Subject: CDROMLAN FAQ for January/Februray 1995 Archive-name: cdromlan-faq Posting-Frequency: monthly (I'm trying!) Last-modified: 1995/01/25 Frequently Asked Questions List for CDROMLAN@IDBSU.IDBSU.EDU The FAQ is maintained by Greg Gibbs at the University of Alaska Anchorage. This FAQ was originally compiled and maintained by Steven Kirby of the University of Georgia. I appreciate any and all suggestions for improving this FAQ. Please email suggestions, additions, comments, corrections, etc. (and include CDROMLAN-FAQ TIPS in the subject line) to: angjg@orion.alaska.edu Any changes from the previous edition will have an asterisk immediately preceding the question number. :Q00 What questions are included in this month's FAQ? [NOTE: Q00-Q03 are in part one, Q04-Q08 are in part two Q09-Q13 are in part three, and Q14-Q25 are in part four] *Q01 Where can I get a copy of this FAQ? Q02 How can I access the CDROMLAN archives? *Q03 What solutions are available that allow me to network CD-ROM databases? Q04 How can I contact someone who uses a particular CD networking solution? *Q05 Where can I find reviews of CD networking solutions? *Q06 Can you recommend a good CD-ROM drive? Q07 What are some good publications about networks, computing, and CD-ROM? Q08 What other newsgroups and discussion lists deal with networking/CD-ROMs? *Q09 How can I connect Macintoshes to my CD-ROM LAN? Q10 Can I provide remote access to my CD network via a modem and/or TCP/IP? Q11 How can I connect my CD network to an IBM mainframe? Q12 What do I need to set up a small (2-8 user), low cost CD network? *Q13 What menu and usage tracking programs are available for my network? Q14 What timeout programs are available for my network? Q15 Who are some CD-ROM database producers and how can I contact them? Q16 Are there any FTP sites that contain materials related to networking? Q17 Do I have to run the Microsoft Extensions in order to network my CDs? Q18 Where can I get a copy of the latest version of the MS Extensions? Q19 Are there advantages to using Ethernet over Token Ring, or vice versa? Q20 Can I connect a multidisc changer (like the Pioneer DRM-600) to my LAN? Q21 How can I improve the performance of my CD network? Q22 Do I need anti-virus software on my CD network? Q23 What solutions are available to provide network printer support? Q24 Where can I get training in network management techniques? Q25 Is this the end of the FAQ? *:Q01 Where can I get a copy of this FAQ? A complete version of the FAQ for CDROMLAN@IDBSU.IDBSU.EDU will be distributed the fifth working day of each month. If you subscribe to the list, you will receive the update as part of your regular list traffic. * The FAQ is also available via mail-server, compliments of Gess Shankar (gess@knex.mind.org). To order it from the mail-server, send the following command to: Mail-Server@knex.mind.org, leaving the subject blank. SEND CDPUB/FAQ/CDROMLAN.FAQ The FAQ is available via anonymous ftp at ftp.cdrom.com in /pub/cdrom as cdromlan.faq. Thanks to Walnut Creek CDROM and Bob Bruce (rab@cdrom.com) for this avenue of access (sorry Bob, but I _had_ to put you in here so I couldn't forget where to find you :-). Small plug: Walnut Creek CDROM 1547 Palos Verdes, Suite 260 Walnut Creek, CA 94596 800-786-9907, 510-674-0783, 510-674-0821 fax info@cdrom.com Dan Lester, our favorite cyclopean listowner, has made the FAQ accessible via WWW at http://cyclops.idbsu.edu and is fairly easy to find once you get there. Other avenues of access are always in the works. If you have suggestions on where or how to make it available, please let me know. I'm _still_ working on providing the FAQ via Usenet. When I've got the system down, access details for the Usenet archives will be provided. A mini-FAQ is mailed to the list in the middle of each month which contains all of the above information up to and including this statement. (I promise I'll get better organized on this part - g^2) :Q02 How can I access the CDROMLAN archives? I still have not had the chance to really play with this, but the CDROMLAN listserv is indexed as a WAIS database. This makes for convenient retrospective research on topics/ discussions touched on in our daily rantings in CDROMLANd. The Amazing Steve Kirby sez that you can easily do this by pointing your gopher client at munin.ub2.lu.se and making the following selections: "WAIS databases published at UB2" "Library automation..." "Archive of an e-conference about CD-ROM networking" Technical info is as follows: Headline: bit.listserv.cdromlan.src S:1000, L:22 (:source :version 3 :ip-address "130.235.162.11" :ip-name "munin.ub2.lu.se" :tcp-port 210 :database-name "bit.listserv.cdromlan" :cost 0.00 :cost-unit :free :maintainer "anders@munin.ub2.lu.se" :description "Server created with WAIS release 8 b5 on Aug 28 17:47:42 1992 by anders@munin.ub2.lu.se [Thanks to Rob Joachim (rjoachim@mitre.org) and Steve Kirby (kirby@rhett.libs.uga.edu) for lots of help with this one. And a special thank you to Anders Ohlsson for maintaining the WAIS index for the benefit of us all.] *:Q03 What solutions are available that allow me to network CD-ROM databases? CBIS CD Connection & CD Server CBIS Inc. 5875 Peachtree Industrial Blvd., Building 100, #170 Norcross, GA 30092 404/446-1332 CBIS sells both a hardware/software solution, as well as a software only solution. The software is CBIS' CD Connection program, which acts as a CD-ROM redirector. Once rated as one the better CD networking solutions, CBIS has not fared quite so well in recent benchmark tests. CDDIRECT LanShark! 6502 E. Main St. Reynoldsburgh, OH 43068 614/866-5553 CDDIRECT is a solution for Banyan Vines networks. It allows you to map CDROM drives like a network hard drive. There is no memory overhead on the end user's station, since CDDIRECT communicates in Vines native protocol VINES/IP. It does not run on NETBIOS, which certainly ought to improve performance. * CD Net Meridian Data, Inc. 5615 Scotts Valley Dr. Scotts Valley, CA 95066 408/438-3100; 800/767-2537 sales; 800/755-8324 support; 408/438-6816 fax info@meridian-data.com; support@meridian-data.com Meridian sells both a hardware/software solution, as well as a software only solution. Meridian now offers a Netware Loadable Module (NLM) version of its CD Net software. I haven't seen any reports on its performance, but the previous version was a very solid performer. CD Share Enterprise Software 225 Winter St, P.O. Box 163 Hopkinton, MA 01748-0163 508/435-4207, 508/435-6957 fax CD Share is a software solution for providing access to CDROMs on Banyan VINES networks. Every CD ROM volume is seen as a VINES file volume, so they can be referenced by any VINES user. Multiple CD Share servers are possible, and up to 24 titles on-line can be kept at each server. License metering with a timeout option is included. Automatic memory caching enhances performance. Access to CD's is set up and controlled with normal VINES commands. Network access requires no special setup on any user workstation, no device drivers, no TSRs, no special utilities. [Thanks to John K Metzger (jmetzger@world.std.com)] CD-View Ornetix 1249 Innsbruck Drive Sunnyvale, CA 94089 800/965-6650; 408/744-9095 This is touted by one user as an excellent solution for small sites with even smaller budgets. It is described as easy to to install and has the advantage to acting like a Novell Server (in a limited capacity, I would assume), but at a reduces cost. Thanks to David Jost (jost%acad1@dbu.edu) for this information. CDworks Virtual Microsystems 1825 South Grant Street, Ste. 700 San Mateo, CA 94402 Internet: virtual@netcom.com 800/722-8299 CDworks systems are configured according to the site requirements of the customer and may use the DEC InfoServer 1000 or a PC-based CD-ROM server. PC-based solutions provide networked PC users with access to CD-ROMs; Mac's may be included if Netware/Mac is being used. InfoServer-based systems provide DOS users with ethernet access to DOS ISO-9660 or High Sierra CDs, Macintosh users with access to their respective native CD's. Hybrid systems can be configured consisting of CD-ROM and hard disc. Each hard disc can hold the contents of at least 2 CD's. CDworks systems are available turnkey, including installation of hardware, software and the user's applications; a remote diagnostics station; menuing, metering and statistical software; and one year of toll-free support, software updates, and overnight hardware replacement warranty. DEC on-site field service is available as an option. SLS (Information Systems) Ltd. 3/4 York Court Upper York Street Bristol BS2 8QF UK +44 272 423314 Internet: cdworks@sls.co.uk SLS offers a full range of CDworks solutions as the European VAR of Virtual Microsystems, including supply of CDworks and CDaccess components and the full range of Virtual installation and support facilities from their offices in Bristol, Stockholm and Madrid. Some unique features of CDworks include upgrading InfoServers to double their memory and cabinets with sled-mounded components which can contain either CDs or hard disks. Also, the Virtual solution can support simultaneous access across all network protocols that it supports (Netware, LAN Manager, Pathworks, TCP/IP). The CDaccess product allows users of dumb terminals, Macintoshs, X-terminals and UNIX workstations to access DOS CDs via a dedicated 386 or 486 PC. They also provide a TELNET Gateway which offers the services of a CDaccess gateway system to Internet users. SLS information provided by Barney Haye (barney@supvax.sls.co.uk) CorelSCSI Corel Systems Corp. 1600 Carling Ave. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1Z 8R7 613/728-8200 (No email address that I know of, but they do maintain a Corel forum on CompuServ that you can get to by typing GO COREL.) Something of a hybrid between a Netware Loadable Module and a CD-ROM redirector. Unlike SCSI Express, CorelSCSI still requires the Microsoft Extensions. A reasonably priced, mid-range performer. Discport Microtest, Inc. 4747 North 22nd St. Phoneix, AZ 85016 800/526-9675; 602/952-6400; 602/952-6401 fax I don't have a lot of information on this product, but I gather from comments made on the list that it is similar in function to the Digital Infoserver. There is at least one major, published description of the Discport. Interested parties are referred to Steve Bosak's article "The Netware CD-ROM Solution", 18 Byte 151 (December 1, 1993) for more information. EZ-NET FlexSys Corporation 24 Graf Road Newburyport, MA 01950- 800/533-7756, 508/465-6060, 508/465-6633 fax No scoop yet :-( InfoServer Digital Equipment Corporation 800/344-4825 = 800/DIGITAL Internet: decsoc@bxb.mts.dec.com According to the October 1993 Digital "Systems and Options Catalog", Infoserver systems are network resources designed to work in conjunction with SCSI storage devices in order to provide information to LAN users. The InfoServer supports a variety of SCSI devices, including CD-ROM drives, tape drives, and magnetic discs. InfoServer systems serve information from devices to different client platforms in the native file format of that particular client. The latest version of the InfoServer--the InfoServer 1000--is a 5.25 inch, half-height box which enables it to reside with storage devices. LANtastic Artisoft 691 East River Road Tuscon, AZ 85704 602/293-4000 One of the better MS-DOS based LAN packages. Includes built- in CD-ROM support. As recently as 1990, PC Magazine rated LANtastic to be one of the top CD networking solutions. It probably would not be rated that highly today, but it still has some potential use for smaller installations. Logicraft Logicraft 22 Cotton Road Nashua, NH 03063 603/880-0300, 603/880-7229 fax sales@logicraft.com; support_dept@logicraft.com LanCD is a software product that provides the capability to network CD-ROMs in a PC LAN environment. It is a redirector solution that provides the following features and benefits: a. Concurrent multi-protocol and multi-lan support. In short, users from a Novell LAN utilizing IPX/SPX and users from three other NetBIOS LANs can access a LanCD CD-SERVER simultaneously. b. FastCD -- A SCSI hard disk CACHE for CD's. c. License metering -- LanCD provides local license metering that can be configured by CD drive, by application, or by physical location. LS4300/4500/CD4000 --- The LS4300 and LS4500 are turnkey CD server systems. Each system is configurable and can support from 1 to 255 SCSI devices. The CD4000 is an expansion box for additional drives and can be used with all of Logicraft's servers and as expansion for other non-Logicraft products. 486Ware/OmniWare -- These products are Logicraft's line of MS-DOS servers. By using these products any non-DOS desktop can gain access to the world of CD-ROM's. [Thanks to Chris Caggiula (ccaggiula@logicraft.com) for the information on Logicraft products.] * Windows NT Microsoft A number of folks have mentioned using Windows NT as a cdrom server with good results. To quote a listmember: NT offers graphical management resources, including management from Windows, Windows for Workgroups, or Windows NT stations. Any of these can manage server resources via several network protocols (tcp/ip, ipx, netbeui) or over a modem. Can have up to approx 21 cdrom drives connected to each server. It's easy to set up and use, and has complete security mgmt. Clients can run Windows for Workgroups and have simultaneous access to Netware network and Microsoft network. Downside? Requires lots of memory -- at least 20Mb per server. Best if you have at least 486/33 to run server. [Thanks to Michael Reynolds (reynolds@u.washington.edu) whose message I mercilessly cribbed w/out permission 12/94] Opti-Net Online Computer Systems Inc. 20251 Century Blvd. Germantown, MD 20874 800/922-9204; 301/428-3700 Another redirector solution. Opti-Net was one of the earliest CD-ROM networking solutions. Recent versions should provide acceptable performance, though it did not fare particularly well in PC Magazine's 1991 benchmark tests. Available for NetWare 3.11, as well as NetWare 2.X. SCSI Express Micro Design International 6985 University Blvd. Winter Park, FL 32792 800/228-0891; 407/677-8333 info@microdes.com; support@microdes.com suggest@microdes.com (suggestion box) SCSI Express is available for a number of multi-user operating systems (including Novell NetWare 3.11, and Microsoft LAN Manager). SCSI Express for NetWare 3.11 is a Netware Loadable Module (NLM), which means that it functions as an extension to the NetWare operating system. Performance has generally been rated as excellent. Ultra*Net R+R Messetechnik Sandgasse 41 A-8010 Graz Austria +43 316 46 48 28; +43 316 46 48 28 20 fax Ultra*Net provides network access to CDs using NetBIOS for client/server communications so it is compatible with any NOS offering a NetBIOS interface (Novell, TCP/IP, Pathworks, PC/NFS, Lan Manager and more). Ultra*Net features: centralized management of the CD library and client menuing system; title and user statistics available either online or as printed charts; pre-caching of CD-ROMs to hard disk. An NT version of the Ultra*Net server offering 100% Internet compatibility (making the CDs available for searching across the 'Net - licenses permitting!) should be shipping quite soon. [Thanks to Geoff Baldwin (geoff.baldwin@eurokom.ie) of Fenwood Systems Ltd. - UK agents for Ultra*Net] * Unix solution (generic) Also coming to the fore in providing access to CDs in the network environment is the use of your favorite flavor of the Unix OS on a beefy machine. On the PC-client side, PC-NFS is used to remotely mount the cd-roms on the server. The retrieval software is also accessed via NFS-mounts. One site has built their own menuing software, but there's got to be some commercially available front-ends as well. I know next to nothing (okay, really nothing, since I'm summarizing and parroting this info), so if anyone cares to re-write this I'm sure we'd all appreciate it. [Thank you John Stroet (J.Stroet@UBU.RUU.NL) for brief insights into this particular solution. 12/94] :Q04 How can I contact someone who uses a particular CD networking solution? For questions about CBIS' CD Connection, contact: Arne Almquist, University of North Texas (aalmquis@library.unt.edu) Dave Bloomberg, Florida Atlantic University (bloomber@acc.fau.edu) NOTE: Dave is out of action at this point in time :-( Hopefully he'll come back to CDROMLANd soon. For questions about Meridian's CD Net solution, contact: Jim Morgan, Indiana University Medical Center (morganj@indyvax.iupui.edu) Jennifer Walz, King's College Library (jlwalz@rs01.kings.edu) For questions about Ornetix's CD-View, contact: David Jost, Dallas Baptist University (jost%acad1@dbu.edu) For questions about Digital's InfoServer, contact: Margaret Sylvia, St. Mary's University (acadmarg@vax.stmarytx.edu) Tim Kambitsch, Butler University (kambitsch@butler.edu) For questions about networking CDs with Microsoft LAN Manager, contact: Nick Carter, Batelle Memorial Institute Pacific Northwest Labs (ng_carter@pnl.gov) For questions about Micro Design International's SCSI Express, contact: Steven Kirby, University of Georgia (kirby@rhett.libs.uga.edu) Bill Kuntz, University of Florida (bill@library.health.ufl.edu) Kerry Sanders, Iowa State University (lb$ksd.isumvs.iastate.edu) Gerald Smith, Gunter AFB (gsmith@gunter-emh.af.mil) *:Q05 Where can I find reviews of CD networking solutions? * CD-ROM Professional, May/Jun 1994, Vol 7 No 3 pp 154-155. Review of the book "CD-ROM Networking in Practice" ed. by Caroline Moore and Nicky Whitsed, Marshall Breeding reviewer. * Library Software Review, Spring 1994, Vol 13 No 1 pp 39-43. "Installing a CD-ROM LAN using Novell NetWare and SCSI Express" by Ting Zheng * Infoworld, 1994 Feb 14, Vol 16 No 7 pp 5. "Fix on the way for NetWare CD-ROM bug" by Shawn Willett * InfoWorld, 1994 Feb 7, Vol 16 No 6 pp 101. "Opti-Net simplifies access to network CD-ROMs" by Tom Marshall * CD-ROM Professional, 1994 Jan, Vol 7 No 1 pp 55-57. "Special considerations for networking multimedia CD-ROM titles" by Janet L. Wolfe * CD-ROM Professional, 1994 Jan, Vol 7 No 1 pp 46-54. "Choosing a networking softwware product" by Janet L. Wolfe * CD-ROM Professional, 1993 Sep, Vol 6 No 5 pp 170-173. "Frequently asked questions list (FAQ) for CDROMLAN@IDBSU.IDBSU.EDU Version 1.11" by Steven Kirby. [This doesn't really answer the question and is now quite out of date, but I couldn't resist including it :-) ] * Computer Technology Review, 1993 Aug, Vol 13 No 9 pp 34-35. "CD-ROMs board and storm the LAN" by Mark Ferelli * InfoWorld, 1993 June 14, Vol 15 No 24 pp49. "CD-ROMs and networks: Welcome to the software frontier" by Paul Merenbloom * Information Today, 1993 June, Vol 10 No 6 pp 25, 28. "Virtual Microsystems unveils family of high performance multi-processor CD-ROM servers" by Anonymous Infoworld, 1993 June 7, Vol 15 No 23 pp 47. LAN Talk by Paul Merenbloom (70743.3524@CompuServe.com) "Which networked CD-ROM drive approach is right for you?", * InfoWorld, 1993 May 24, Vol 15 No 21 pp 59. "NetWare 4.0 adds its own momentum to the CD revolution" by Paul Merenbloom * InfoWorld, 1993 Mar 15, Vol 15 No 11 pp 69. "Network CD Roms still need some tweaking to be useful" by David Strom LAN Times, 11 January 1993. "Prepare for the CD-ROM invasion : volumes of new and existing information can be made easily available by network users", pp. 89-91. LAN Times, 11 January 1993. "Testing CD-ROM solutions for 'real world' performance", pp. 91-101. CD-ROM Professional, 1992 September, Vol 5 No 5 pp 83-94. "Providing Access to CD-ROM Databases In A Campus Setting Part II: Networking CD-ROMs Via A LAN," by Judy Koren (judyk@lib.technion.ac.il or lbjudy@vinsa.technion.ac.il) PC Magazine, 31 December 1991. "Networking CD-ROMs : the power of shared access", pp. 333-363. :Q06 Can you recommend a good CD-ROM drive? You might want to have a look at the following articles: (Hey, I work in a library - you'd think I'd get around to filling in the blanks :-( I will by next issue!) * InfoWorld, 1994 Jul 25, Vol 16 No 30 pp 116. "4Plex shrinks size of quad CD-ROM drive" by Ean Houts * CD-ROM Professional, 1994 Jul/Aug, Vol 7 No 4 pp 47-49 "The new Hitachi double speed CD-ROM drives" by Becky Lockwood Grossman * InfoWorld, 1994 Jun 6, Vol 16 No 23 pp 117. "Chinon tweaks double-speed CD-ROMs for top performance" by Jeff Angus Windows Magazine, 1994 July Vol and No unknown title unknown, page unknown !!! I could use help on this one as we don't subscribe and Windows Mag is not in any of the periodical databases we carry. TIA - g^2 * Computing Canada, 1994 May 11, Vol 20 No 10 pp 42. "Quad-speed drive are quick - Very quick" by Gerry Blackwell * CD-ROM Professional, 1994 May/Jun, Vol 7 No pp 118-123. "NEC's MultiSpin 3Xe CD-ROM drive reviewed - A sterling performer for all seasons" by Tom Benford * InfoWorld, 1994 Mar 7, Vol 16 No 10 pp 109. "NEC, Kinesoft point to the future of CD-ROM" by Patrick Marshall * CD-ROM Professional, 1994 Mar, Vol 7 No 2 pp 124-126. "Pioneer DRM-604X: A six-disc minichanger CD-ROM drive - When is it the best solution?" by Becky Lockwood Grossman * PC Computing, Mar 1994 Vol 7 No 3 pp 148 "The new spin on CD-ROM" by Ron White PC Magazine, Feb 22, 1994 (vol.13, no.4) "CD-ROM drives: Going mainstream" pp. 110-? * Journal of Services Marketing, 1994, Vol 8 No 1 pp 70-72. "Backpack CD-ROM drive" by Dennis Pitta PC World, May 1993. "CD-ROM Drives, The Time is Right", pages 215-221. PC Magazine, 22 December 1992. "CD-ROM drives : mass appeal". Article begins on page 293 A good review of (Macintosh) CD-ROM drives is the following article: Rizzo, John "Passport to the Future": CD-ROM Drives". MacUser 9, No.3 (March 1993), pp. 124-144. You may also find it advantageous to contact one or more of the following CD drive vendors for information before you make your purchase: CD Technology 766 San Aleso Ave. Sunnyvale, CA 94086 408/752-8500, 408/752-8501 (fax) Corel Systems The Corel Bldg. 1600 Carling Ave. Ottawa, Ontario K1Z 8R7 Canada 613/728-8200, 613/761-9219 (fax) Hitachi Home Electronics America Multimedia Systems Div. 401 W. Artesia Blvd. Compton, CA 90220 800/369-0422, 310/515-6223 (fax) Liberty Systems 160 Saratoga Ave. #38 Santa Clara, CA 95051 408/983-1127, 408/243-2885 (fax) Micro Design International 6985 University Blvd. Winter Park, FL 32792 (800) 228-0891; (407) 677-8333 NEC Technologies 1255 Michael Dr. Wood Dale, IL 60191-1094 800/632-4636, 708/860-9500 Panasonic Communications and Systems Co. CD-ROM Sales Two Panasonic Way Secaucus, NJ 07094 800/742-8086, 201/348-7000 Pinnacle Micro 19 Technology Irvine, CA 92718 800/553-7070, 714/727-3300 Pioneer Communications of America 600 E. Crescent Ave. Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 800/527-3766, 310/952-2111. PLI 47421 Bayside Pkwy. Fremont, CA 94538 800/288-8754, 510/657-2211 Procom Technology 200 McCormick Costa Mesa, CA 92626 Sony Corp. of America Computer Peripherals Products Co. 655 River Oaks Pkwy. San Jose, CA 95134 800/352-7669, 408/432-0190 Texel America 1080C E. Duane Ave. Sunnyvale, CA 94086 800/886-3935, 408/736-1378 (fax) Todd Enterprises 224-49 67th Ave. Bayside, NY 11364 800/445-8633, 718/343-9180 (fax) Toshiba America Information Systems Disk Products Division 9740 Irvine Blvd. Irvine, CA 92718 714/583-3000 The following European vendors' addresses are from the TFPL CD-ROM Directory database, which I am told is a good information source of CD hardware, software, companies and literature. Hitachi Sales Europa GmbH Rungedamm 2 2050 Hamburg 80 Germany +49 40 734 110, +49 40 734 0134 / +49 40 734 0188 (fax) NEC (UK) Ltd Computer Peripherals Dept NEC House, 1 Victoria Road London W3 6UL United Kingdom +44 81 993 8111, +44 81 993 6499 (fax) NEC Deutschland Gmb Klausenburger Strasse 4 8000 Munich 80 Germany +49 89 93006 544, +49 89 937588 (fax) Panasonic Industrial UK Panasonic House Willoughby Road, Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8FP United Kingdom +44 344 853913, +44 344 853706 (fax) Pioneer Electronic (Europe) N.V. Headquarters Office Keetberglaan 1 1087 Haven, 9120 Melsele Belgium +32 3 750 05 11, +32 3 775 28 18 (fax) Sony Europa GmbH Bleriot Strasse 1-3 5000 Cologne 30 Germany +49 221 597850, +49 221 593542 (fax) Sony Europa GmbH Landsbergerstrasse 428 8000 Munich 60 Germany +49 89 8291 6435, +49 89 8291 6439 (fax) Toshiba Europa (I.E.) GmbH Hammfelddamm 8 4040 Neuss 1 Germany +49 2131 158370, +49 2131 158583 (fax) :Q07 What are some good publications about networks, computing, and CD-ROM? Some major periodical publications that include articles that will be of interest to CD network managers include: Byte LAN Times CD-ROM Professional Online ComputerWorld PC Magazine InfoWorld PC World INFORMATION NETWORKING NEWS is an electronic journal produced by the UK's CD-ROM and Information Networking Group. It is automatically sent by electronic mail to members of the CD-ROM-NETWORK@JNT and CDROMLAN@IDBSU mailing lists, and can be retrieved from the BUBL Bulletin Board. Gopher access: available on the Radcliffe Science Library gopher, Oxford, UK. EITHER: telnet to RSL.OX.AC.UK, login: gopher OR: point your gopher at: Name=Oxford Radcliffe Science Library Type=1 Port=70 Path=1/ Host=rsl.ox.ac.uk INFORMATION NETWORKING NEWS can be found under the section headed "Librarians' Corner". The following books pertaining to networking have been recommended by persons on the list: Amon, Elenore M. Intelligent LAN management with Novell NetWare. (Englewood Cliffs, NJ : Prentice- Hall, 1991). Derfler, Frank J. PC Magazine guide to connectivity. (Berkeley, CA : Ziff-Davis Press, 1991). Clarke, David James. Novell's CNA Study Guide. (San Jose, CA : Novell Press, 1993). (Novell Press/Sybex, ISBN 0-7821-1139-4, list $49.95) Nance, Barry. Introduction to networking. (Carmel, IN: Que, 1992). Needleman, Raphael. InfoWorld : Understanding networks. (New York : Brady Books, 1990). Niedermiller-Chaffins, Debra R. Netware Training Guide, Vol 1 and 2. (unknown : New Riders Publishing, 1993) ISBN 1-56205-145-8 and 1-56205-305-1 (see Siyan, Karanjit for Vol 3 info) Siyan, Karanjit. NetWare : the professional reference. (Carmel, IN : New Riders Pub., 1992). Siyan Karanjit. Netware Training Guide, Vol 3. (unknown : New Riders Publishing, 1994) ISBN 1-56205-285-3 (see Niedermiller-Chaffins, Debra R. for Vols 1 & 2 info) Thanks to Dr. Philip Smith and to Tom Wilson, who contributed information for this section. I am very fond of the FAQ for the Usenet newsgroup comp.sys.novell. To obtain a copy of this document, FTP to 129.65.43.132. Login as anonymous. Located under csn.faq/* you will find FAQ.0, FAQ.1 and FAQ.2. 0 is the every-other-week pointer to the FAQ and 1 & 2 are parts one and two of the FAQ itself. You also may want to check out the FAQ for alt.cdrom, which is available for anonymous FTP from: cdrom.com The file is in the /pub subdirectory and is called FAQ. :Q08 What other newsgroups and discussion lists deal with networking/CD-ROMs? On Usenet, try: alt.cd-rom aus.cdrom (geared towards Australian users) bit.listserv.pacs-l comp.sys.dec comp.sys.novell On Bitnet, try the following discussion groups: CDROM@BROWNVM NOVELL@SUVM CDPLUS-L@UTORONTO PACS-L@UHUPVM1 GOVDOC-L@PSUVM1 European readers may also be interested in the discussion group CDLAN (formerly CDMLIST@ZB.UB.UNI-DORTMUND.DE), which is composed of about 100 subscribers from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The primary language for this group is German. To join, send the command SUBSCRIBE CDLAN in the body of the message to MAISER@ZB.UB.UNI-DORTMUND.DE. Also at this address is the INETBIB list for issues related to Internet use in libraries. [Cribbed from a list message by Michael Schaarwaechter (misc@zb.ub.uni-dortmund.de) - thanks Michael!] CD-ROM-NETWORK@uk.ac.jnt is a British mailing list that discusses CD-ROM networking matters. To join the list, mail to: CD-ROM-NETWORK-REQUEST@uk.ac.jnt (remember, non-UK folks, that's really @jnt.ac.uk). On the alternative side, there is Gerald Smith's non-listserv list which focuses on the use of CDROMs in the U.S. Federal Government (particularly the Department of Defense). This list specializes in Information Management, from document scanning, to burning your own CDs, to placing them on a LAN. To register, send your name, email address, location, organization and phone info to: eisp-ug-request@gunter-emh.af.mil. *:Q09 How can I connect Macintoshes to my CD-ROM LAN? * Netware/SCSI Express The following assumes that you have the Netware for Macintosh package installed on your Novell server. You do not need to install the Novell Macintosh client software in order to use the CDs, since Netware communicates with the Macs using AppleTalk. On the other hand, the Mac client does allow you to use encrypted passwords, which is a Good Thing(tm) for security. If you do not use encrypted passwords, you will need to add a line to your autoexec.ncf file that reads "set allow unencrypted passwords=on". Once you have Netware for Macintosh and SCSI Express installed, the procedure to enable Macintosh access to the CDs is as follows: 1) unload afp.nlm 2) load cdutil 3) at "Name Spaces", press to add Mac namespace 4) make ????/???? type files invisible = NO 5) make file set 6) load afp.nlm [Much thanks to Steve Kirby (kirby@rhett.libs.uga.edu) 11/94] Superbridge, available from Sonic Systems (408-736-1900), allows up to 5 devices to be daisy chained with standard LocalTalk cabling to a host Macintosh that is connected to an ethernet network. Password protection can be set on the local talked devices so that only certain users are allowed to access them. [Thanks to Tony Spinillo (spinillo@marywood1.marywood.edu) for this information.] The DEC Infoserver and Virtual Microsystems CDworks will allow Macintoshes, MS-DOS machines, and VAX terminals to search CD-ROM drives. My knowledge of these products is a little sketchy, so I'll rely on the information provided to me by Dennis Brantley of Virtual Microsystems. Virtual's solution is based on the Infoserver, so my assumption is that much of what Dennis says about his company's solution also applies to the Infoserver. If this is in error, blame me, not Dennis. "Using CDworks, the same system can support PC access to DOS CD's, Mac access to Mac CD's, and both PC and Mac access to SilverPlatter applications. Virtual also provides Mac access to DOS CDs by by using a Mac to connect to Virtual's CDaccess system, which in turn connects to a CD-ROM server such as CDworks." Logicraft offers two choices: the low-end 486-ware and the higher-end Omniware. 486-ware offers up to 4 DOS sessions to Macintosh and other non-DOS platforms (VT terminals). An Omniware server offers one session to a Macintosh, VT terminal, or Unix workstation. Omniware is capable of providing a GUI environment to Unix and Mac workstaions. Logicraft offers various keyboard maps for non-DOS platforms. Logicraft also provide a multi-user Omniware with 4 486/33 or 486/66 processors in one box. [Thanks to Steve Highcock (highcock@bms.com) for this info] Other solutions do exist that allow Macintoshes to connect to a Novell network. However, I'm not familiar enough with any of them to offer much of a description. Contributions in this area would be most welcome. :Q10 Can I provide remote access to my CD network via a modem and/or TCP/IP? On the simplest level, you may be able to add a few dial-up lines using commercial remote communications (RCS) software such as Norton PCAnywhere LAN, Central Point Commute, or Carbon Copy Plus. All you need to implement such a solution is one or more PCs, a license for the appropriate number of the RCS package, a modem for each host PC, and a phone line for each modem. If you are using NetWare, you'll need one machine per phone line as you can't multiplex the regular version of Novell's IPX. Novell's Access Server uses versions of the PCAnywhere ATERM program and Quarterdeck's DesqView (both licensed by Novell from the appropriate vendors), along with a multiplexed version of NetWare's IPX (not the regular IPX stack that is included with NetWare) and a communcations board that allows you to connect multiple modems to the same PC. Each IPX session runs as a virtual machine under DesqView. You need to supply the host PC and one or more modems. For more information, contact: Novell, Inc. Communications Products Division 890 Ross Dr. Sunnyvale, CA 94089 (800) 453-1267; (408) 747-4000 The ChatterBox series from J & L Information Systems uses a multiple-CPU configuration. Each CPU is mounted on a separate card, which is inserted into a custom tower case. Each card in the ChatterBox has its own network adapter and modem. The ChatterBox cards appear to the network as individual diskless workstations. For more information, contact: J & L Information Systems, Inc. 9238 Deering Ave. Chatsworth, CA 91311 (818) 709-1778 A complete review of solutions that support asynchronous communication with Novell networks may be found in the following article: PC Magazine, 10 September 1991, "Dialing up the LAN", pp. 177-227. Novell NetWare will not allow users to connect directly to the server via TCP/IP. It is, however, possible to telnet to a computer that is connected to a Novell LAN and use that machine to make use of CD databases on the network. Everywhere Access is a specialized program which provides a TELNET server for DOS machines. It supports the major commercial tcp/ip software packages such as FTP, Beame & Whiteside, etc., as well as the public domain packet driver option. A very simple description of Everywhere Access (EA) is that it allows any VT-100 compatible device to telnet into a DOS machine and run character mode applications on that machine. This includes dumb terminals, Macintoshes or any microcomputer running a VT100 terminal emulator, and mainframe or mini-computers with telnet services available. EA has been specifically designed to minimize the system load of the telnet server which normally leaves adequate memory and system resources to run common CD-ROM applications. The DOS version of EA is basically single user per machine. So if you want to provide telnet access for 6 users you have to have 6 DOS machines/CPUs available. A Windows multiuser version is in beta testing, while an OS/2 version is under development. For more information about Everywhere Access contact: Supro Network Software Inc. P.O. Box 18 Warsaw, Ontario, Canada K0L 3A0 orders: (705) 652-1572 information: email to info@snsi.com Thanks to George Beckett of the Health Sciences Library, Memorial University of Newfoundland (georger@kean.ucs.mnu.ca), who composed the section on Everywhere Access. In addition to Everywhere Access, Proxy, from Funk SOFTWARE, supports 8 simultaneous Windows/DOS sessions through telnet. I know nothing else about it. Funk may be reached by phone at (617) 497-6339. Beame & Whiteside has released BW-NFS 3.0, which features the usual telnet and NFS and other applications, along with a DOS and Windows/DOS telnetd. You are buying the whole TCP kit. Contact beame@bws.com for details. As with Proxy, I haven't seen BW-NFS in operation, so I have no further information about it. [The sections on Proxy and BW-NFS were lifted from the FAQ for comp.sys.novell.] Virtual Microsystems' CDaccess can provide remote access to VT type terminals, or anything that can emulate a VT. Connection to CDaccess is via LAT (good for DEC users), Telnet, or direct dial-in using modems. CDaccess is available in 386/33 or 486/50 configurations. In either case, a system consists of 4 independent processors, each with a minimum of 4MB of RAM and a network interface card. The NIC connects the user to a LAN where CDworks or other networking systems resides. :Q11 How can I connect my CD network to an IBM mainframe? If you are using Novell Netware as your network operating system, you may be able to use something like Novell's LAN Workplace for DOS or the Clarkson University TCP/IP program to communicate between your workstations and the mainframe. (Assuming, of course, that your mainframe is able to communicate via TCP/IP). This has the advantage of being potentially the cheapest solution, but there are some tradeoffs to consider. The drivers needed to support TCP/IP communications do take some memory on each workstation. If you're tight on memory as it is, you may want to consider another solution. A more standard approach is to set up a microcomputer to serve as a gateway between your LAN and the mainframe. A number of vendors sell products that will enable you to do this relatively inexpensively. These vendors include: Chi Corp. (LinkUP 3270) 31200 Carter St. Solon, OH 44139 216-349-8600 Data Interface Systems, Inc. (DI3270) PO Box 4189 Austin TX 78765 800-351-4244; 512-346-5641 ICOT Corp. (pcPATH SNA-3770) PO Box 5143 San Jose, CA 95150 800-762-3270; 408-433-3300 Novell, Inc. (NetWare 3270) 122 East 1700 South Provo, UT 84606 800-453-1267; 801-379-5900 :Q12 What do I need to set up a small (2-8 user), low cost CD network? At a minimum you will need: 1) a machine to use as a file server (at least a 386DX-25) 2) some workstations (286 or better *highly* recommended) 3) network interface cards (NICs) for each workstation (Eagle and Western Digital are popular brands) 4) enough cabling (most likely Ethernet) to connect all of your workstations to the server 5) a SCSI host adapter (the Adaptec boards, such as the 1540, are popular) 6) one or more SCSI CD-ROM drives (you will connect the CD drives to the server via the host adapter and to each other via "daisy chain" cable) 7) a copy of a low-end network operating system (NOS) such as Artisoft's LANtastic (make sure you get the 10 mbs Ethernet version!) or Novell NetWare Lite. This will probably be enough to get you going, but you need to realize that if your network grows, much of this hardware and software will need to be replaced. Some of it can be recycled when you upgrade your network in a year or so, but some of it will probably end up in the back room next to your Osborne. A few pointers on the machine you select for a server. You want the fastest machine with the most memory and most fixed disc storage space you can possibly get. Assuming that you are using a DOS-based LAN such as LANtastic, a fast 80386 machine (at least a 25mhz 386DX, and preferably a 386DX-33 or 386DX-40) with 2-4 megabytes of memory and a fixed disc of 100-200 megabytes capacity ought to be enough to get you going on a small scale. Don't worry about the video display on the server. A VGA board is overkill on this machine, since it will be a dedicated server. Realistically, your workstations should be at least 80286 machines. As with the server, the more power, the better. Machines using the 80386 chip may allow you to load more device drivers into upper memory. Most CD search apps require around 500K of base memory in order to operate; some require even more. Once you've loaded DOS, your network shell, the Microsoft Extensions, and any other drivers you need, you may find that you are getting close to the minimum needed to run your CD search software. With a 386 or 486 machine, you can use the EMM386.EXE program that comes with DOS 5.0/6.0 to load some of these items into upper memory. That may turn out to be the difference between a functioning CD network and a group of dead machines connected via cable. The best piece of advice anyone setting up a small network such as this can receive is to plan ahead. Don't box yourself in by assuming that just because your network operates fine the day you bring it up, it will perform satisfactorily forever. It won't. Someday you will outgrow this network. Buy equipment with the assumption that it will have to function (possibly in a different capacity) on a higher- performance network using a high-end networking solution (e.g., SCSI Express, Meridian, or CBIS). And whatever you do, don't buy cheap network components. If you have to cut costs, scale back on the size of your LAN. *:Q13 What menu and usage tracking programs are available for my network? There are a number of very fine menu programs available for use with DOS and Novell networks. Some of the more widely- known commercial packages include: Automenu Magee Enterprises PO Box 1587 Norcross, GA 30091 (800) 662-4330 A shareware version of Automenu (ver. 4.7) is available for anonymous FTP from: athene.uni-paderborn.de Location: /pcsoft/msdos/menu boombox.micro.umn.edu Location: /pub/netware cs.ubc.ca Location: /mirror4/msdos/menu isfs.kuis.kyoto-u.ac.jp Location: /MSDOS/simtel20-archive/menu nic.switch.ch Location: /mirror/msdos/menu oak.oakland.edu Location: /pub/msdos/menu omnigate.clarkson.edu Location: /pub/simtel20-cdrom/msdos/menu risc.ua.edu Location: /pub/network/misc/menus terra.stack.urc.tue.nl Location: /pub/simtel/menu In all cases, the file name is auto47.zip. The same version is available on America Online, and perhaps other commercial online services such as CompuServe. Direct Access Network Fifth Generation Systems, Inc. 10049 N. Reiger Rd. Baton Rouge, LA 70809 (800) 873-4384; (504) 291-7221 * CD-Manager/5 H+H Zentrum fuer Rechnerkommunikation GmbH Herzberger Landstr. 48 3400 Goettingen, Germany Tel.: ++49-551-52208-0 Fax.: ++49-551-486859 Internet: 100115.2400@compuserve.com CD-Manager/5 is a menu and management system specifially preconfigured for Logicraft LanCD/FastCD, Meridian Data CDNET, SCSI-Express, and remote terminal access via LogiCraft Omniware, but runs with Optinet and CD-Connection as well. DOS and Windows versions are available, and both versions can be used in "mixed" mode, accessing the same licence and protocol files. CD-Manager/5 is not available in the US so far, but does have an installed base of over 300 sites in Europe. It provides displays in German, French, and English and allows the user to switch between these three languages. [Many thanks to Christian Heinisch (100115.2400@compuserve.com) for this information.] Saber Menu Saber Software Corp. PO Box 9088 -or- 5944 Luther Lane Dallas, TX 75209 Dallas, TX 75225 Internet: sysop@sabersoft.com tech.support@sabersoft.com (800) 338-8754; (214) 361-8086; (214) 361-1882 fax So far as usage tracking/software metering is concerned, this is a built-in feature on Direct Access Network. Saber Software sells a package called Saber Meter, which has the decided advantage of using no memory on workstations. You might also want to check out: AppMeter Funk Software, Inc. 222 Third Street Cambridge, MA 02142 (800) 828-4146, (617) 497-6339 LabLauncher LabLauncher is a metering program for the Macintosh. It may be obtained by following these steps: 1) ftp to NERVM.NERDC.UFL.EDU (128.227.212.10) 2) cd leow.192 (you won't see leow.192, but cd to it anyway, it's there) 3) dir or ls to see list of files. Details and disclaimer about the utilities are in the ASCII text file, "about.files"; the utilities themselves will have to be unBinHexed and unCompacted. 4) enter the "get" command for the utility you want. SiteLock (AKA SiteMeter?) Brightwork Development, Inc. 766 Shrewsbury Ave. Jerral Center West Tinton Falls, NJ 07724 (800) 552-9876; (201) 530-0440 SiteLock loads as a TSR on the workstations. If you're tight on memory, it may not be a suitable solution. There is also SofTrack from ON Technology that I do not yet have any additional information on. . . :Q14 What timeout programs are available for my network? There have been many requests on the list for this type of information recently, thus a new question (and answer!) is born. Many programs provide for automatic exiting after certain conditions are met (usually based upon lack of keystrokes for a specified period of time, but sometimes absence of screen input or other interesting characteristic). Unfortunately, this is frequently not the case - once in a program, the workstation is stuck there (unless we get lucky and the user backs out to the menu - HAH!), using up a license and ready to confuse the next patron. Timeout programs to the rescue! IDLEBOOT - a shareware program that will reboot (warm- or cold- I know not at present) a PC after a specific time of inactivity (keyboard, I believe). Price is from $30 to $300 depending upon network size. Can be found on many anonymous FTP sites. Shepard - a !FREEWARE! program which will log a user out of an application after about 3 minutes of inactivity (again, keyboard, I believe). It was written by fellow Alaskan Tony Taylor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and is _very_ useful with both Saber and Direct Access menus. This one is a little harder to find. The primary source is charon.elmer.alaska.edu in /pub/shepard/shep2.zip. An excellent alternative is uwovax.uwo.ca/pub/libsoft/shep2.zip. [Cribbed from a list message by David Roy (daroy@ac.dal.ca) Thanks, David! Of course, I got some scoop directly from Tony himself - thanks for the program.] *:Q15 Who are some CD-ROM database producers and how can I contact them? To begin with, there are four very large directories of CD-ROM databases: The CD-ROM directory (TFPL, semi-annual, in print and on CD-ROM) CD-ROM Finder (Learned Information, annual) CD-ROMs in Print (Meckler, annual, in print and on CD-ROM) Gale Directory of Databases, Vol 2 (Gale, semi-annual; Vol 1 covers online databases) Each covers thousands of titles with different amounts of detail. [Cribbed from a list message by Ka-Neng Au (au@pisces.rutgers.edu or au@zodiak.bitnet) - THANKS!] R.R. Bowker 121 Chanlon Rd. New Providence, NJ 07974 (800) 521-8110 CD PLUS 333 Seventh Ave. New York, New York 10001 Internet: cdplus@cdplus.com (general information) support@cdplus.com (technical support) suggest@cdplus.com (suggestion box) (212) 563-3006; (800) 950-2035 Amsterdam office: cdplus@cdplus.nl +31 20-672-0242 Compact Cambridge 7200 Wisconsin Ave. Bethesda, MD 20814 (301) 961-6737 Dialog Information Services, Inc. 3460 Hillview Ave. Palo Alto, CA 94304 (415) 858-3785; (800) 334-2564 * EBSCO Publishing 83 Pine St. Peabody, MA 01960 800/653-2726; 508-535-8545 ep@ebsco.com Gale Research Inc. 835 Penobscot Building Detroit, MI 48226 (313) 961-2242 Newsbank/Readex 58 Pine Street New Canaan, CT 06840 (203) 966-1100; (800) 243-7694 SilverPlatter Information Inc. 100 River Ridge Dr. Norwood, MA 02062 (617) 769-2599 Internet: info@silverplatter.com support@silverplatter.com University Microfilms International (UMI) 300 North Zeeb Rd. Ann Arbor, MI 48106 (313) 761-4700, (800) 521-0600 H.W. Wilson Company 950 University Ave. Bronx, NY 10452 (718) 588-8400, (800) 367-6770 WLN PO Box 3888 Lacey, WA 98503-0888 (206) 923-4000; (800) 342-5956 :Q16 Are there any FTP sites that contain materials related to networking? I've swiped (and edited) the following list from Kevin Wang's FAQ for comp.sys.novell: ftp.novell.com 137.65.4.1 netlab2.usu.edu 129.123.1.44 risc.ua.edu 130.160.4.7 ftp.salford.ac.uk 146.87.0.201 ftp.rug.nl 129.125.4.15 tu1.lincoln.ac.nz 138.75.10.31 inf.nw.nrc.ca 132.246.160.4 omnigate.clarkson.edu 128.153.4.2 splicer2.cba.hawaii.edu 128.171.17.2 syr.edu 128.230.1.49 garbo.uwasa.fi 128.214.87.1 rigel.acs.oakland.edu 141.210.10.117 wuarchive.wustl.edu 128.252.135.4 ftp.uu.net 137.39.1.9 nic.funet.fi 128.214.6.100 archie.au 139.130.4.6 If you don't have an FTP connection, you might could use the BITFTP-FTP/Email gateway. For more information, send an e-mail message containing HELP as the BODY (not a subject) to BITFTP@PUCC.BITNET. :Q17 Do I have to run the Microsoft Extensions in order to network my CDs? This depends on the CD networking solution you are using. In most cases, the answer is "Yes". Nearly all existing DOS and NetWare solutions require the MS Extensions to be loaded somewhere, whether on a server (as is the case with CBIS) or on each workstation (as is the case with some other solutions). The key exception is SCSI Express. :Q18 Where can I get a copy of the latest version of the MS Extensions? The current version of the Microsoft Extensions is 2.22. It, along with several other neat utilities, is included with DOS 6.0. If you haven't done so already, DOS 6.0 is well worth the upgrade cost. That's one way to get the new extensions. In the past, the Extensions have been available for anonymous FTP from: cdrom.com (192.153.46.254) The path to the file is: /pub/cdext.exe This is a self-extracting archive file. This file is also available in the PC World Online General Utilities library on America Online. I haven't taken the time to verify that these sites are supplying the latest 'n' greatest version of the extensions. But whatever they're supplying will probably work with any version of DOS just fine. :Q19 Are there advantages to using Ethernet over Token Ring, or vice versa? This is probably a "hot button" question, but it crops up from time to time. Both Ethernet and Token Ring have their unique advantages and disadvantages. Token Ring, especially in its 16 mps version, probably is a bit faster than 10 mps Ethernet. On the other hand, Ethernet is a good bit cheaper to install. In most cases, though, the best thing probably is to follow whatever is a standard for your site. If most of your site is wired with Ethernet, it's probably advisable for you to use Ethernet. If most of the networks at your site use Token Ring, then Token Ring is probably your best solution. It is possible to communicate between the two protocols, but you introduce another layer of complexity when you do so and you may pay a performance penalty in the process. In any event, both Ethernet and Token Ring have large installed bases and either of them will provide acceptable performance if properly configured. :Q20 Can I connect a multidisc changer (like the Pioneer DRM-600) to my LAN? Yes, you can, but you more than likely do not want to. Multidisc changers typically contain only a single CD-ROM drive. They operate by moving discs in and out of that drive as needed. This is fairly slow, mechanical process that cannot be compensated for with caching, fast servers, or fast workstations. If two or more users try to use different CDs located in the changer simultaneously, the response time cannot help but be very poor. Multidisc changers work well on standalone machines, but they really are not suitable for use as network devices in most cases. If you absolutely *must* connect a disc changer to your LAN, at least one solution-- Micro Design's SCSI Express--will support them. Other solutions may support these devices as well. It is probably best to contact the vendor who sold you your CD networking solution for details. :Q21 How can I improve the performance of my CD network? Well, that depends a lot on the type of network you have in place. Some obvious suggestions are to get a faster file server, to upgrade your workstations to a faster CPU, and/or to invest in faster CD-ROM drives. If you're using a DOS- based LAN, such as LANtastic, you might want to consider migrating to another networking solution (e.g., SCSI Express, Meridian, etc.) None of these enhancements will be cheap, but in networking you usually get about what you pay for. If you are using SCSI Express, CorelDriver, or another NLM solution, you may want to invest in more memory for your file server. This will allow you to allocate a larger cache for your CD applications, which should improve your server's performance. Better use of caching will in fact be of use to many CD networks. A good caching program (such as the SMARTDRV.SYS that comes with DOS 5.0 or, even better, the SMARTDRV.EXE that comes with DOS 6.0) can improve search performance. SMARTDRV.SYS takes up just 13K of system memory. If you can spare that much on your workstations, it's probably a worthwhile use of resources. We use SMARTDRV.EXE on our workstations. It seems to speed up our search applications, although it does not cache the CD-ROMs themselves. If your networking solution requires you to load the Microsoft Extensions on your workstations, you might want to consider increasing the number of buffers allocated by the extensions to caching the CD drive. This is controlled with the /M switch. The default is 10 buffers. You can increase this by appending a larger value to the switch (e.g., /M:15). Each buffer takes up 2K of memory, but you may be able to move the buffers into expanded memory by using the /E switch. One final performance boost that the beginning network manager might overlook: make sure your search software is not running off of the CD-ROM drive. The fastest CD drives are still nearly three times as slow as an ancient Seagate ST-225 fixed disc with its paltry 85 millisecond seek rate. If at all possible, run the CD search software off of your file server's fixed disc. That's what it's there for. :Q22 Do I need anti-virus software on my CD network? Definitely. No matter how careful you are and how bulletproof you try to make your network, the sorry truth of the matter is that viruses are a fact of network life. There are a number of commercial anti-virus programs on the market. They are available in most places where software is sold. And, of course, DOS 6.0 does include an antivirus program (VSAFE) that you can load on your workstations (if you have 22K of RAM to spare), plus a version of the Central Point Anti-Virus program that Microsoft distributes under license. A number of leading organizations in the computer security field (including the National Computer Security Association, the VSUM Virus Library, and the Hamburg Virus Test Center) tested a group of anti-virus programs (including shareware and commercial anti-viral packages) against a pool of over 1400 known viruses and strains. The best performer was the McAfee suite of anti-viral programs, which detected an amazing 97 percent of all potential infections. (By comparison, two well-known commercial anti-virus packages were successful roughly 70 percent of the time.) The McAfee programs are shareware and are available from a great many FTP sites, bulletin boards, and commercial online services. Best thing to do may be to connect to your favorite online source and look for the following files: CLEAN10x.ZIP SCANV10x.ZIP NETSC10x.ZIP VSHLD10x.ZIP The x will indicate the version number for each file. The Macintosh equivalent of the McAfee programs is Disinfectant, which is available for FTP from a number of sites. :Q23 What solutions are available to provide network printer support? Well, that depends on what network operating system you're using. All I can do is comment on solutions that work with Novell NetWare. Novell provides several utilities that, in theory, will enable you to connect printers to your LAN. The three principal programs are PSERVER.EXE, RPRINTER.EXE, and PSERVER.NLM. You use PSERVER.NLM to establish a network print server to service the print queue(s) you set up via PCONSOLE. PSERVER.EXE requires you to dedicate one or more workstations to service printers/queues. It's performance, while far from stellar, is at least better than RPRINTER (which admittedly isn't saying much). RPRINTER, which allows you to operate printers that are connected to one or more workstations in a non-dedicated mode (i.e., the workstations can be used--in theory--for other things), is notoriously unreliable and pitifully slow. It also fails to handle graphic images acceptably, which may be a problem depending upon your particular setup. Generally speaking, Novell's network print services have one thing to recommend them: you get them for no extra charge when you buy your copy of NetWare. Fortunately, there are some third-party network print servers that perform much better than the utilities that are bundled with NetWare. We've had satisfactory experience (so far) with the Intel NetPort print server. Others have spoken highly of the Hewlett-Packard JetDirect cards. (Contact your HP dealer for details: I ain't got 'em). You might also want to check out a product from Digital Products, Inc. (800-243-2333, contact Deborah Reicheld). This product contains a high-speed parallel port and both RG-58/10BaseT connectors. Cost is under $500. :Q24 Where can I get training in network management techniques? The answer to this question really depends on the network operating system you are using. I can answer the question for Novell Netware, but I'll have to rely on someone else to provide a comparable answer for other NOSs. Novell offers a number of options for training in the management of a Netware LAN. By far the cheapest is to buy a copy of the CNA Study Guide that is mentioned elsewhere in this document. According to the book, the CNA Study Guide covers all of the objectives for Novell's Certified Netware Administrator (CNA) credential. That doesn't guarantee that you'll become an instant celebrity among the other net managers at your site, but it is a start. Novell also provides training through Novell Authorized Education Centers (NAECs). NAECs are not directly affiliated with Novell, but are designated by Novell to provide instructor-led training in the management of Netware LANs. You can obtain a list of NAECs in your area by calling 1-800-233-3382 (in the US and Canada) or 1-801-429-5508 (in all other areas). You also may obtain information on CNA certification by calling these numbers. It may be possible for you to obtain Netware management training through a local college or university. Novell does sponsor a program called Novell Education Academic Partner (NEAP), which provides training comparable to that provided by the NAECs, but in a traditional education format. Currently, a limited number of institutions have chosen to participate in the NEAP program. If your site is fortunate enough to have a Certified Netware Instructor (CNI) on staff, s/he may also provide Netware education as part of your institution's staff training program. If you're interested to see how you might do on the CNA examination, but don't want to spend the money for the CNA Study Guide, you might want to obtain a copy of CNA10.EXE, which contains sample questions from the CNA test itself. This file is available from ftp.novell.com and its various mirror sites (e.g., risc.ua.edu) in the directory: /pub/netwire/novlib/02 :Q25 Is this the end of the FAQ? Yup, Bubba, you're done. Time to call in the dogs and spit on the fire.