NETWARE DOS REQUESTER README (7/13/93) Print this file and save it for future reference. To print this file to a local printer, 1. Insert the INSTALL diskette into drive A: (or B:). 2. At the DOS prompt, type "A:" (or "B:") and press . 3. At the DOS prompt, type "COPY READVLM.TXT PRN" and press . NOTE: If you have a postscript printer, import this file into a word processing application and print from the application. CONTENTS 1. Description of NetWare DOS Requester Modules 2. Configurable Parameters 3. Questions and Answers Q1: Directory location of modules Q2: VLMs load order Q3: Disabling certain modules Q4: NetWare protocols load order Q5: NETX.COM with VLMs Q6: IPXNCP.VLM and IPXODI.COM Q7: Special considerations when running Windows 4. Caution List ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Description of NetWare DOS Requester Modules The NetWare DOS Requester consists of a number of files that provide NetWare support for a DOS client. Unlike previous versions of the NetWare DOS client, the Requester is built on a number of Virtual Loadable Modules (VLMs). The VLM.EXE (VLM manager) is responsible for loading the required modules. NOTE: The NetWare DOS Requester is NOT compatible with NETX.COM or NETX.EXE. Use NETX.VLM for compatibility with shell calls. The following table lists the current core modules in their default load order. The table also includes descriptions, default values, and flags indicating whether the module is 'Required' or 'Optional' for each of NetWare Directory Services or Bindery Services. MODULE DESCRIPTION NDS BIND ====== =========== === ==== CONN.VLM Connection table manager R R IPXNCP.VLM Transport protocol R R implementation using IPX TRAN.VLM Transport protocol multiplexor R R SECURITY.VLM NetWare enhanced security O O NDS.VLM NetWare protocol implementation R O using Directory Services BIND.VLM NetWare protocol implementation O R using the Bindery NWP.VLM NetWare protocol multiplexor R R FIO.VLM File Input/Output R R PRINT.VLM Printer Redirection O O GENERAL.VLM Miscellaneous functions for R R NETX.VLM and REDIR.VLM REDIR.VLM DOS redirector R R NETX.VLM NetWare shell compatibility O O RSA.VLM RSA encryption for directory O O services reauthentication AUTO.VLM Auto-reconnect/auto-retry O O NMR.VLM NetWare management responder O O ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Configurable Parameters The following table lists the configurable parameters for the various modules of the NetWare DOS Requester. Options marked with * are not required for shell compatibility. Options marked with a ^ do not necessarily have to be located under the NetWare DOS Requester heading. This list is complete and any parameters which may have been used previously by the Requester but are not listed here are considered obsolete. Parameter/Default Minimum Maximum Module ^ SET STATION TIME = ON VLM.EXE USE DEFAULTS = ON -- -- VLM.EXE VLM = -- 50 VLMs VLM.EXE MESSAGE LEVEL = 1 0 4 VLM.EXE 0 = V_LEVEL_STD; always display message and critical errors 1 = V_LEVEL_WARNING; display warning type messages 2 = V_LEVEL_PROG; display the program load message 3 = V_LEVEL_CONFIG; display configuration information 4 = V_LEVEL_DIAG; display diagnostic information NETWARE PROTOCOL = VLM.EXE Note: The is the list of protocols to be used (i.e. NDS or BIND) by the Requester in the order of their priority. Each protocol is separated by a comma or space in the list. CONNECTIONS = 8 2 50 CONN.VLM FIO.VLM NDS.VLM SECURITY.VLM AUTO.VLM AVERAGE NAME LENGTH = 48 2 48 CONN.VLM ^*MAX TASKS = 31 5 254 CONN.VLM LOAD LOW CONN = ON -- -- CONN.VLM LOAD CONN TABLE LOW = OFF -- -- CONN.VLM ^*CHECKSUM = 1 0 3 IPXNCP.VLM NWP.VLM 0 = disabled 1 = enabled but not preferred 2 = enabled and preferred 3 = required LARGE INTERNET PACKETS = ON -- -- IPXNCP.VLM NWP.VLM LOAD LOW IPXNCP = ON -- -- IPXNCP.VLM HANDLE NET ERRORS = ON -- -- IPXNCP.VLM ^ PREFERRED TREE = -- -- NDS.VLM NAME CONTEXT = "" -- -- NDS.VLM Note: Quotation marks are required. ^ PREFERRED SERVER = -- -- BIND.VLM ^ MESSAGE TIMEOUT = 0 0 10000 NWP.VLM ^*SIGNATURE LEVEL = 1 0 3 NWP.VLM SECURITY.VLM 0 = disabled 1 = enabled but not preferred 2 = preferred 3 = required NOTE: This parameter designates the level of enhanced security support. Enhanced security includes the use of a message digest algorithm and a per-connection/pre-request session state for increased protection against intruder attacks. When this parameter is set to 0 (disabled), the SECURITY.VLM will not load. ^*CACHE BUFFERS = 5 0 64 FIO.VLM CACHE BUFFER SIZE = (max media size - 64> 64 4096 FIO.VLM CACHE WRITES = ON -- -- FIO.VLM TRUE COMMIT = OFF -- -- FIO.VLM ^*PB BUFFERS = 3 0 10 FIO.VLM IPXNCP.VLM 0 = off nonzero = on ^ PBURST READ WINDOW SIZE = 64 2 64 FIO.VLM ^ PBURST WRITE WINDOW SIZE = 10 2 64 FIO.VLM ^*PRINT HEADER = 64 0 1024 PRINT.VLM ^*PRINT TAIL = 16 0 1024 PRINT.VLM PRINT BUFFER SIZE = 64 0 256 PRINT.VLM NETWORK PRINTERS = 3 0 9 PRINT.VLM NOTE: If set to 0, PRINT.VLM will not load. ^*LOCAL PRINTERS = 3 0 9 PRINT.VLM FIRST NETWORK DRIVE = A Z GENERAL.VLM NETX.VLM NOTE: If FIRST NETWORK DRIVE is not specified, it will default to the first available drive letter. ^*SEARCH MODE = 1 0 2 GENERAL.VLM ^*READ ONLY COMPATIBILITY = OFF -- -- REDIR.VLM ^*SHOW DOTS = OFF -- -- REDIR.VLM ^*DOS NAME = MSDOS 1 5 chars NETX.VLM GENERAL.VLM ^*LONG MACHINE TYPE = IBM_PC 1 6 chars NETX.VLM GENERAL.VLM ^*SHORT MACHINE TYPE = IBM 1 4 chars NETX.VLM GENERAL.VLM *AUTO RECONNECT = ON -- -- AUTO.VLM NDS.VLM Note: When this parameter is OFF, the AUTO.VLM load fails at pre-init time. AUTO RETRY = 0 0 3640 AUTO.VLM AUTO LARGE TABLE = OFF AUTO.VLM Note: When this parameter is OFF, the user name and password maximum lengths are 16 chars each for auto reconnect. BIND RECONNECT = OFF AUTO.VLM BIND.VLM ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Questions and Answers Q1. What directory do the modules get loaded from? A1. The current directory is used for VLMs. If you want to load VLMs from a specific directory, use the "VLM =" command in the configuration file. For example: VLM=C:\NWCLIENT\CONN.VLM To specify a path for the configuration file on the VLM command line, type a command similar to the following: VLM /C=C:\NWCLIENT\NET.CFG Q2. Are the VLMs load-order dependant? A2. Yes. For example, NWP.VLM is a multiplexor for NetWare protocol modules. Thus, you should load NetWare protocols (NDS.VLM or BIND.VLM) before NWP.VLM. Q3. How can I disable or not load certain modules? A3. There are three ways: * Rename the module with a different extension (for example,.SAV). This is the easiest way. * Delete the module (not recommended). * Configure the modules to be loaded in the configuration file (NET.CFG). Below is the syntax that gives the modules required for Directory Services: NETWARE DOS REQUESTER USE DEFAULTS = OFF VLM = CONN.VLM VLM = IPXNCP.VLM VLM = TRAN.VLM VLM = NDS.VLM VLM = BIND.VLM VLM = NWP.VLM VLM = FIO.VLM VLM = GENERAL.VLM VLM = REDIR.VLM Q4. Can I avoid loading all of the NetWare protocol modules if I don't need them all, and is load order a consideration for those as well? A4. Yes. There are two ways to address this: * Follow the instructions in A3 for the NetWare protocol modules that you don't need, and then specify the VLMs individually in your configuration file as shown above, with the NetWare protocol VLMs specified in the order you wish to load them. * Use the NETWARE PROTOCOL configuration parameter, specifying the NetWare protocol modules you wish to load in the order you wish to load them: NETWARE PROTOCOL = NDS,BIND Q5. Do I load NETX.COM with the VLMs? A5. NETX.COM conflicts with REDIR.VLM; REDIR.VLM won't load if NETX.COM is loaded and vice versa. However, NETX.VLM is designed to replace NETX.COM and be compatible with the NetWare DOS Requester. Q6. Since NETX.VLM is a replacement for NETX.COM, is IPXNCP.VLM a replacement for IPXODI.COM? A6. No. IPXNCP requires IPXODI.COM to be loaded. Q7. Are there any special considerations when I run Windows with the NetWare DOS Requester? A7. Yes. There are two considerations: * Do not use the expanded memory option. You can run Windows with the NetWare DOS Requester only if you use the extended memory option (which is preferred) or the conventional memory option. However, you can't run Windows with the VLMs if you use the expanded memory option. * The Windows SYSTEM.INI must be altered. The following parameter must be added and/or set to a non-zero value under the [386Enh] section of the SYSTEM.INI file: TimerCriticalSection= . For example: TimerCriticalSection=10000 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Caution List This list contains the known or suspected cautions introduced by the new architecture used in the NetWare DOS Requester versus the conventional NetWare Workstation Shell for DOS (NETX.COM v3.30). Legend to caution list: USER - User must make a change to achieve same function COMP - Compatibility issue at the API level DIFF - API compatibility but with different results FEAT - Noncritical feature not available at this time USER First available drive is different. The conventional NetWare Shell for DOS starts using drives after the LASTDRIVE parameter; NetWare DOS Requester starts using the first available drive before the LASTDRIVE parameter. Consequently, users often see drive D: as the first NetWare drive rather than drive F:. This means batch files assuming drive F: is the first drive must be altered, or drives D: and E: must be substituted (see DOS SUBST command) and the LASTDRIVE parameter adjusted to something above the default value of E:. USER Login drive prompt appears to be a root mapped drive. Because NetWare DOS Requester is a redirector on the back-end of DOS, no directory path can be in the drive structure maintained by DOS when the parent of the directory is unaccessible. This is the case with an unauthenticated connection and the drive mapped to the SYS:LOGIN directory. Users will see "D:\>" instead of "F:\LOGIN>" when they first load the DOS client software. COMP RENDIR.EXE can rename the current directory but the DOS current directory structures aren't updated. NCPs that use a path won't function properly. RENDIR.EXE will be changed to back up a directory before renaming the current one and then forward to it. This will fix the problem. COMP Currently there are no plans for long-term support of OS_VERSION, MACHINE, and SMACHINE in VLM (excluding NETX.VLM) similar to what the Netware shell does with Int 21h function EAh. DIFF NetWare DOS Requester requires users with IPXODI.COM version 2.0 to run IPXNCP.VLM. To support the packet burst ODI the SFT3 checksums, and the NetWare management responder, IPXNCP.VLM requires IPXODI.COM version 2.0 to be loaded with support for checksums and GNMA enabled (the version and the API support level are treated separately in IPXODI). DIFF Portions of the current diagnostics information supported in NETX.COM will appear to be idle in NETX.VLM. Because NetWare DOS Requester is responsible for much of the diagnostics information previously maintained in the NetWare Shell for DOS, some of the information maintained in the diagnostics responder won't be updated. Such information includes the following: Bad reply header (InvalidReplyHeaderCount) Bad slot (InvalidSlotCount) Bad sequence number (InvalidSequenceNumberCount) No router found (NoRouterFoundCount) Request in process (BeingProcessedCount) Bad server slot (InvalidSlotFromServerCount) Bad net address (NetworkGoneCount) Bad local address (BadLocalAddressCount) Allocate slot errors (AllocateSlotCannotFindRoute, AllocateNoSlotsAvailable, AllocateServerIsDown) The NetWare Management Responder will return information similar to that mentioned above. DIFF Search mode will use the ENVIRONMENT rather than the NETX.VLM public search mode table. This has no implications as long as the user doesn't corrupt the environment. DISCLAIMER Novell, Inc., makes no representations or warranties with respect to any NetWare software, and specifically disclaims any express or implied warranties of merchantability, title, or fitness for a particular purpose. Distribution of any NetWare software is forbidden without the express written consent of Novell, Inc. Further, Novell reserves the right to discontinue distribution of any NetWare software. Novell is not responsible for lost profits or revenue, loss of use of the software, loss of data, costs of recreating lost data, the cost of any substitute equipment or program, or claims by any party other than you. Novell strongly recommends a backup be made before any software is installed. Technical support for this software may be provided at the discretion of Novell.