Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!apple!portal!cup.portal.com!Jons
From: Jons@cup.portal.com (Jonathan S Spangler)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.novell
Subject: Re: Revamping a novell network.  Ideas needed.
Message-ID: <41957@cup.portal.com>
Date: 3 May 91 09:27:58 GMT
References: <1991May2.200911.21003@gmuvax2.gmu.edu>
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 65

>
>		1) Can a SCSI and an MFM co-exist in the server in  
>		   this environment?

Yes. 

>		2) What SCSI host adapters work well under this version
>		   of Netware? (I have used the adaptec 154[02]-[AB] 
>		   under Unix, and would be happy to use them.)  Do I 
>		   need drivers? 

I have worked with the Storage Dimensions SCSI stuff -- yes, it's a bit
more  to pay, but probably worth it in the long run. BTW, they use
Future Domain controllers (among others). They also have recently 
announced some bus master SCSI controllers that perform very well, even
under 286 NetWare.

>		3) Is 1k per 1meg of disk space the amount of memory to
>		   add for a new disk?  Does adding more than this help 
>		   anything?

Under 286 NetWare, there *is* such a thing as too much memory.
My NetWare v2.2 manual gives the following limits: Minimum RAM= 2.5Mb
Maximum Ram= 12Mb. As a general rule though, 1K per Mb is a good measure.

>		4) Are there any VAP's that handle full disk caching? 
>		   (The MFM drive is pretty slow) i

The VADD from Storage Dimensions takes full advantage of NetWare's caching.
This is more a function of the OS than a function of the disk
driver (unless, of course, we are talking about hardware caching).

>		5) Is there a networkable version of 1-2-3 available?
>		   (Something with a 1 user license is fine.)

Yes.

>	A related question:
>
>		How do network tape drives work?  Do you just mount a
>		tape in them at the file server, and then access them 
>		as if they were another volume?
>

This can get very expensive, very quickly. There are some tape manufacturers
that allow the tape drive to be installed in the server. Emerald has a 
package combo (hardware/software) that allows this. Wangtek and Adic are also
good tape backup buddies of Novell.

If cost is an issue though, put the tape drive on a workstation and do backup
from there. You can get 250Mb tape drives pretty reasonably these days.

>Thanks,
>	Mike
>-- 
>  |X|X| "Women,                                 Michael Andrew Hovan III |X|X|
>  |X|    Can't live with them,                  mhovan@gmuvax2.gmu.edu     |X|
>  |X|    Can't fry them in a WOK!"              George Mason University    |X|
>  |X|X|    -- MTV Half-Hour Comedy Hour         Fairfax, Virginia, USA   |X|X|

Hope this helps out.

Aloha,
Jonathan
jons@cup.portal.com