In this chapter we will describe the steps and options for installing NetWare 5. In the first section we will discuss the common install interface overview. In the second section we will compare simple and custom installation methods and in the third section we will use the GUI (Graphical User Interface) to perform a simple installation.

NetWare 5 offers two installation methods: a GUI installation and a text-based installation. The latter option is for servers that do not have sufficient RAM or processor speed.

The GUI server installation program starts out in text screens. These screens are used to gather information about the server, type of installation (new server or upgrade), regional settings (country, code page, and keyboard) and then it automatically checks for hardware devices such as storage devices, platform support modules, and network boards. After the appropriate drivers are detected and loaded, you create a NetWare partition and volume (SYS:). After the program creates your partition and volume, it mounts the volume and copies the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) files to the server. These files are required to continue the GUI part of the installation.

After the files for the JVM are installed, the GUI screens are loaded. The first screen is where we name our server. The subsequent screens are where we choose our protocols (IP, IPX, or both), time zone information, NDS information, license our server, and then choose whether to install any additional products (such as remote access or online documentation). After we complete these steps, we can choose to finish our installation or continue and customize our settings.

When installing NetWare 5 you have two installation methods to choose from: Simple Installation and Custom Installation. We will compare these two methods so you can decide which method meets your requirements.

Whether you are choosing a Simple or a Custom Installation, the basic process is the same. All NetWare 5 installations start out as Simple Installations. After you complete the Simple Installation, you can then choose to invoke the Custom Hallway (the new term for custom install). This part of the installation is where you can modify or customize your NetWare 5 server.

A Simple Installation is quick and requires minimal user input. The installation program assumes a series of default parameters, which we will discuss next.

The Server ID Number is randomly generated by the NetWare installation program. This number is a unique number that identifies the server on a network. (The Server ID Number was called the Internal IPX Number in older versions of NetWare.)

The installation program creates a SYS: volume by default. The volume is used to house the NetWare operating system and support files.

The installation program creates a single partition by default. The partition holds the SYS: volume.

The block size depends on the size of your volume. Novell recommends using the defaults shown in Table 13-1.

Using the defaults minimizes RAM and disk space. If you feel it is necessary to adjust the block size, keep in mind:

• Smaller block sizes require more server memory to track the File Allocation Table (FAT) and Directory Entry Table (DET).
• Larger block sizes use less RAM, but they waste more disk space unless you use block suballocation.

Block suballocation helps the NetWare 5 operating system conserve space by allowing fragments of data to share the same disk block. Disk blocks are divided into 512–byte suballocated blocks.

For example, if you were not using suballocation, a 5 KB file would require two 4 KB blocks (if the volume had its block size set to 4 KB), wasting 3 KB.

With block suballocation enabled, your 5 KB file uses only 5 KB. It uses one 4 KB block and two 512-byte suballocated blocks to form another 4 KB block. The suballocated block has 3 KB available for other files to use for their suballocated files.

With file compression enabled, files that are not used within a specified time are compressed to save disk space. When you access a compressed file, the NetWare 5 server automatically decompresses the file for use. The file will be compressed again only after it has remained unused for the specified time for file compression.

File compression is a valuable tool to save disk space. However, once you enable file compression the only way to remove it is to delete and recreate the volume.

This option can be disabled using the Custom Hallway feature of NetWare 5.

By default data migration is disabled. Data migration is the process of moving unused data to an external storage device (such as a disk, optical jukebox, or tape). The data movement is transparent to NetWare. NetWare perceives the data as local. When a user requests a file that has been moved to an external device, it is retrieved and delivered to the user making the request.

This option can be enabled using the Custom Hallway feature of NetWare 5.

A protocol is a language your server uses to communicate with other servers and workstations on your network. A frame type is an identifier for a protocol.

In NetWare 5 you can use TCP/IP as your protocol and its frame type is Ethernet_II. You can also use IPX/SPX as your protocol and its frame type is Ethernet 802.2. NetWare 5 will allow you to run both TCP/IP and IPX/SPX at the same time for compatibility with older networks that use only IPX/SPX or newer networks that only run TCP/IP. However, it is recommended that you choose one protocol for your server. This will increase the performance of your NetWare 5 server.

Be default your server is configured as a Single Reference Time Server if it’s the first server in your tree. Any subsequent server installed into the tree will be configured, by default, as a Secondary Time Server. These options can be changed using the Custom Hallway feature of NetWare 5. The NetWare 5 Simple Installation also autodetects hardware, as we’ll discuss next.

The NetWare 5 installation program automatically detects and loads the appropriate drivers for many of your storage devices (such as hard disks, tape drives, and optical disks). If your device is not recognized by the NetWare 5 installation program, you will be prompted for a CDM (Custom Device Module) or a HAM (Host Adapter Module) driver. These are the drivers supplied by the device manufacturer.

All of this is part of NetWare Peripheral Architecture (NWPA), which provides more flexibility and functionality in storage device support.

The NetWare 5 installation program automatically detects and loads the appropriate drivers for many of your network boards. If the NetWare 5 installation program does not recognize your network board, you will be prompted for a driver that was supplied by the device manufacturer.

Some hardware configurations and some multiprocessor configurations require a Platform Support Module or PSM. The NetWare 5 installation program automatically detects for the need of a PSM and loads the driver. If your installation does not load a PSM, your server does not require one.

As we saw earlier, all Custom Installations start out as Simple Installations. After we complete the Simple Installation, we have the option to enter the Custom Hallway, illustrated in Figure 13-1. This is where we can customize our NetWare 5 server to fit our needs. We can install optional programs, configure our protocols, modify our Directory Services, and make changes to our server’s file system. In this subsection we will talk about what changes you can make and why you might want to. Please keep in mind that the Simple Installation is designed for most business needs.

The Server ID Number is randomly generated by the NetWare installation program. Highlighting the Operating System option of the Custom Hallway screen will allow you to change this number. The number generated by the installation program is usually sufficient. However, if your company uses a filtering method or registered numbers, this is where you would change the number.

To add additional language support for your new NetWare 5 server, would choose the Language Tab and select from the following supported languages:

• English
• German
• Italian
• Spanish
• French
• Portuguese

Select one of the following options to view the file system:

• Disk View
• Volume View
• Partition View

From any of the views, you can do the following:

• Create a new partition.
• Create a new volume.
• Edit a volume or partition.
• Delete a volume or partition.

As we discussed earlier, for optimal performance it is safer to let NetWare configure your block size.

As we discussed earlier, suballocation is a tool that allows you to save valuable disk space by allowing multiple file fragments to share the same disk block. By default this option is enabled and this is where you would disable this option.

File compression is enabled by default. As we discussed earlier it is another way of saving disk space by compressing unused files and decompressing them when accessed by a user. Once file compression is enabled, the only way to remove it is to delete and recreate the volume.

Data migration is disabled by default. As we discussed earlier, this is another way of saving disk space by migrating unused files to an offline or near-line storage device. If you have such a device on your NetWare 5 server, you would enable this option here.

You can add, remove, or customize your protocol selections here.

As we discussed earlier your first server will be configured by default as a Single Reference and the other server installed into the tree will be configured as a Secondary Time Server thereafter.

In this section we will follow the steps to perform a Simple Installation using the GUI utility. Before we install NetWare 5, we must check that our equipment meets the minimum requirements:

• 486/66 or higher processor
• VGA or SVGA monitor (SVGA recommended)
• 250 MB of hard disk space
• 32 MB of RAM (48 MB recommended)
• Novell tested and approved network board
• PS/2 or serial mouse (optional but recommended)
• CD-ROM drive capable of reading ISO 9660 formatted CD-ROM disks

In the following sections, we will walk through the process of preparing the hardware for NetWare 5 installation.

After we have completed the DOS partition and successfully rebooted it, we must install our CD-ROM drivers on our DOS partition. The drivers we need were supplied with the CD-ROM.

This is where you will choose your country, keyboard mapping, and code page for your language and computer. Most installations will accept the default settings. If you require advanced customization, press the F3 key and choose your settings.

The NetWare 5 installation program will autodetect most storage devices, hard disks, tape drives, and CD-ROM drives. If the NetWare 5 installation program does not detect your device, you must provide the driver that was supplied by the device’s manufacturer. NetWare 5 no longer supports DSK drivers. NetWare 5 supports only Host Adapter Modules (HAM) or Custom Device Modules (CDM). This is part of NetWare 5 NWPA (NetWare Peripheral Architecture), and allows for more flexibility in driver support.

After you have loaded and configured your storage devices, it is time to load and configure your network adapter (NIC). Just like the storage devices, NetWare 5 will autodetect most network boards. If the NetWare 5 installation program does not detect the device, you must provide the driver that was supplied by the device’s manufacturer. Your server will require a separate driver for each NIC you have installed in the server.

After NetWare has the appropriate driver selected for our network card we must select a port value (a memory location that is associated with a hardware port) and a slot number (a number that identifies each piece of hardware). Network card devices that cannot be detected are not assigned a slot number. A slot number can be detected for PCMCIA, PnP ISA, EISA, PCI, and MCA. We must also select an INT (Interrupt or IRQ), which is how the device makes its requests known to the computer. No other device in the system can share an IRQ. IRQs are set through the device software.

Now we are ready to start configuring our server.

A partition is a logical division of a hard disk into smaller sections. You can have up to four partitions on a single drive.

A volume divides partitions into smaller sections. NetWare requires one volume named SYS: and it is automatically created. You can have up to eight volumes on one partition.

During the first part of the installation a single partition is created. You will have an opportunity to create additional partitions later during the installation. You can also create additional partitions after the installation using NWCONFIG.NLM.

The NetWare 5 server requires a volume named SYS:, which is automatically created and requires 150 MB of disk space. This volume will take up all available disk space of the partition unless you specify a different amount. I recommend you do not use all available space. This will allow you to create another volume for data and users. Novell recommends keeping your volume SYS: separate from your data volumes. You will have an opportunity to create additional volumes later during the installation.

Figure 13-2 illustrates the Server Properties screen. The first of the GUI screens, this is where we name our server. This name must be unique; no other server on your network can have the same name. The name can be between 2 and 47 characters long and can use dashes and underscores.

At this point we should have our partition and volume created. If we want to continue and create more partitions and volumes, we may do so at this point. For now we will continue and install the file system.

NetWare 5 is the first NetWare server operating system to process pure IP. NetWare 5 still supports IPX, but now you can settle on just one protocol for your network or both. Your NetWare 5 server will allow both protocols to be bound to the same NIC.

NetWare 5 offers a compatibility mode (CMD) that can be installed on your NetWare 5 server. This will allow your IP clients to transmit and receive data on your IPX segments as well as allow your IPX clients to transmit and receive data on your IP segments. CMD also allows your legacy NWIP clients to send and receive data across your network.

Using IP allows your network to send and receive data with other networks using IP. These networks include UNIX, Windows NT, and mainframes. To use IP, you will need an IP address, a subnet mask, and a gateway or router address.

NetWare 5 still supports IPX, which allows you to communicate with applications that were written for IPX. If you have applications that were written for IPX only and some written for IP only, you should run both protocols. If you run only IP, all IPX traffic will need to be encapsulated using the IP protocol.

Use the Protocols screen (illustrated in Figure 13-3), to select your protocol or protocols of choice. Highlight your NIC listed under the protocol of choice. To the right on the screen, click on Bind Protocol. If you were using IP as your protocol, you would be prompted to enter your IP address, Subnet Mask, and Router Address.

If you were using IPX, NetWare will automatically load and bind all detected IPX frame types for your NIC.

Figure 13-4 shows the Time Zone screen where you will select your server’s time and time zone. This is important for many reasons. If you live in an area with daylight savings time, your server will know when to change its time in the spring and fall.

The Novell Directory Services (NDS) provides global access to all networking resources. It governs file system rights, login restrictions, and access to network resources.

To install NDS you must first choose whether to install this server into an existing NDS tree or create a new NDS tree, as shown in Figure 13-5.

We will choose Create a New NDS Tree and choose NEXT. Now we must supply NetWare with our Tree Name, Container Name, and Admin Password (see Figure 13-6).

The NDS tree is the top level of available network resources and the tree name must be unique.

If you think of your NDS tree as a file cabinet, the containers are like drawers. You use containers in the same fashion you would use your file drawers, to separate resources by function or location or a mixture thereof. You want to name the containers based on your company profile. After we complete the installation, you can go back and add or subtract containers to fit your needs.

By default the NetWare installation program creates a user named ADMIN. This user is given full rights to manage your server and NDS tree. You are required to give this user a password and you will have to re-enter the password to ensure you typed it correctly. You can change the password later, after theinstallation.

After we have given our ADMIN a password, we choose NEXT, and the server does the following:

• Checks the NDS tree name to make sure it is unique
• Sets the time
• Initializes NDS
• Extends NDS schemas

The License screen is very important to your installation. If you do not have a server license, your server will default to a runtime version and allow only two connections.

Never use a server license more than once because the server will broadcast a License Violation message.

This screen (shown in Figure 13-7) will allow you to install additional products, such asremote access, NetWare online documentation, and Novell distributed Print Services (NDPS).

Place a check mark next to the options you wish to install and click on the NEXT button.

Review the Summary screen. After you accept the summary, your server will perform a main file copy and then return you to the server console.

Congratulations, you have just installed a NetWare 5 server! To further modify your server invoke the Custom Hallway and further enhance your server configuration. For more information see Chapter 16.

Before installing NetWare 5 on your server, the hardware needs to be cataloged and prepared for the installation. The server’s hard drive is no exception. Follow the manufacturer’s instruction carefully to make sure that all manually configured settings have been performed and the information recorded in an easily accessible place. Use the DOS FDISK.EXE utility to verify that the server hard drive has a DOS partition and the remaining disk space is unformatted free space (that’s where the NetWare Partition will be created during the installation process).

Although a 50MB DOS partition (minimum size for a successful installation) may not be large enough for a production server. You might want to have additional DOS partition space to accommodate future server service pack files, patches, fixes and drivers for devices that are called by the server boot files prior to the SYS: volume mounting. Also, make the DOS partition large enough to store a server core dump image file. It will take up as much space as the amount of installed RAM on the server, in other words, a core dump from a server with 128MB RAM will need 128MB of storage space (assuming that you don’t have another storage device to write this file to).

—by Dan Cheung, CNI, MCNE, MCT

In this chapter we have described the steps and options for installing NetWare 5, including the common install interface, simple and custom installation methods, and using the Graphical User Interface to perform a simple installation.

NetWare 5 offers a GUI installation and a text-based installation. The text-based installation is for servers that do not have sufficient RAM or processor speed.

The GUI server installation program starts out in text screens that are used to gather information about the server, type of installation, and regional settings. The server installation program then automatically checks for hardware devices, and detects and loads the appropriate drivers.

After the appropriate drivers are detected and loaded, a NetWare partition and volume (SYS:) are created. After the installation program creates the partition and volume, it mounts the volume and copies the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) files to the server.

The GUI screens are then loaded. The first screen is where the server is named. The subsequent screens are where protocols, time zone information, NDS information, license information, and additional product installations are specified. The installation can then finish or continue with customization.

There are two installation methods for NetWare 5: Simple Installation and Custom Installation. All NetWare 5 installations start out as Simple Installations. After the Simple Installation is completed, the Custom Hallway can be invoked, where the NetWare 5 server can be modified or customized.

A Simple Installation is quick and requires minimal user input. The installation program assumes a series of default parameters. Simple Installation is designed for most business needs.

The Custom Hallway can be used to install optional programs, configure protocols, modify Directory Services, and make changes to the server’s file system.