NPP vs NT Service (Networking Products)
At 15 NOV 1999 05:36:59PM Neil Davis wrote:
On Arev's NT Service FAQ page, this was stated:
If you are running OpenInsight or Advanced Revelation on an NT Server, and you are using Win '95 or NT client workstations, you need the Network Performance Pack. If you have more than 10 users accessing your system, we would suggest the Network Performance Pack in conjunction with the NT Service for maximum performance.
But then on another page, this was stated:
Revelation Software does not recommend using the Revelation NPP on a Novell Network or Microsoft NT Server if you have over five users.
One statement is telling me to use NPP if I have over 10 users, and one statement is telling me not to use NPP if I have over 5 users. So, If my Boolean logic is correct, this means:
IF GREATER THAN 10 AND LESS THAN 5 THEN use NPP. Huh?????
Can someone give me the scoop on when to use or if to use NPP?
Here's what we have:
9 sites have:
Arev 3.12
NT Server 4.0
5 to 40 users
Win95 and NT workstation
6 sites have
NetWare 3.12 or 4.x
5 to 40 users
Win95 and NT workstation
Questions:
1. What service(s) do run in each case?
2. What Driver do I select in each case?
Thanks,
"Dazed and Confused"
At 15 NOV 1999 05:52PM [email protected] - [url=http://www.sprezzatura.com]Sprezzatura Group[/url] wrote:
The mismatched numbers aside, they both are saying the same thing, you're just caught in a slight technical misunderstanding and a few double negatives.
First some difinitions. The NPP, aka the Network Performance Pack aka the All Networks driver aka the All Networks except Novell driver is simply an enhancment to the standard byte-range driver you've come to know and love.
The NT Service and NLM are server side products which help speed up your system and give it stability. They also work around some of the incompatibilities with the old DOS drivers running under WinXX.
The NT Service happens to use as it's network driver the NPP, that's where the conjunction comes from. When you use the NPP, you can use it with or without the NT Service. The question of when starts at about 5-10 users, different people have different opinions. Personally, I think at 5 it's time to start considering the NT Service instead of relying on the NPP. It's a cost thing, really.
As for your requirements, the sites running NT go for an NT Service at each site. For the Novell, you must go NLM at each site. Don't even think about running the NPP on Novell unless you're a single user system.
At 15 NOV 1999 06:20PM Neil Davis wrote:
So you are saying: By installing the NT Service, I am going to get the NPP driver "All-networks" by default because NT Service happens to use this driver. And, I do not have to install the NPP driver in addition to the NT Service. And, DO NOT install the NPP with the NLM unless there is only one user on the network using AREV. Do I have it straight?
At 15 NOV 1999 10:36PM [email protected] - [url=http://www.sprezzatura.com]Sprezzatura Group[/url] wrote:
Nope. You're close though.
You will get the NPP in the same package as the the NT service. If I remember correctly, it's two seperate install processes. Both are very easy. The NPP is a simple AREV INSTALL process, similar to doing a bump or any other upgrade. The NT Service uses a basic InstallShield install which I'm sure you've seen before as well.
You would never use the NPP with the NLM. It won't connect to the server. The NLM uses IPX protocols for communications and requires a special IPX driver in order to work. This install is a single, two part install. As with the NPP, it runs from a basic AREV INSTALL script. The difference is after the IPX driver is installed, you'll be prompted for your SYSTEM drive to install the NLM.
What you can do, if you really want to, is use the NPP on a Novell server without the NLM. However, it would be the same as using the byte-range driver with a Novell server. It's slower and a bit messy under the hood, but it will give you the WinXX protection you need. That's why you can use it for a workstation or two, but any more than that, the NLM's the only way to go, even for the 5 users. I have a 3 user site we're using it on (10+ really, but only 3 banging on it) and wouldn't have them remove it. The GFE protection is worth every penny of it.