Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!imposter!mguyott
From: mguyott@imposter.samsung.com (Marc Guyott)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: NOVELL(Netware 386 vs Adv 2.15)
Summary: Novell networks.
Keywords: Novell networks
Message-ID: <13623@samsung.samsung.com>
Date: 8 Apr 90 19:00:30 GMT
References: <21096@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU>
Sender: news@samsung.COM
Reply-To: mguyott@imposter.UUCP (Marc Guyott)
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Organization: Samsung Software America, Inc.
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In article <21096@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU> cook@sybil.cs.Buffalo.EDU
                                                       (John M. Cook) writes:
>Now my first of a
>series of questions was "How much faster will 386 run with 386 Netware
>vs 386 with Adv 2.15 in 286 mode?"

I'm not sure how much faster it will run but it should run faster.  Another
thing to consider is available software that will co-exist on the Novell
server in the same box.  Novell supports software known as VAPs (Value Added
Programs or something like that) which are specifically written to run on
a Novell server along with novells network operating system.  These are the
only other programs that can run on a dedicated novell server with the novell
operating system.  The VAP concept is only now beginning to catch on but if
you should decide that you want to run one or more VAPs on the server I believe
that you will find the performance under the 386 version of Netware will be
better then under the 286 version.  If you are going to spend the money to
get a 386 server I would recommend spending the money to get Netware/386.

>     We currently use our ELS II server as a workstation (Non-Dec),
>will Netware 386 allow us use the server as a workstation?

I believe you can intially set up your server to permit this but it really
limits the performance of the server and I believe that most people you talk
to will recommend against doing this.

>     I still can't see how an 386SX-16Mhz would be faster than a
>286-16Mhz.  I do understand the features of 386 machines, but if you
>run in 286 mode do you gain anything by having a 386 machine?

I thought you said that you were going to get a 25MHz 386?

>Since
>my company was not prepared to buy Netware 386, what would I gain or 
>loose by running Netware 386 on a 386SX-16Mhz vs Adv 2.15 on a
>286-20Mhz. (There are no type-o's yet I am talking about many
>different server options.)

My guess is Netware/286 on a 20MHz machine will be faster then Netware/386
on a 16MHz machine.  But that's just a guess.

>     Since the company mainly has 12Mhz 286 machines, what size of
>server would be best with out over kill.  I was tempted to just get a
>20Mhz 286 server because the workstations will only be as fast as
>there 12Mhz clock.

But remember you may have up to a dozen 12MHz machines being serviced by
this one file server.  I would recommend the 20MHz machine.  Another thought,
you might want to talk to Novell and see if you can trade in your Netware/286
in a year to get a discounted version of Netware/386.  I believe they do things
like this and in that way you are not throwing away all of your investment
in the 286 setup.

>Since the load isn't that great but file activity
>will be quite often, should a larger machine be purchased?

I think you are contradicting yourself here.  You say the load will not be
that great but there will be a lot of file activity.  A lot of file activity
means that the load on the server will be significant.

The above are opinions based on my limited networking experience.  Use this
information at your own risk.                                   Marc
----
Two of the worst things we teach our children are that a knowledge of science
is nice but not necessary, and a knowledge of sex is necessary but not nice.

Marc Guyott	   Samsung Software America, Inc.    mguyott@samsung.com
(508) 685-7200	   Andover, Mass. 01810-2442 USA     ...!uunet!samsung!mguyott