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Welcome to Lesson 10, Day 1 - Chapter 9 - Understanding Complex Networks

Course Notes

Lesson 10 Notes

Interconnectivity in Multivendor Environments - aka Interoperability

Seldom, if ever, are all desktop computers and servers made by the same hardware manufacturer or run the same brand of operating system. This poses a special set of problems that the major networking vendors have attempted to address.

Implementing Mulitvendor Solutions
T here are two methods which can be used to implement multivendor network environments, client-based and server-based. The solution chosen depends on the vendors involved.

• Client-Based Solution
  
  • By implementing multiple redirectors (or requestors), the client’s NOS is able to determine to which network’s resource the request should be sent.
    
  • Please note that the label for the Client for NetWare Networks in Figure 9-2 in your text is incorrect. The component of the NetWare client operating system that performs the tasks of the Microsoft redirector is called the requestor.
    
• Server-Based Solution
  
  • Servers, such as Windows 2000 Server, can load services specifically designed for other vendor’s client systems. For example, Services for Macintosh or File and Print Services for NetWare can be installed on a Windows Server to provide connectivity to Macintosh and NetWare clients.
    
  • Vendor Options
    Microsoft, Novell, Linux and Apple all try to provide connectivity across all platforms. Although Linux is actually a type of operating system, rather than a vendor, general Linux specifications are referred to throughout the chapter as if it were a particular vendor’s operating system.
    
    • The Microsoft redirector which recognizes Microsoft networks is included in all the Windows OSs: Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows NT, Windows ME, Windows 9x and also Windows for Workgroups. By installing the operating system, you have automatically installed the Microsoft redirector (Client for Microsoft Networks). Microsoft's Client Service for NetWare (CSNW) is allows Windows NT Workstation and Windows 2000 Professional computers to attach to Novell NetWare servers. The Gateway Service (GSNW) for NetWare provides similar connectivity to Windows Server computers.
      
    • MS-DOS clients can easily connect to any of the major NOSs. In the case of aMS-DOS client on a AppleTalk network, additional hardware is required. On a Linux network, the DOS client typically uses UNIX-derived client software such as PC-NFS.
      
    • Novell NetWare provides file and print services for other vendors' products via the requestor (NetWare Client). The NetWare OS includes requestors (the corresponding service known as a redirector in Microsoft terminology) for MS-DOS, OS/2, Windows 2000 and Windows NT clients.
      
    • On every Apple Macintosh computer resides the system files and hardware required for these computers to communicate in an AppleTalk network. By installing the Service for Macintosh on a Windows Server, Apple clients are able to utilize the full services available on a Windows server.
      
    • Most Linux implementations use an implementation of the Network File System (NFS), a distributed file system native to UNIX. Linux administrators often choose to add a service to their Linux servers, rather than to add software to all the clients who need access to resources on a Linux server. This service is named Samba. It is used primarily for three reasons: it cuts down on the amount of work needed to load; it is open source and can be downloaded for free from the Internet; and since it allows the Linux server to "appear" as a MS server to Windows clients, no extra software is needed for those clients to access the server resources.

Want to know the particulars of connecting your Windows 2000 client to a NetWare server? Microsoft tells you how. (click here)

Check out the link about the new Linux version on NWFusion.com: Developers release Linux for clustered computing

Lesson 10, Day 1 Assignment

You have been asked to design a network for a small advertising firm. They are currently running Macintosh and Windows 98 computers, and are interested in installing a Windows 2000 Server. Costs for this project must be kept to a minimum. Describe the configurations (services to be installed, etc.) of all computers in this network.

What do you do?

Remember to keep up with your on-line lessons and quizzes!

mdm