Running NetWare 286 
===================                                         May 1993

NetWare 286 Server drivers from the MADGE Bulletin Board 
--------------------------------------------------------

  The NetWare server drivers that you have downloaded should be copied
to a floppy disk with label "LAN_DRV_465". They are suitable for use with
Novell NetWare V2.15 revC and Novell NetWare V2.20.

   In  order to allow more Ringnodes and hard disk drivers to 
be used in the same server part of the Ringnode  driver  code  has 
been  transferred  into a file called MDG28602.BIN. (This contains the 
binary code that will be executed on the Madge Ringnodes) This must be 
present in the SYS:SYSTEM directory when the server is booted  (or  on 
the  A:  drive  if  booting a NetWare router). If upgrading your Madge 
software on an installed server then  simply  copy  the  file  to  the 
SYS:SYSTEM  directory  before  re-installing  the  server with the new 
drivers. If you are installing a new server then the  file  should  be 
copied  to the SYSTEM floppy disk for NETWARE V2.15 revC or the SYSTEM 
directory of the DOSUTIL-.1  disk  for  NetWare  V2.2  before  running 
NETGEN\INSTALL. 

When  using  ROUTEGEN  to  configure  a  router, this method may cause 
problems if you choose the real mode, dedicated router option. This is 
because memory is allocated first to  the  communication  buffers  and 
whatever  is left can then be allocated to the driver. You can quickly 
calculate if you are going to have this problem:

e.g a ROUTER.EXE file of  200KB  will  leave  about  260KB  of  memory 
allocatable when booted from DOS. Each driver requires 50KB of memory. 
The  communication  buffers  require  approximately (no.  of buffers * 
frame size)KB. So allocating  40  communication  buffers  in  ROUTEGEN 
(this is the minimum) with 4K drivers should (just) work!
 

Reconfiguring for different frame sizes and node addresses
----------------------------------------------------------
We supply an optional pre-installation  configuration  utility  called 
MCONFIG  for  reconfiguring NetWare 286 server drivers max. frame size 
and node addresses. (Please see 'Using MCONFIG')

The server drivers supplied are configured for the standard 1K maximum 
frame size used by NetWare 286  servers.   Tests  show  that  in  some 
circumstances server performance may be improved by using a 4K maximum 
frame  size  (see the 'file server processes' section). It is possible 
to reconfigure the server drivers supplied with this release using the 
MCONFIG utility for maximum framesizes of 1K, 2K, or  4K.   Note  that 
frame  sizes  of  greater  than  1K  are only used if supported by the 
workstation IPX software. If the selected frame sizes for  drivers  A, 
B, C, and  D  differ,  then the Frame Size displayed at  configuration
becomes "?K". This is  because it  cannot  be determined  which driver 
(and therefore which frame size) is used for each configuration option.


Remote booting workstations fitted with IBM token ring adapters
---------------------------------------------------------------
Note that the server drivers supplied with this release do not support 
the  NetWare  RPL VAP that is required for remote booting workstations 
fitted with IBM token-ring adapters. This  VAP  is  not  required  for 
remote  booting  workstations  fitted  with Smart Ringnodes (using the 
Novell 'Remote Reset System').


Using earlier NetWare versions than V2.15 revC
----------------------------------------------
The  driver  ".LAN"  files  supplied on this disk have 'extended IDs', 
unique to Madge Networks, which should never conflict with  any  other 
driver. Unfortunately they cannot be used with Netware server versions 
prior  to  V2.15  revC.


File Server Processes (FSPs) on NetWare V2.15 REVC servers
----------------------------------------------------------
This  section  is  only  of  concern  to  users  of NetWare V2.15 revC 
servers.  It is as great a concern  to  NetWare  V2.2  users,  due  to 
(D_GROUP) memory re-organisation.

FSPs are a valuable resource on  Netware  286  servers.   They  affect 
server  performance  when  multiple  workstations  are  simultaneously 
performing filing tasks. The number of available FSPs (shown by typing 
CONFIG on the server console) is the  maximum  number  of  workstation 
filing  tasks  that the server can undertake at one time.  Any further 
workstation's filing  requests  have  to  wait  until  free  FSPs  are 
available,  reducing  performance  for  these machines.  Tpically, you 
have about 4 available FSPs on a NetWare 2.15 revC server.  Note  that 
every VAP loaded uses up one of these 4 FSPs. If you reconfigured your 
server  drivers, using MCONFIG, to use a 4K maximum frame size and you 
find that the number of FSPs is too low, reduce your driver's  maximum 
frame  size  to  1K  or 2K. You typically get an extra 1 or 2 FSPs per 
Ringnode driver by using a 1K maximum  frame  size  instead  of  a  4K 
maximum  frame  size.  A  compromise  between  maximum  frame size and 
available FSPs gives the best performance.



