Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!sdd.hp.com!think.com!linus!agate!shelby!msi.umn.edu!noc.MR.NET!nic.stolaf.edu!thor.acc.stolaf.edu!fritchie From: fritchie@thor.acc.stolaf.edu (Scott Fritchie) Newsgroups: comp.sys.novell Subject: Re: CD-ROM with a Novell server Message-ID: <1990Dec12.065700.6997@acc.stolaf.edu> Date: 12 Dec 90 06:57:00 GMT Sender: news@acc.stolaf.edu (brett m rabe; Jiffy Script Inc.) Reply-To: fritchie@thor.acc.stolaf.edu (Scott Fritchie) Organization: St. Olaf College; Northfield, MN Lines: 65 My apologies if this has been posted more than once -- I've been having dreadful problems with inews... In article adyer@milo.wyse.com (Andrew Dyer x2446) writes: We have an Amdek LaserDek CD-ROM drive, and we would like to connect it to our Novell server so that the drive can be accessed by all of the client machines. We are running version 2.15. Has anyone successfully done this? If so, how much did it cost? Was any custom software required? There are a couple of ways to do it. The first is to set aside a PC to act as a dedicated CD-ROM server. I've evaluated 2 products that pescefully coexist with IPX/SPX: On-Line Computer Systems's Opti-Net. Usually sold as a software-only package. Blew away LANTtastic (Artisoft) and CD Connection (CBIS) in terms of throughput for use with _our CD-ROM applications_. (US zipcode database, interactive and batch queries, ArcList interface) Your mileage may vary. Also works with NetBIOS networks. CBIS's CD Connection. Usually sold as a PC tower/software package (tower holds up to 7 CD-ROM drives ... NEC SCSI drives if I remember correctly). Meridian Data's CD-NET is another tower/software package. Unlike CBIS, Meridian seemed very unwilling to sell the software only -- since we've got more than enough PCs and CD-ROM drives, we didn't both pushing for an evaluation. Also claimed to work with Novell networks. Artisoft's LANtastic is a NetBIOS-compatible peer-to-peer network which supports CD-ROM sharing. I've evaluated a 2-node package: very nice, slick, and generally fast network for those who don't want or need the Novell complexity. The CD-ROM performance was a bit disappointing, but I think I can blame the CD-ROM unit I was using (Hitachi 1503S with the proprietary IFI-4A interface card, HITACHIA.SYS driver) than I can the LANtastic package. If you are unwilling to dedicate another PC to network serving duty, I found out something of note. After talking to countless sales and tech reps at Novell, I found a rumor that On-Line was developing Novell file-server support for CD-ROM. ["Darn well about time," I said.] It turns out that On-Line has released a Novell 286 VAP supporting CD-ROM drives. I don't have all of the marketing details in front of me, so you'll have to post or mail a reply if you'd like me to dig it up. On-Line also confirmed that they are working on a Novell 386 NLM and should be ready to release it within the next couple of months. I have no idea if they are still on schedule.... Disclaimer: I don't represent any of the companies I've mentioned except my own (and barely that!). I'm just a satisfied reviewer for our internal purposes. -Scott --- Scott Fritchie, 4810 Underwood Ave., Omaha, NE 68132-2420 USA 402.553.4084 Government Services, American Express's Integrated Marketing Services Play: fritchie@acc.stolaf.edu ..!umn-cs!stolaf!fritchie Work: 402.498.2124 "Yeah, boss, I'll be in late today. UNIX refuses to boot on my Ford."