Computernews: July-August 1992

42 Pages·1992·3.1 MB·English

by  Patricia Hood

university of toronto
computing services
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Distributed Computing
Maple Corner
ISSN 0315-4661 July/August 1992 No. 279
Good News for Site Licence Owners 1
Statistical Software Licences 115 2
Follow-up to Changes to WordPerfect Site Licence m
Eligibility Requirements 4
Changes in the UTCS Computer Course Fee Structure
Get Well-Connected with Novell NetWare 6
Securing Your Personal Computer Part 1 — Physical Security Devices 11
INTERNET Notes 15
IMSL Product Licence Reminder 22
Distributed Computing and Load Sharing 22
Maple Corner: News for Maple Users at U of T 24
UTCS Services
Consulting & Enquiries
UTCS Directory
Terminal and Advising Sites
UTCS Site Licences
PC Maintenance
UTCS Software List
Publisher Unless otherwise indicated, network addresses
University of Toronto Computing Sen/ices appearing after the author’s name pertain to
Toronto, Ontario NetNorth/BITNET/EARN.
Canada M5S 1C1
Permission is granted to reprint articles from
Editor: Patricia Hood ComputerNews for noncommercial purposes
provided the author, publication, and issue are
Editorial Assistant: Maureen Monne
acknowledged.
Publication Date: August 1, 1992
IBM PC, PC-XT, PC-AT, Personal System/2, Operating
Subscriptions System/2 are trademarks of IBM.
Subscriptions run for one year, beginning each Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation.
January. Changes should be entered on the LaserWriter is a registered trademark of Apple
form at the back of this issue and mailed to: Computer, Inc.
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ComputerNews, 4 Bancroft Avenue, Room 217
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ComputerNews is published eight times yearly Computer, Inc.
Microsoft Word and Microsoft Windows are trademarks
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of Microsoft Corporation.
(UTCS). Enquiries should be directed to:
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ComputerNews
Inc.
University of Toronto Computing Services
SAS is a trademark of SAS Institute Inc., Cary, N.C.
4 Bancroft Avenue, Room 217
SPSS’1 is a trademark of SPSS Inc.
Toronto, Ontario UNIX is a trademark of AT & T Laboratories.
Canada M5S 1A1
Network address: Acknowledgements
[email protected] Thanks to Elizabeth Rayson for her assistance
(NetNorth/BITNET/EARN) in editing this issue.
This newsletter was entirely produced on a Macintosh using PageMaker and other related Macintosh software.
News
Good News for Site Licence
Owners
SPSS users will receive renewal information closer to
Patricia Hood
their renewal date of November 1, 1992. If you are
[email protected]
considering purchasing an IMSL licence, please note that
Site licence owners have scored a small victory in the our licence agreement ends September 3, after which we
battle against rising costs and reduced budgets. UTCS will not be able to sell these licences.
site licence prices for most licences will remain the same While site licence technical changes are profiled in
as last year! There have been three increases only. more detail throughout this issue. I'd like to summarize
Novell licences have increased slightly due to fluctua¬ them here. SAS/UNIX Sun-3 and Sun-4 customers who
tions in the US exchange rate. The SAS/PC IML module renew will receive the complete suite of components
has increased in price because low demand over the (eleven products instead of the previous five) because of
past two years required that we reduce the number of a new licensing policy from SAS. SYSTAT MAC users
units we license. An increase in the SYSTAT yearly site may upgrade to version 5.2 (if they have appropriate
licensing fee, as well as the addition of SYSTAT for hardware) and anyone* may purchase the new SYSTAT
DOS, has caused an increase in the SYSTAT price. The for DOS that we have added to our site licence. New
price list, effective July 1, 1992, is printed below. (SPSS SYSTAT 5.2 documentation is available as well. Further
prices will be announced closer to the licence end date information about registration forms and renewals can be
of October 31, 1992.) obtained from Evelyn Ward at the UTCS Information
SAS, SYSTAT, and WATFOR-77 users who are Office, 978-4990.
required to renew their licences after July 1 should have
received new registration forms in the mail already. ‘Faculty, staff, and graduate students.
C++.$42.00 IMSL/A Graphics.$475.002 Maple-RS6000/320 .$300.00
Chaos I.$12.00 IMSL/A C Base .$445.002 Maple-Macintosh.$130.00
QuickMail.$35.00 IMSL/A Inter Doc. Fac.$140.002 Maple-MIP RC3230 .$300.00
QuickMail upgrade.$17.00 IMSL/A Install.S140.002 Maple-Sun-3 .$240.00
UNIX .$18.00 IMSL B Fortran.$565.002 Maple-Sun-4.$300.00
WordPerfect New.$42.00 IMSL/ B Graphics.$285.002 Maple-SGI IRIS.$300.00
WordPerfect Upgrade.$7.00 IMSL B C Base .$265.002 Maple-SGI/IRIS 50-80.$500.00
SAS/PC.$35.00 IMSL/ B C Inter. Doc. Fac.$87.002 Maple-SGI/IRIS 120-240.$760.00
SAS/PC IML.$31.00 IMSL/B Install.S87.002 Maple-PC.$200.00
SAS/PC ETS.$31.00
SAS/PC Network.$17.00 Novell 100 new .$4.873.003
SAS/PC IML Network.$16.00 Novell 100 upgrade.$2,088.003
SAS/PC ETS Network.$16.00 Novell 20 new .S2.506.003
’Until October 31, 1992
SAS/UNIX Sun-3 (Full) .$388.00 Novell 20 upgrade.$1.392.GO3
SAS/UNIX Sun-4 (Full) .$388.00 Novell 100 trade-in.$3,480.003
2Note: The IMSL licence
SPSS/PC .$40.00’ Novell 20 trade-in.$2,088.003
agreement ends September 3,
SPSS/PC network.$20.00’ Novell Mac.$438.003
1992. No licences will be sold
SYSTAT Mac DOS.$80.00 Novell NFS.$1.392.003
after that date.
SYSTAT network .$40.00
WATFOR-77.$40.00 Maple DEC2100 .$300.00
3Note: These prices have risen
Maple-DEC5000 .$500.00
due to fluctuations in the US
IMSL upfront cost.$588.002 Maple-DEC5400 .$760.00 exchange rate.
IMSL PC.$195.002 Maple-HP9000/300 .$300.00
IMSL A Fortran.$935.002 Maple-HP9000 700 .$430.00
ComputerNews July/August 1992 1
News____
Statistical Software Licences
Sandra Gardner
sgardner@vm. utcs. utoronto. ca
General News SASAJNIX
arrange to borrow the cartridge
tapes needed to upgrade your
This is the time of year that the There are no changes or enhance¬ software and to order manuals.
SAS (PC and UNIX) and SYSTAT ments for SAS release 6.03 software
(Macintosh) licences are renewed. (Sun-3 and Sun-4). SYSTAT 5.2 for
(SPSS/PC+ licences are renewed in For Sun-3 and Sun-4, SAS
November.) If you have not received Institute now bundles all available Macintosh
your renewal package in the mail, SAS release 6.07 modules under
please contact the Information Office one site licence fee. (Release 6.07
at 978-4990. The July 1, 1992 site requires SunOS 4.1.) Tables 2 and Users of SYSTAT 5.1 for Macin¬
licence prices are summarized in 3 describe which modules have tosh may upgrade their software to
Table 1. Please note that there is a been previously available, which SYSTAT 5.2. If you choose to
new SYSTAT for DOS licence (see modules have been added, and the upgrade, I highly recommend that
details below). For details about amount of disk space that is re¬ you purchase the new manual set.
software changes and enhance¬ quired. You may install as many The following quote from The
ments for existing site licences, see modules as you want. Please call SYSTAT Network Newsletter (Vol.,
the appropriate section below. the Information Office at 978-4990 to No. 1, Winter 1992, page 2) de-
A few users have expressed an
interest in obtaining a site licence for
SAS for OS/2, SAS for Windows Table 1
(when the product is released),
Site Licence Regular Price Network Price*
SPSS for OS/2, or SPSS for Win¬
SAS/PC:
dows (a new product). I have been
Basic Package (base, STAT, Graph, FSP) $35.00 $17.00
investigating the feasibility of
Additional Modules:
obtaining these licences but I have
IML $31.00 $16.00
nothing to announce at this time. As
ETS $31.00 $16.00
soon as a decision has been made
SAS UNIX (Sun-3, Sun-4):
about which site licences UTCS will
Complete package (all modules) $388.00 n/a
offer, and the necessary administra¬
SYSTAT 5.2 Macintosh $80.00 $40.00
tive support has been arranged, the
SYSTAT 5.0 DOS $80.00 $40.00
user communities will be notified
* minimum three machines.
about hardware and software
requirements, the licence fees, Table 2
procedures for converting from a PC/
Sun3: Module Disk Space Size of Optional
DOS site licence, and technical
(in MB) Samples (in MB)
support issues.
Base SAS * 17.8 1.5
SAS/AF 0.5 0.02
SAS/PC SAS/ASSIST 10.6
SAS/CONNECT 0.4 0.02
SAS/ETS 2.7 0.2
There are no changes or enhance¬
SAS/FSP* 0.6 0.1
ments to the SAS under PC/DOS
SAS/GRAPH* 7.8 0.8
site licence; i.e., there are no new
SAS/GRAPH map data sets* 36.6/11.8**
modules or procedures to add to
SAS/IML* 2.0 0.4
your existing installation(s).
SAS/INSIGHT 2.0
SAS/OR 5.6 0.4
SAS/QC 10.0 0.6
SAS/STAT* 6.0 0.7
* Previously licensed module. ** Compressed.
2 ComputerNews July/August 1992
News
scribes the major enhancements to TAT 5.2 requires a Macintosh (with easier to learn and use than SAS/PC
the SYSTAT software: or without a math coprocessor) with or SPSS/PC+, especially for people
a minimum of two megabytes (MB) who need only occasional access to
“SYSTAT 5.2 offers significant of Random Access Memory (RAM), a statistical package. The annual
improvements over version 5.1, in System 6.0.2 or higher, and 4.5MB fee is $80 per machine and the
both speed of processing and of hard disk space. complete manual set can be pur¬
responsiveness of the user interface. To upgrade your SYSTAT soft¬ chased for an additional $58. (See
Menu choices are refined for faster ware or install SYSTAT on a new Table 1 for Network pricing.) SYS¬
analysis of complex data sets, with computer, please bring three TAT for DOS users are encouraged
fewer clicks of the mouse. The formatted double density diskettes to to call the SYSTAT technical support
software continues to offer a broad the Information Office at 4 Bancroft line if they need assistance using the
range of statistical analyses, Includ¬ Ave., Room 201. software. No courses will be offered
ing the most complete implementa¬ (See the new Installation Service by UTCS.
tion of the general linear model yet below.) SYSTAT for DOS is menu driven,
available on the Macintosh. Major easy to use, and has minimal
statistical improvements include hardware requirements (approxi¬
Network SYSTAT 5.1.1
repeated measures analysis, mately 7MB of hard disk space and
handling of categorical data, hypoth¬ for Macintosh 640 kilobytes of RAM). A math
esis testing, and means model coprocessor is recommended but
coding. (The means model is useful not required. The site licence
for designs that have missing cells, At the time of writing, Network includes SYGRAPH, the graphics
or have cells with unequal n values SYSTAT 5.1.1 was still the current module, along with the statistical
that reflect population differences.) version for Macintosh networks. modules which perform simple
Stepwise regression output now has SYSTAT, Inc. is planning to release descriptive statistics, crosstabs,
options for forward, backward and Network SYSTAT 5.2 soon. nonparametric statistics, correla¬
interactive model building. ” Licencees will be eligible to upgrade tions, linear and nonlinear regres¬
“Additional hypothesis tests when the software becomes avail¬ sion, ANOVA, ANCOVA, MANOVA,
include a method for arbitrary able. Please call the Information repeated measures, discriminant
contrasts of effects or means, and Office at 978-4990 for upgrade analysis, principal components,
new post hoc methods: Scheffe, procedures. You must renew your multidimensional scaling, cluster
one- and two-sided Dunnett, network licences for the 1992/93 analysis, and time series analysis. A
Bonferroni, Fisher’s LSD, and Tukey- contract year to receive the upgrade. program (MACPC) is provided to
Kramer. Version 5.2 also calculates translate SYSTAT system files to
Greenhouse/Geyser and Huynh- and from MAC and IBM format.
SYSTAT 5.0 for DOS
Feldt p values." SYSTAT can also import dBASE
files and Lotus spreadsheets, which
SYSTAT 5.2 also takes advantage I would like to announce the new will aid in the transfer of data
of Apple’s new QuickTime software SYSTAT for DOS site licence. This between SYSTAT, SAS/PC, and
and is System 7 compatible. SYS¬ licence was acquired because it is SPSS/PC+.
If you would like to acquire a
SYSTAT for DOS licence, please call
Table 3
the Information Office at 978-4990 to
Sun4: Module Disk Space Size of Optional obtain the registration contract and
(in MB) Samples (in MB) to arrange to borrow the diskettes for
Base SAS * 21.8 1.5 installation (see new Installation
SAS/AF 0.5 0.02 Service described below).
SAS/ASSIST 10.5
SAS/CONNECT 0.4 0.02
SYSNET
SAS/EST 3.0 0.2
SAS/FSP* 0.7 0.1
SAS/GRAPH* 7.9 0.8 SYSTAT, Inc. sends UTCS
SAS/GRAPH map data sets* 37.4/12.0** multiple copies of their newsletter
SAS/IML 1.6 0.4 SYSNET, The SYSTAT Network
SAS/INSIGHT 1.9 which covers Macintosh and DOS
SAS/OR 5.7 0.3 topics. The latest volume is avail¬
SAS/QC 9.5 0.6 able at the Information Office.
SAS/STAT 7.0 0.7
* Previously licensed module. ** Compressed.
ComputerNews July/August 1992 3
News
Installation Service tion service will be coordinated through the Information
Office at 978-4990. When a request for installation
Starting in September, 1992, UTCS will be offering an service is received by the Information Office, a meeting
installation service for our PC/DOS and Macintosh time and place will be arranged for the installation of
licences on the University of Toronto campuses. The fee software.
is $60 per hour (length of time required depends on the If you have any questions or you would like to see a
site licence). Travel time to the Scarborough and demonstration of any of the products, please call Sandra
Erindale campuses will be charged as well. The installa¬ Gardner at 978-5128.
Follow-up to Changes to
WordPerfect Site Licence
Eligibility Requirements
Patricia Hood
phood@vm. utcs. utoronto.ca
In the May/June issue of ComputerNews I announced the University of Toronto. (While a cross-appointed
that WordPerfect Corporation was formulating a new researcher may qualify, his or her hospital-employed
policy pertaining to the relationship between universities administration staff would not.)
and hospitals in Canada. The official policy is now in In summary, the conditions of use for all WordPerfect
place, allowing hospitals greater freedom in negotiating 5.1 licences administered by UTCS are:
their own licensing agreements directly with WPCorp in
Utah. WordPerfect felt the policy was necessary be¬ 1. The licences must be purchased by University
cause some hospitals were abusing the School Software of Toronto employees.
Licensing Program. 2. The software must be used on the University of
The official policy as it pertains to the University of Toronto campus by current employees and
Toronto is much the same as the temporary policy stated students of the University of Toronto.
last month. Hospital offices and classrooms used 3. The software remains the property of the
exclusively for educational purposes by University of University of Toronto, and reverts to it should
Toronto employees and students qualify as part of the the purchaser leave the employ of the
University of Toronto campus and are eligible for the University.
current School Software Licensing Program administered 4. A separate licence must be purchased for each
by UTCS. Under the policy, offices used for private machine on which WordPerfect is installed.
practices do not qualify. The software cannot be used by
persons who are not current employees or students of
4 ComputerNews July/August 1992
News
Changes in the UTCS Computer
Course Fee Structure
Irene Rosiecki
rosiecki@vm. utcs. utoronto.ca
A part of UTCS’ mandate is to University of Toronto. bottom of the table will be available
offer computer training in selected Beginning with September in the near future.
computer applications to University courses, UTCS will increase fees. All courses are offered on an
of Toronto faculty, staff, and gradu¬ The new schedule of course fees ongoing basis. Please call Irene
ate students. These computer appears below. Rosiecki, Education Coordinator, at
applications are ones that are New courses are being added as 978-4565 for course dates, times,
supported by the Computing and well. The courses listed at the and registration information.
Communications Division at the
Existing Courses New Fee Course Duration
Introduction to dBASE IV $200.00 15 hours
Introduction to DOS $135.00 10 hours
Introduction to Excel on the Macintosh $200.00 15 hours
Introduction to FoxBASE+/Mac $200.00 15 hours
HyperCard Seminar $80.00 6 hours
Introduction to Lotus 1-2-3 $200.00 15 hours
Introduction to PageMaker 4.0 $160.00 12 hours
Introduction to SAS on the PC $135.00 10 hours
Intermediate SAS-Data Processing $200.00 15 hours
Intermediate SAS-Statistics $200.00 15 hours
SAS/GRAPH Seminar $55.00 4 hours
Introduction to Microsoft Word on the Macintosh $160.00 12 hours
Introduction to WordPerfect 5.1 $160.00 12 hours
Advanced WordPerfect 5.1 $135.00 10 hours
New Courses Fee Course Duration
Introduction to the Macintosh $55.00 4 hours
Introduction to Microsoft Word on the PC $160.00 12 hours
Introduction to the PC $40.00 3 hours
Managing Your Hard Disk $55.00 4 hours
ComputerNews July/August 1992 5
Features __
Get Well-Connected with Novell
NetWare
David Sutherland
da vids@gpu. utcs. utoronto. ca
NetWare began as a collection of computer programs speed tape drive on every computer. Locating files on a
that allowed MS-DOS computers to share a common network server simplifies the backup process. One
hard disk and printer. Today, this functionality has been individual in a department can have the responsibility of
extended to enable Macintosh, OS/2, MS-DOS and backing up the network, rather than relying on each
UNIX-based computers to share common disks and individual to do the job themselves. Many backup
printers. In addition, more recently developed NetWare utilities can be programmed to automatically do the
products allow the sharing of modems, remote access to backups during off-hours, so that there is minimal need
MS-DOS application programs, connectivity to various for human intervention.
mainframe and mini-computer environments, as well as Security. A typical personal computer in an office or
the use of distributed database applications. undergraduate lab is very accessible. There are few
mechanisms to prevent an unauthorized individual from
using the machine, making a copy of the software on the
What are She Benefits of a Network?
machine, or reading or damaging files that might be
stored on it. Networks generally provide the tools to
The primary reason to install a network is to provide control and monitor the use of the facilities on the
network users with capabilities not available to users of network.
standalone computers. Typical goals for installing a
network in the workplace are listed below.
Reduced Capital Costs
Shared Information
The section in this article titled Network Versus Non-
Networked Budget shows that reduced capital costs are
Sharing information is an important part of many jobs. not necessarily the greatest benefit resulting from using
A network makes it possible to share information without a Novell network. Falling prices of hard disks have
physically moving it using floppy diskettes or paper. In narrowed the cost advantages of shared hard disks over
addition, a network makes it possible to create new types individual ones. The total per-machine cost of a network
of activities, whereby many people can work with the connection can be as much as, or more than, the cost of
same information at the same time. Two examples of a medium-sized hard disk.
these new types of activities are distributed database Still, when a hard disk is shared, individual require¬
use, and electronic mail and conferencing. ments for storage space are reduced. For example, a
single copy of WordPerfect requires about four mega¬
bytes (MB) of disk space. On a network, this single copy
Reduced Operational Costs
would be shared by many people. By contrast, an office
or lab that has ten individual computers would require
Many tasks (such as installing new versions of software) almost 40MB of disk space (10 x 4MB) to store the
can be done once, to benefit all the people on the multiple copies of WordPerfect.
network. This reduces the amount of time spent going Networks also allow users to share printers. Unlike
from machine to machine. A network’s ability to central¬ hard disks, high-quality laser printers are still relatively
ize many basic computer “housekeeping” functions expensive, particularly when you consider the small
makes it easier to maintain computers on a network. amount of time an individual uses the printer. A network
Two important housekeeping items are backup and allows many people to use a single printer, thus maxi¬
security. mizing efficiency.
Backup. The average personal computer does not The most impressive advantage of Novell networks,
come with any features that encourage regular backups, however, is their ability to make the task of communicat¬
and most departments cannot afford to install a high ing within the University much more straightforward.
6 ComputerNews July/August 1992
Features
Assuming that his or her department and so that performing the operation like those running under Windows or
has purchased the appropriate does not interfere with other users’ OS/2. No doubt some people will
software and has the appropriate work. object that our choices exceed their
connectors, a University employee Networks also increase the requirements, and others may point
whose personal computer is linked complexity of the existing computer out that we should have selected
to a Novell network no longer needs environment, since additional more powerful equipment. However,
to use a modem, a terminal, or a network hardware and software the goal of this budget exercise is to
leased communication line to need to be installed and maintained. create a model which allows us to
connect to the University’s adminis¬ User accounts need to be created, understand the effect that a network
trative mainframe. This can reduce and passwords and security controls can have on an information technol¬
the amount of money spent on need to be defined and maintained. ogy budget. No effort has been
leased communications lines, The installation and configuration of made to optimize either the
modems, and terminals throughout the network versions of standard standalone or network configurations
the University as a whole. software (e.g., WordPerfect) require (i.e., to account for individual price
much more technical background and quality variations in equipment).
than the comparable non-network While such an effort would be
Problems with Networks
installation. necessary for a "real world” installa¬
tion, it only complicates our attempt
Sharing a computer network is just to compare equivalent equipment in
Network Versus Non-
like sharing a house—it depends on this case.
cooperation, common interest, and Network Budget
compatibility to be successful. In
Workstation Assumptions
order for the network to be success¬
ful, it must meet the needs of the This section describes a sample
people who will use it. Novell NetWare installation, and The basic workstation uses a 33
Sharing a printer in an office is a compares it to a non-networked megahertz (MHz) 80386 with 4MB of
good case in point. It is common to system in terms of total cost and cost random access memory (RAM), with
change between letterhead, legal, per workstation. ample expansion capabilities for
and letter size papers during the additional memory, adapter boards,
course of a day. When a printer is and drives.
Basic Assumptions
directly connected to a computer, The standalone units are equipped
this task is as easy as changing the with 100MB drives in order to
paper tray, and has little impact We have chosen equipment that support the additional storage
other people's work. When network has the resources to support existing requirements of a GUI-based
printing is introduced into an office, it MS-DOS software. The equipment operating system, and to provide
must be configured so that selecting is also suitable for Graphical User adequate storage for the individual
paper types is a simple operation, Interface (GUI)-based applications, data files. Each standalone unit also
has its own tape backup device and
laser printer.
Figure 1: Network installations are less expensive than large
The network units are equipped
standalone Installations.
with 50MB drives in order to provide
local disk space for a GUI-based
Total Cost
operating system. All applications
$400,000.00 software and user data will be stored
on the fileserver. Printing and
$350,000.00 backup services will also be provided
via the network.
$300,000.00
$250,000.00 Fileserver Assumptions
$200,000.00
For the 100-user network, we
selected an IBM PS/2 Model 95, and
$150,000.00
added a one gigabyte hard disk. For
both the ten- and the twenty-user
$100,000.00
networks, we selected an IBM PS/2
Model 80 with a 310MB hard disk.
$50,000.00
Both these computers offer consider¬
$0.00 able expansion capabilities, making
5 user 10 user 20 user 100 user
ComputerNews July/August 1992 7
Features
it easy to add additional storage Cost Per Workstation
capacity, memory, and high perform¬
ance network interface cards as they $4,000.00
are needed. For the five-user
$3,500.00
network, we have selected a stan¬
dard 33MHz 80386 compatible
$3,000.00
computer that uses an IDE drive and
ISA adapter cards.
$2,500.00
The “Total Cost” chart (Figure 1,
previous page) shows that large
$2,000.00
network installations are less expen¬
sive than large standalone installa¬ $1,500.00
tions. However, if you need a smaller
number of computers (i.e., for $1,000.00
networks of five, ten, or twenty
users), networks are more expensive $500.00
to install than standalone computers.
It also shows that large installations $0.00
5 user 10 user 20 user 100 user
are expensive—period.
Many departments in the University Figure 2: The “per workstation" cost of the network installation
ranges from a high of $4,000 for the five-user network to a low of
are not large enough to make a
$2,800 for the 100-user network.
network installation more cost-
efficient than a standalone installa¬
tion, and it is often hard to argue in one involved in the network design “letter.txt”. NETX intercepts the
favour of the intangible benefits of who can see the whole picture. command from WordPerfect and
networks—such as improved secu¬ Technical decisions need to be determines whether “letter.txt” is
rity, backup, and communication—in made concerning the type of cable located on a local disk or a network
the face of shrinking budgets. used, and how the information is to disk. If it is on a network disk, NETX
The “per-workstation” cost of the be transmitted on the cable. Issues translates the command in to a
network installation ranges from a related to the user’s view of the format that the fileserver can
high of $4,000 for the five-user network, such as the structure of the understand, and passes the com¬
network to a low of $2,800 for the file system, the installation of the mand to the IPX program. IPX
100-user network. The standalone software, and configuration of the prepares the command for transmis¬
cost remains constant, regardless of user accounts, also need to be sion on the network. The fileserver
how many machines are being used. decided. then sends the desired information
These figures suggest that in order to The major hardware components back to your workstation (again
achieve any significant reductions in of a network (cables, NICs, comput¬ using a format that IPX and NETX
the University’s capital expenditures ers, and controllers) are shown in can understand). WordPerfect is
on personal computers, it is neces¬ Figure 3. unaware that it is receiving informa¬
sary that smaller groups (e.g., two or tion from the fileserver, and not from
three departments) cooperate in the workstation’s own hard disk.
The Workstation
establishing shared computing In this way, NETX is able to make
facilities. it appear that there are hard disks
Some trickery is needed to enable available on the workstation when
an MS-DOS computer to communi¬ these disks are, in fact, located on a
Elements of a NetWare
cate with a Novell fileserver. The fileserver’s hard disk.
Network trick is accomplished using two
programs, NETX and IPX. Each
The Fileserver
program has a specific role. Figure
The two basic elements of a Novell 4 (page 10) describes the process in
network are the software and the detail, and the example below Novell calls their product a
hardware. The type of software the should help you understand it better. “Network Operating System”. This
computer is running determines For example, you want to open a means that when the NetWare
whether it is a fileserver or a work¬ WordPerfect file on your workstation, software is installed on a computer, it
station. Network cables and the which is connected via a Novell provides its own facilities for control¬
network interface card (NIC) make up network to a fileserver elsewhere in ling the disk drives, communicating
the hardware element. Because the your department. With WordPerfect with the network, and operating the
range of network-related issues is so running on your machine, you would keyboard and screen. As a result,
varied, it is important to have some- ask WordPerfect to load the file MS-DOS applications programs—
8 ComputerNews July/August 1992