strategy
The question
You own several NetWare 3.12 servers. They've served well, but they aren't
going to cut it much longer in the era of the Internet/intranet and enterprise
networks. Which network OS (NOS) will offer the best administration and
Internet/intranet capabilities while still supporting existing clients?
The issues
Migrating from NetWare 3.12
Internet and intranet capabilities
Quality of administrative tools
Level of interoperability with existing network components
The options
IntranetWare solution
OS/2 Warp Server solution
Solaris solution
Windows NT Server solution
The answer
Novell still makes the best NOS for your network -- and that's not just
because it's the easiest to migrate to. Overall, we found it to have the
best administrative tools, great performance, and a comprehensive IP package.
Years ago, administrators dreamed of the day
when they could standardize on a single network operating system (NOS).
Visions of a robust server, providing both file and print as well as application
services, danced in administrators' heads. In addition to being the ideal
networking platform, this dream NOS would provide robust support for legacy
client/server applications to make the transition painless. In short, the
perfect NOS would offer superior performance and easy administration, and
it would integrate into the current network seamlessly.
That dream has largely come true: Modern Unixes are fine file servers,
whereas NetWare, once the quintessential file and print server, now provides
robust application support, including symmetric multiprocessing (SMP).
Support for legacy platforms is good and is getting better. The part of
the dream that hasn't really happened is the administration side: NOSes
still offer little support for cross-platform management. What's worse,
most NOSes don't even offer adequate in-platform management.
A shop looking to upgrade from an old-fashioned file and print NOS has
many options. Although speed is still important, today it takes a back
seat to keeping the business running and long-term viability.
SPEED ISN'T EVERYTHING. These days, administration of the NOS is
of paramount importance. Although it's easy to throw an extra processor
or more RAM into a box to improve its speed, there's not much you can do
to improve on a NOS' administrative architecture. Third-party tools designed
to address the issue often add more problems than they solve. And the overall
cost of administering a NOS in the long run far outweighs any reasonable
hardware demands.
Today, a lot of IS shops are facing the fact that the days of NetWare 3.12
are coming to a close. As networks get larger and more diverse and users
begin demanding sophisticated access to resources, a simple, albeit reliable
file and print NOS doesn't look so attractive anymore. But changing NOSes
is no small task; there isn't an administrator out there who wants to attempt
a complete changeover -- clients and servers -- even during a three-day
weekend.
MIGRATION TEMPTATION. During the next few years, most NetWare 3.12
shops will be moving to something else. Novell has an edge here. The allure
of the gradual migration approach is clear: It allows IS to make changes
to client stations one at a time rather than trying to change the network
client on 50, 500, or 5,000 workstations all at once.
A smooth transition from NetWare 3.12 to a modern NOS requires three things.
First, user accounts must be transferred intact. Second, file system data,
including permissions and file attributes, must be moved across. Finally,
existing client software needs to be fooled, allowing the back-end transition
to occur during a weekend without touching those hundreds -- or thousands
-- of clients.
Done right, this transition won't even be noticed by users. Done wrong,
a NOS switch over can be the most violent, career-trashing move one can
make during a weekend.
ADMINISTRATION BITES. As NOSes have evolved, their administration
tools have often lagged behind their core technology. Although this may
not hurt smaller shops, the slightest differences in administration capabilities
can make a huge difference when deploying a NOS on an enterprise scale.
Of course, only medium to large shops really need the benefits of a modern
NOS: 20-person shops should stick with NetWare 3.12 until the 386-16 it's
running on gives up.
In any size organization, first-rate network administrators are in short
supply. A good NOS can help. Administrators can be more productive in two
ways: organization and delegation.
Improved organization makes it easier to administer users, printers, and
so on by making it clear what their relationships are to each other. Delegation
is equally important: As directory services get more complex, user records
contain all sorts of information, such as phone numbers and e-mail addresses.
It doesn't make sense to make a top-level administrator enter all this
information, yet that's the way most NOSes are today: Only administrators
can alter user records in any way.
The hierarchical nature of good directory services make departmental IS
much easier. Although even NetWare 3.12 had some delegation capabilities,
all of the modern NOSes allow much greater flexibility in allowing downstream
administrators some control over their local network without compromising
overall security.
Results at a glance
The Internet has changed the way we look at networking forever. With its
acceptance comes seemingly endless possibilities of expansion and profit.
Although exciting, it's just the sugar in the bloodstream.
What makes up the iron is the ability to efficiently manage all the components
of your network -- from packet to CEO -- with alacrity and precision. That
means fast file and print, good application services, and an extensible
and hierarchical directory service. It also means supporting the Internet's
TCP/IP protocol. Most importantly, if a company wants to sell you your
next network OS (NOS), it's got to have a product that will allow you to
change aging NetWare servers -- with all the users, printers, and other
devices -- without changing any of the client's software. When Monday morning
comes, no one should notice a thing.
IntranetWare solution
Bottom Line: 7.0
IntranetWare's victory in the context of a NetWare 3.12 upgrade scenario
may not be surprising, but a look at the scores shows solid superiority
in nearly every aspect of the NOS. IntranetWare's strong showings in directory
services and Internet suitability helped to propel it to first place. Between
Novell Directory Services (NDS) and the enhancements to NetWare's traditionally
weak IP support, IntranetWare has emerged as a viable NOS for the enterprise,
perhaps finally shedding the "Yeah, it's great for file and print,
but what else?" tagline that's dogged NetWare for the past decade.
This is a full-fledged NOS that can do everything and excels at almost
everything.
Pros
Easiest migration from NetWare 3.12
Most robust directory service
Full-featured Internet support
Cons
Limited application tools
Server console isn't as friendly as NT's or Warp Server's
Windows NT Server solution Bottom Line: 5.7 NT has been closing the gap with NetWare during the past few years. Although
in small installations NT is fast becoming a comparable NOS, its lack of
real directory services makes large-scale implementation troublesome. As
Microsoft constantly points out, people are doing it. But they're paying
the price. Migration from NetWare 3.12 is so close to being easy -- but
it isn't. The tools provided are oriented toward a complete, instantaneous
changeover of clients and servers, which is not always a viable solution.
NT's Internet capabilities are almost as solid as IntranetWare's and Solaris'.
The lack of native Network File System (NFS) support is the only thing
keeping NT from parity with them, but that's pretty important for integration
into the enterprise network.
Pros
Easiest administration of the bunch
Best GUI interface
Almost easy migration
Many bundled Internet and intranet applications
Cons
Lacks real directory services
Lacks NFS support
Almost easy migration
Solaris solution Bottom Line: 5.7 Solaris' tie for second place came as a surprise, but perhaps it shouldn't
have. Whereas NT excels at making things easy, Solaris focuses on being
incredibly powerful. The Unix interface is daunting at first, but it's
very capable in the hands of an experienced administrator. The addition
of Solstice NWServer 2.0 makes migration from NetWare 3.12 networks attractive,
although there aren't enough tools to easily do so. Still, after a bit
of administrative work, it's possible to mimic a NetWare 3.12 server to
allow for a server changeover without affecting clients. NIS+ may not be
as elegant as NDS, but it does offer a compelling directory-service model,
complete with hierarchical administration and a great deal of delegation.
Further refinements here and integration with Lightweight Directory Access
Protocol standard should keep NIS+ in the running for a long while to come.
Solaris' Internet and application support is perhaps the most robust of
the bunch, but it lacked a unified administration console beyond the command
line -- a boon or bane, depending on one's tastes.
Pros
Most flexible of the bunch
Solid directory service
Solid multiuser OS
Great bundled Internet and intranet applications
Cons
Arcane command line makes administration intimidating
Lack of easy NetWare migration tools -- users, data, and printers must
be manually moved over
OS/2 Warp Server solution Bottom Line: 5.0 Warp Server's star still seems to be falling despite the sometimes valiant
efforts of its enthusiasts. Warp Server suffered from the word "go"
in this Comparison by not being able to emulate a NetWare server. After
that, it doesn't really offer compelling benefits in any of the categories,
leaving it to finish with an even 50 percent of the possible points. Directory
and Security Services for Warp Server helps out in the directory category,
but it isn't as robust, standard, or well-supported as NIS+ or NDS. Warp
Server's file and print services are solid but certainly not better than
NetWare or NT. There are no tools to help manage multiple applications
running on a server, and Internet support is spotty at best. On the whole,
Warp Server remains a solid product. Unfortunately, IBM seems to be marching
off in its own direction, not looking to see who's following -- or even
where it is going, for that matter. The addition of NetWare emulation capabilities,
a real directory-service model, and more robust Internet support would
help breathe life back into this aging NOS.
Pros
Good GUI
Low price
OS interface is still among the best in the bunch
User management is straightforward
Easy to use server-tuning tool
Cons
Lack of NetWare emulation
Limited directory services
Poor application management
Poor application management
Installation is still more difficult than it needs to be
Lack of NetWare emulation makes migration an all-or-nothing affair
Solutions overview
IntranetWare solution
IntranetWare got where it is today because Novell realized long ago that
file and print was paramount and fast networking I/O was of the essence.
With NetWare 3.12, the company commanded the network OS (NOS) market with
a 4-to-1 margin.
With NetWare 4.x, Novell stuck with its proven 32-bit kernel and added
Novell Directory Services (NDS). With it came a centralized, common database
that stored all the information about network resources. The database has
proven to be very extensible and can replicate itself.
Despite this advancement, not every 3.x shop moved with Novell because,
quite simply, not all shops are enterprises. For smaller shops with a single
location, perhaps even a single server, they didn't need what NDS offered.
But with the explosion of the Internet, which so powerfully illustrates
the benefits of a network-centric model, came the compelling need Novell
was hoping for to upgrade the rest of its customers.
With IntranetWare, Novell added auto-detection for hardware, integrated
TCP/IP into the installation, made the directory faster and easier, and
offered better client support.
Furthermore, the company added a Web server that is integrated with NDS;
Internet access, including a multiprotocol router; and WAN connectivity,
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), and an IPX/IP gateway. For
clients, it bundled Netscape's Navigator browser.
OS/2 Warp Server solution IBM's OS/2 Warp Server 4.0 SMP Feature is a multipurpose operating system
for the same reason that Microsoft's Windows NT is.
The first version of Warp Server was released 10 years ago as a stand-alone
OS, and LAN Manager was IBM's NOS. Then IBM and Microsoft got together
to create a super NOS. It would be based on IBM's LAN Manager and be an
application server as well. In 1993, the two companies diverged, arguing
about which API standard to use or other matters, depending on who you
listen to.
In 1995, OS/2 evolved into network-aware Warp Connect 3.0, and IBM moved
on with the creation of the NOS, finally releasing it in 1996 as Warp Server
4.0. Later that year, the company released a symmetrical multiprocessing
(SMP) version. It's not surprising that LAN Manager is alive and well.
Version 5.1 handles the networking chores in Warp Server.
For all things Internet, a comprehensive suite of TCP/IP tools are included,
as well as a DHCP server and a DNS server. To be competitive, IBM is also
offering its Internet Connection Server product at no cost during an indefinitely
running promotion.
The future of Warp Server SMP can be summed up in two words: Internet and
Java. TCP/IP will become the native protocol, and Java run-time services
will be available in the first quarter of this year. In the second quarter,
IBM plans to release an integrated, full-service HTTP server.
Solaris solution We've all heard that no matter how funky the shirt looks, it will come
back into style if you hang onto it long enough. It seems the folks at
Sun Microsystems paid heed to that adage, and it may work out for the company
with its NOS, dubbed Solaris.
Although Unix has been around since the '60s, it went out of style, way
out of style, when a man named Bill Gates was busy making sure all of us
used his Windows OS on our desktops. With Windows and its object-oriented
navigation, the command line quickly became as passe as beanbag furniture.
Ironically, because we all listen(ed) to the richest man in the country,
Unix-based Solaris may today be back in vogue, kind of like bell-bottoms,
go-go boots, and heroin.
Consider Gates' multibillion-dollar vision that placed the personal computer
on seemingly every desktop in the country. With it, we soon ventured onto
the Unix-powered Internet. Now that the Internet is becoming part of business,
a close look at Unix makes a lot of sense.
For directory services, Solaris 2.5.1 employs NIS+. It's similar in design
to NDS but is the only modern directory service to allow for column-level
access control, allowing lower-level administrators to have limited authority
over users (to enter or change phone numbers, for instance, without being
able to change rights).
Solaris' advantages are its stability and scalability in terms of processors,
users, and clients on a network. The very same copy of Solaris can run,
and stay running, on a single-processor desktop machine and on a mainframe-bashing
server equipped with 64 processors that handles a database measured in
terabytes and controls huge network traffic. Its weakness is that it's
difficult to use: Cryptic Unix is a scary thing. Nevertheless, it is powerful
and requires little movement for much effect. More importantly, it is based
on an architecture inspired by genius -- and perhaps a little LSD. The
key to Solaris' future will be in the creation of an interface that lets
administrators access all its power without having to learn all its secrets.
Windows NT Server solution When Microsoft talks about NT, it inevitably brings up "the graph."
Imagine if you will: The company begins with a graph with two axes -- file
and print on the X axis and application services on the Y. Far off on the
horizontal axis is NetWare -- king of file and print. Far up on the vertical
axis is Unix -- undisputed champ of application services. The intention
of NT, the company says, drawing a line between the two and climbing at
45 degrees, is to be just as far out as NetWare and just as high as Unix.
In short, it's designed to be the only true multipurpose NOS.
Since NT 3.1 was released in 1993, Microsoft has steadily improved both
file and print and application services and has an installed base of more
than 1 million. Arguably, the only thing that held it back from reaching
its goal of total category domination was the lack of foresight in the
enterprise-administration category. The domain architecture that NT is
based on makes it nasty to administer over multiple sites. Novell, in the
meantime, scored a home run with its NDS.
But then there was the Internet, and although Microsoft was slow to realize
the opportunity, it suddenly embraced the Internet as if Bill himself had
created it. With Windows NT Server 4.0, Microsoft includes a very impressive
array of tools and applications to create a comprehensive and formidable
Internet solution. By including Internet Information Server, or IIS, NT
owners can serve up HTTP, FTP, and Gopher all from one easy-to-use package.
Furthermore, NT also comes with recently acquired FrontPage to create and
manage Internet and intranet sites.
Now Microsoft is working on a solid directory service.
IntranetWare solution
Components: IntranetWare
Novell certainly has the inside track on migrating servers from NetWare
3.12, and it has capitalized on it. A smooth transition was marred only
by IntranetWare's inability to keep client passwords, which would have
been difficult but not impossible to do -- although we understand Novell's
reluctance to distribute tools that suck passwords out of the bindery.
The bindery emulation mode of Novell Directory Services (NDS) allows for
a gradual transition to a tree, allowing IS to make a big server change
in one evening without disturbing clients. It would have been nice if IntranetWare
had been capable of automatically importing users from a NetWare 3.12 server
into different containers based on which groups they belonged to, but that
wasn't a requirement for our testing, so we didn't subtract points for
it. We did find that NWAdmin made it easy to manually move users to their
destination contexts.
IntranetWare also sports a greatly improved installation program, which
is even capable of detecting installed hardware. Although it is not as
friendly as the GUI-powered programs of its peers, it is just as easy to
install as Windows NT for an experienced administrator.
NDS all over
We liked the way NDS is leveraged nearly everywhere in the network OS.
File and print services are truly an administrator's dream, and they are
finally available over the Network File System (NFS) or the Network Core
Protocol over TCP/IP or IPX -- all of which are administered centrally
from NWAdmin. NDS is nearly a perfect directory service that suffers from
only a few flaws. The first is a lack of client-side support; users will
not be able to easily find that color printer on their floor. The second
limiting flaw of NDS is its inability to allow delegation of administrative
rights to particular schemas in user records.
IntranetWare's Internet and intranet support is spotty, but where it exists,
it is well done. Support for DNS and Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
is key, and the bundled Web, FTP, and Line Printer Daemon (LPD) servers
are all ready to integrate with NDS. But unlike NT, IntranetWare is not
bundled with a Gopher server.
Furthermore, a built-in IPX-to-IP gateway allows IPX clients to access
the Internet using special client-side software. Although it's not the
answer for every IPX-based shop, the gateway provides an innovative interim
solution.
Long-lasting support
Interoperability is provided by NFS and AppleTalk, and NDS clients are
available for every major desktop OS. Unix clients will be right at home
using IntranetWare as if it were a Unix server, complete with LPD support.
IntranetWare administrators will be pleased not to have to deal with client-side
tweaks on Unix machines. It would be difficult indeed to find an OS that
wasn't capable of using NetWare's file and print and application services.
On the whole, IntranetWare proved to be a joy to migrate to and use. Its
robust file and print services are well- complemented by its other features,
and, especially in the context of an upgrade from NetWare 3.12, we heartily
recommend it.
OS/2 Warp Server solution
Components: OS/2 Warp Server 4.0 SMP Feature Our experience with Warp Server was the most disappointing. It seems that
rather than acknowledging Warp Server's low market share and making accommodations
for more popular client/server operating systems, IBM has marched on --
pretending that Warp Server is the dominant platform.
Migration migraines Providing migration tools from NetWare to Warp Server is a good first step,
but unfortunately, the lack of NetWare-compatible server capabilities means
that using the migration tools requires also migrating clients to either
Microsoft or IBM client software. Not many people are going to do a massive
deployment of Windows 95 on client stations accompanied by a rollout of
Warp Server servers, but even fewer people are likely to do a wholesale
replacement of NetWare clients and servers alike with Warp Server.
Once installed, Warp Server is a credible network OS (NOS). Its file and
print services are fairly robust, and the addition of Directory and Security
Services (DSS) allows some degree of hierarchical management -- though
not nearly as robust as what IntranetWare provides. Sharing files and printers
is very similar to working with NT, which is not surprising considering
its history.
Not full-service Application services are fairly nonexistent: The only bow to any kind of
integration with the NOS is the license-metering aspect of NetFinity, which
requires specially enabled software to be useful. Needless to say, support
is not very widespread. Although Warp Server makes a fine platform to run
applications on, it lacks the tools and coherent service model that benefit
its half-brother NT so much.
DSS itself does provide a level of directory services that's much more
usable than NT's current domain structure. But like Sun's NIS+, it falls
short of the high standard set by IntranetWare's Novell Directory Services.
DSS management tools were useful; it's the underlying structure that lacks
concepts such as extensibility and replication.
Warp Server has a lot of catching up to do to be a real contender in this
kind of scenario. NetWare emulation is critical, as is an even more improved
directory-service model. With those two key pieces, Warp Server would once
again become an attractive choice.
Solaris solution
Components: Solaris 2.5.1 Solaris' performance was perhaps the biggest surprise in the Comparison.
By turning in a solid, consistent performance in every category, Solaris
managed to tie the much-vaunted Windows NT for second place. An improved
migration strategy and some better administrative tools could well place
Solaris squarely in IntranetWare's and NT's home market.
Migration from NetWare 3.12 was one of the rockiest points with Solaris.
Using Solstice NWServer 2.0, it was easy to get our Solaris machine to
emulate a NetWare 3.12 server. However, Sun doesn't provide any tools to
make the transition easier, so we had to manually move all of our files
and re-create our users and printers. Once that was done, though, our existing
NetWare clients could log right in to the Solaris machine with no idea
at all that the back end had changed.
Good 'n' nasty After the migration, adding users and printers was a bit odd. If you like
Unix command lines, you'll be right at home adding printers with commands
such as snexport-e re=NW, se=nwmars, and printer=laser4. For us, it took
quite a bit of getting used to. NetWare-compatible user accounts are one
and the same as Unix accounts, so eventual migration to native clients
will be easy.
Solaris offers very good application integration but, once again, without
the kind of fancy GUI interface that lesser experienced administrators
rely on. Experienced Unix administrators will find it a snap; others will
experience a relatively formidable learning curve. Once proficient, though,
the Unix command line is as powerful a tool as the fanciest GUI under development
in Redmond.
Home on the 'net For Internet support, Solaris is very well-equipped. Because TCP/IP is
its native language (and always has been), Sun has done a lot of work to
provide first-rate DNS, Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, FTP, Line
Printer Daemon, and many other servers. Their integration with Solaris'
user accounts is seamless, which in turn allows NIS+ to be leveraged for
Internet and intranet applications -- an elegant approach that Novell's
IntranetWare definitely had in mind.
On the whole, Solaris makes a surprisingly attractive option for use in
modern networks -- not surprising to Unix-heads, probably, but surprising
to those who have built careers on NT and NetWare.
With some additional focus on migration issues and a less-intimidating
user interface, Solaris could become an ideal step for those looking to
bridge the traditional LAN and Unix worlds in their network.
Windows NT Server solution
Components: Windows NT Server 4.0 Although Windows NT offers some compelling benefits to existing NetWare
3.12 shops, it suffers from being "almost there" in too many
ways. The most obvious problem is a terribly immature directory-service
model. Compounded with an "almost but not quite" migration, the
result is a network OS (NOS) that is very close to overtaking IntranetWare
but isn't quite there yet -- just like the press has been saying for the
past five years.
Microsoft has put a lot of effort into making NT an attractive choice for
current NetWare shops. Unfortunately, the company hasn't focused enough
energy on one of the most relevant scenarios: organizations that want to
upgrade from NetWare to Microsoft networking in a piecemeal fashion. Because
of that, migrating NetWare 3.12 servers to Windows NT is frustrating. On
one hand, Microsoft provides a bevy of tools to help the task, and File
and Print for NetWare (FPNW) provides support for existing NetWare clients.
On the other hand, nothing seems to work quite right. A few small changes
could make the migration much, much easier.
Mig ... Migra ... Migratio ... We installed and configured our NT servers without problems. Its installation
program is the best of the bunch, IntranetWare's great improvements notwithstanding.
Installing FPNW was also straightforward, which was good because we had
to do it a few times before we could get all of the printers and volumes
set up properly.
Migrating users to NT was a snap, using NT's built-in Migration Tool for
NetWare. Unfortunately, the tool is not designed to replace a NetWare server
with an NT server. Instead, it is designed to migrate from a NetWare network
to a Microsoft network. Therefore, it isn't as helpful with data files
as it could be; it's happy to migrate them but isn't aware of FPNW, so
it sets up NT File System security. It then leaves FPNW's NetWare volume
unsecured until you reconfigure it.
Printers were ignored altogether, so we had to set them up manually. What's
more, by default, FPNW makes all existing NT printers available to NetWare
clients. That's fine, but it uses the logical name of the printer, not
the shared name -- giving the eventual transition to native NT clients
one more configuration hassle to worry about.
DNS-less but Internet-ready Despite a virtual lack of directory services we found NT's administrative
tools to be the friendliest of the bunch, including a well-integrated performance-monitoring
tool.
For Internet or intranet use, NT is a natural. Bundled with DNS, Dynamic
Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), Gopher, Web, FTP, and Line Printer
Daemon servers, it's easy to make NT at home on an IP-oriented network.
The lack of DNS and DHCP integration and Network File System support are
the only drawbacks to an otherwise robust Internet implementation.
In its current incarnation, the only thing that recommends Windows NT as
an upgrade to NetWare 3.12 shops is sheer ease of use. Every facet of the
NOS is easy to install, manage, or remove. Unfortunately for us, that didn't
compensate for a rocky migration and, most importantly, poor directory
services.
How we tested
To test network operating systems, we simulated the changes a network administrator
might go through with a new network operating system (NOS) during the course
of a year or so. These tasks started with a migration from NetWare 3.12
and continued into everyday administration of the new system.
We started with a network consisting of four servers and 50 clients.
First, we had two dual-Pentium 166-MHz servers with 128MB RAM acting as
our database servers. Two single-Pentium 166-MHz servers with 64MB RAM
and a 2GB disk became our primary file and print servers.
In our enterprise model, our simulated headquarters was one additional
departmental server with a single-Pentium 166-MHz CPU, 48MB RAM, and a
2GB disk. Lastly at headquarters, we had our legacy NetWare 3.12 server,
a 66-MHz 486-based computer with 16MB RAM and a 1GB disk.
A 10/100Mbps switching hub connected the servers at 100Mbps. Also connected
to this hub were two more 10/100Mbps switching hubs with 100Mbps uplinks.
The first of these hubs had two shared hubs attached to it at 10Mbps. The
other had three shared hubs attached to it. Each these 10Mbps shared hubs
had 10 clients, a mixture of Pentium and 486 computers. The Pentium clients
ran Windows NT Workstation 4.0 with NT File System, called NTFS. Our 486s
ran Windows 95 or Windows 3.1.
How we Scored
Installation and configuration Obviously, replacing our NOS with another is scary business. In this category
we looked at the experience of replacing the new NOS over NetWare 3.12,
so everything would work, come Monday morning, just like it did the Friday
before.
We awarded a score of satisfactory if file and print data could be manually
transferred from a legacy NetWare server, and the OS installation went
smoothly for both file and print and database servers. If the user information
had to be re-entered or the installation process for the file and print
and/or database server was a disaster, we called it poor. On the other
hand, products that transferred the file and print and user information
automatically and were a breeze to install received higher scores.
Application Services Because you will want to administer databases, users, and file access transparently,
we looked at the experience of loading databases and setting up additional
database servers. Application-level security integration with the NOS as
well as administration integration was also judged, as well as how easy
it was to set up a remote, replicated database -- a natural occurrence
in a growing network.
If the solution provided server-level security, we gave it a score of satisfactory.
We added points if the solution provided a unified application monitoring
tool, if there was a centralized way to check users' rights to multiple
database servers, or if it included a database-level security model. The
ideal solution would have a single security model and a standard administration
tool to control access to all databases and would make database replication
simple. We subtracted points if user accounts couldn't be replicated, if
database replication was difficult to set up, or if there were no real
monitoring tools available.
File and print services The workhouse category of a NOS is file and print. Although it is not as
glamorous as application services, it is essential that a NOS provide robust
file and print. We looked for client compatibility and the ease of use
for both clients and administrator.
For a satisfactory score, we had to complete each of our tasks including
file transfers and printing between several users and locations. If all
the tasks could be completed from a single location, we awarded a very
good. The more trouble we had completing the tasks, the worse we made the
score.
Directory services Directory services is the glue that binds all the elements of the NOS together.
Properly implemented directory services will allow you to administer users,
not applications and files. We looked at how each directory service was
implemented across application, file and print, and administration contexts.
If the solution offered a rudimentary directory service, allowing central
management of users and printers, we gave it a score of satisfactory. Allowing
users to search for resources, good extensibility, and databases that were
also treated as network resources earned a higher score. Confusing administration
programs or solutions that looked at printer and users differently hurt
the score.
Internet Suitability It seems everyone is moving towards Internet/intranet technologies. A new
NOS will be expected to be able to talk to the Internet and support intranet
applications. We looked at how well each of these solutions integrated
into the Internet as well as how comprehensive its IP toolset was.
We awarded a score of satisfactory to solutions that supported IP and offered
minimal SNMP and Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) support. We
gave higher scores to products that didn't rewire special software for
IP-only clients, included DNS that integrated with DHCP, and offered robust
SNMP support; in short solutions that looked and acted like first-rate
Unix machines. We subtracted points from solutions that did not support
DNS, SNMP, or DHCP, offering only rudimentary and difficult IP support.
Interoperability Changing a NOS is a big deal, at a minimum it must coexist with both legacy
systems and foreseeable future purchases. We looked to see how well each
solution worked with standard client and server platforms.
To receive a satisfactory score, we deemed each solution must be able to
talk to MS-DOS, Mac, and Windows-based clients and allow each to use basic
file and print services. The most services that were offered to the most
types of clients, the higher the score.
Support Support for something as important as a NOS is vital. Sometimes, it's more
important than certain performance criteria.
To earn a satisfactory score, we looked to 24-hour support, seven days
per week. We added points for toll-free lines, money-back guarantees, Internet
support, etc. The more support, the better. The less, the worse we graded
them.
Contributors:
Introduction by Brooks Talley - Senior Analyst Test plan by Brooks Talley Reviewed by Brooks Talley Edited bySteve Jefferson - Associate Editor
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to Brooks Talley at brooks_talley@infoworld.com.
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