In this Issue: * Update on WFW Support for other Networks * Update on WFW Support for other Protocols * Whitepapers available for WFW!! * Latest info on WFW support from 3270 and other mainframe emulation vendors * WFW Myths & Realities * Novell Update * COMDEX Awards * WFW Momentum Document I. Update on WFW support for other networks VINES: Banyan has now publicly announced that they will support WFW in their 4.11 and 5.0 releases of VINES by the end of the year. We have been working closely with them and expect them to go into beta with their WFW install and modified files in December. Beta details should be available soon. Pathworks: Digital has also announced support for WFW as a client on a Pathworks network. They have been doing extensive testing in their environment and have completed a draft technote on how to install WFW on a Pathworks network. This document should be available from Digital's product support group. PC-NFS: We have also been busy with Sun's engineers working on issues between Windows for Workgroups and PC-NFS. While there are no concrete things to announce at this time, it looks likely that WFW will interoperate with Sun machines in the near future. II. Update on WFW Support for other Protocols MS TCP/IP: The Corporate and Networked Systems group is hard at work on a package that makes the LAN Manager TCP/IP protocol stack available to customers running WFW(they need not be running LAN Manager at all). The box will include the current real mode TCP stack with a graphical install designed for WFW. This product will NOT include the TCP/IP utilities, but will support the Windows sockets interface and so it should work with other 3rd party utilities that are written to sockets. We plan to be in beta test with this product by late December with RTM scheduled for the first quarter. In the meantime, if customers have LAN Manager servers installed today running TCP, we will support them getting TCP working with any WFW clients they may want to purchase through their paid LAN Manager support contract. But you should know that until we have the WFW version of the stack, this will not be a simple process(see WFW Resource Kit for the gory details) so you should manage your customers expectations accordingly. DLC: The story is very similar here. We are working on separate product for WFW. It should RTM late in the first quarter and we plan to be in beta by mid December. 3rd Party TCP's: Both NetManage with their Chameleon product, and Spry Technology with their Air product have announced support for Windows for Workgroups. NetManage is based in the Bay Area and Spry is based out of Seattle. III. Whitepapers available for Windows for Workgroups!! We are pleased to announce the imminent availability of whitepapers from the Windows for Workgroups Product group on the following topics: "How Windows for Workgroups Can Add Value to Your Existing Network;" This 24 page paper is a (relatively) succinct summary of both the compelling points for putting WFW on a large corporate network and the responses to typical corporate concerns(ie security, integration with existing LAN and mail systems, performance, mainframe connectivity, remote access, administration, etc). It is a must read/have for any large account rep. We are in the process of having nice copies produced and obtaining an orderable part number. The papers should be widely available shortly. "How Microsoft Windows for Workgroups Version 3.1 Can Help Your Small Business" This 24 page paper is written to a more basic level and focusses on the benefits of connectivity to a small business. It is full of screenshots of the product. It covers the basics of file and printer sharing, email, and group scheduling and finishes with a discussion of how WFW is uniquely positioned to grow as the company's needs grow. This paper is slightly ahead of the first one in development and so it has an orderable part number now. That number is: 098-50178. Stock should be available imminently if it isn't today. "Microsoft Windows for Workgroups version 3.1 -- Architectural Highlights" This 25 page paper goes into more detail on some of the impressive technical aspects of Windows for Workgroups including: the 32-bit VxD network components, automatic netcard detection, interoperability with other networks, network DDE, password caching and the encryption algorithms used to protect the password cache. Again this paper does not have a part number yet but will be available shortly. IV. Latest info on WFW support from 3270 and other mainframe emulation vendors We've had many questions on how WFW connects to mainframe environments. The answer in general is "the same Windows 3.1 does." Here is the specific info we have on which mainframe connectivity packages support WFW at this time: Mainframe connectivity products typically run in one of two ways, 1) direct connect to mainframes running 3270 emulation software or, 2) on a LAN, through an SNA gateway (like comm server) and the wksta still runs 3270 emulation software. In case 1, the workstation must be running DLC, and to date MSDLC.EXE is the only DLC that has been found to work with Windows for Workgroups. In case 2, the gateway handles the SDLC interface to the host, and the workstation communicates with the gateway using their NOS (usually netbios). Here are the key host connectivity vendors, their phone numbers, and their products with a brief description. To repeat, all of these companies claim to have tested with WFW and to work fine. Attachmate is the only product where problems have been found and I note the fix needed to address this situation. Attachmate - 800-426-6283 ======================= Extra! for Windows 3270 emulation Direct to host or through gateway product on LAN (they sell one) Details: WFW running VxD netbeui, MSDLC, and Attachmate's Extra! doesn't work today. Attachmate is working on fix, which they may be distributing already. WFW running real mode netbeui, MSDLC and Extra! works fine today with some tweaks (load MSDLC last, "dynamic=yes" statement needed in MS$NETBEUI section of protocol.ini). Wall Data - 206-883-4777 ======================= Rumba 3270 and 5250 emulation and VAX running VMS or Ultrix (by Feb 1) Direct to host or through gateway on LAN Eicon Technology - 514-631-2592 =============================== Access for Windows 3270 and 5250 emulation Direct to host or through gateway product on LAN Network Software Associates (NSA) - 714-768-4013 ============================================= DynaComm/Elite 3270 emulation Direct to host or through gateway on LAN Walker Richer Quinn - 800-872-2829 ================================ Reflection 1 and Reflection 2 HP 700/92 and 2392A emulation and VT320 emulation Direct to host or through gateway on LAN V. WFW Myths & Realities This section is a place where we regularly debunk common misperceptions that exist about WFW. Here are a few to start: Myth: WFW is great if you're running all Windows machines but it leaves DOS and Mac users out in the cold. Reality: There are several ways in which WFW interoperates with DOS and Mac machines: 1. DOS clients are easily made part of the WFW network by purchasing the Workgroup Connection product. This product lets a DOS user: * Connect to a WFW or a LAN Manager server machine and read or write information from/to that machine; * Print to a WFW or LAN Manager server machine; * Exchange email with WFW mail users. Additionally, there are several companies (Performance Technology with their PowerLAN product is one) that have announced DOS based file and print servers that will interoperate with Windows for Workgroups networks. This means that running their product on a DOS machine will allow it to be a server that WFW machines can copy files from and send print jobs to. 2. For Mac users, customers can purchase WFW plus the Mail and Sched+ Extensions product to upgrade their mail post office and add support for Mac clients. Then they would need client licenses for their Mac machines and they would be setup to exchange mail with a WFW network. For file and printer sharing the customer would need to install a NetWare or LAN Manager server with Mac services. Myth: WFW does not work properly with Novell networks. Reality: The code we use to achieve NetWare connectivity is 95% written by Novell themselves. They wrote it for Windows 3.1 and we just re-used it for WFW. There is one small piece of code that provides an interface between Novell's IPX transport protocol and our Protocol Manager code that we wrote and that's it. We have done extensive testing with NetWare and WFW and despite alot of hand waving and "noise," there is virtually nothing that does not work just fine. Here are the things that don't work so you know them: 1. If a customer is running NetWare over ArcNet cards, we will not support simultaneous connections to both the NetWare server and other WFW machines over this network. The customer would have to switch to Ethernet or Token Ring cards to get that capability. We do support EITHER NetWare OR WFW connections on ArcNet, just not both simultaneously. 2. If a customer is currently using NetWare with Novell's ODI drivers for their network cards and they are not willing to switch to the NDIS drivers for their cards(most cards have both drivers available), then Windows for Workgroups will not run on the machines since we currently only support NDIS drivers. This will be a problem for customers that are heavily invested in Novell's LAN Workplace product for TCP connectivity since that product requires ODI drivers to work properly. But LAN Workplace is the only ODI dependent application that we have seen in any quantity among customers. We are working on addressing ODI support in the next release of the product, but do NOT promise anything to customers at this time. 3. Novell and named pipes: Windows for Workgroups does not support Novell's implementation of named pipes so any application running on the NetWare server that uses named pipes will not work with WFW. The important thing to know here is that SQL Server, which is by far the most common situation like this that you're likely to find, has a resolution. Microsoft has announced the SQL Server NIK(Network Integration Kit) that will remove SQL Server's dependence on named pipes and therefore address this problem for customers. 4. Finally, customers running NetBIOS applications(like Notes) from their NetWare server will find that they need to do four things in order to have those applications work correctly on WFW machines: 1. Install WFW 2. There will be a line with "netbios.exe" in it from their previous autoexec that they will have to stick back in their WFW autoexec file. 3. Run a little Windows utility we've created called novconf.exe from the FileMan or ProgMan. This will automatically modify some config files. 4. Reboot their machine. Anyone that needs novconf.exe can get it from their local Microsoft rep or from the Windows for Workgroups forum on CompuServe. Myth: WFW is not a secure client for the enterprise network Reality: Windows for Workgroups is as secure as any other LAN client available today. Some of the important things to understand here are: * Windows for Workgroups respects any existing server-based security scheme that may already be in place. So the organization's server-based mission-critical, sensitive data is no more at risk with WFW on the network than it was with Win 3.1. * WFW's use of password caching means that users don't have to resupply passwords each time they log onto the corporate servers b/c those passwords are stored in a **very secure** password cache on their hard disk. The encryption algorithm for this cache is certified by the National Security Agency. The only way to unlock this cache is for the user to supply their unique master logon password. This configuration can actually enhance security in a corporate setting b/c when people have to retype passwords everytime they logon they often write them down somewhere in case they forget them. This becomes unnecessary with WFW. * The peer to peer sharing capabilities in WFW are perfectly secure. The only way to gain access to resources on a WFW machine is to know the password or to gain access to the machine, which is no different than with Windows 3.1 or any other LAN client available today. * The peer sharing capabilities of WFW can be selectively enabled by either the user or the administrator at install time. So an administrator can setup the WFW files on a server so that when an end user installs the product they have either capabilities for both file and printer sharing, capability to do one or the other, or no capability to do either. This is very straightforward to do and is documented in the WFW Resource Kit. For more information on this and other enterprise network issues, see the whitepaper announced above on "How Windows for Workgroups Can Add Value to Your Existing Network." VI. Novell Update To briefly update you on the Novell situation. Our current public position is: * WFW is shipping with the NetWare client software as licensed by Novell. We have a valid license and will continue to ship this code. Their has been no recall or stopping of shipments due to the Novell dispute. * There has been some confusion/disagreement with Novell over the licensing of these components for WFW. Microsoft and Novell are in discussions now and hope to resolve this situation as soon as possible. * WFW works on NetWare networks and has been extensively tested by Microsoft and thousands of beta testers. VII. COMDEX Awards WFW had a great COMDEX show. In addition to thronging masses at all WFW stations and theatres, the product won three very key awards: PC Magazine Technical Excellence Award for Network Operating Systems PC Computing MVP Award; Best of COMDEX in Networking category as chosen by BYTE Magazine editors These awards are good evidence that people that evaluate software products for a living think WFW is a hot product!! Finally, the most recent PC Magazine(December 12th Issue) features an extremely positive review of Windows for Workgroups. PC Magazine is widely respected as a source for objective reviews of new products in the PC marketplace. VIII. WFW Momentum Momentum for WFW continues to build. Our current run rate of product is nearly at our steady state expectations and already makes us nearly the market leader in the peer to peer category. Egghead, our largest retail partner, has told us they are pleased with the the product's performance in their stores and has ordered more quantity. We also continue to hear about successful seminars that you all are running around the country -- these seminars seem to be the most effective way of helping customers understand the product well enough to move ahead to trial. We will continue our corporate sponsored introductory seminars through February. Finally, we continue to get feedback through CompuServe and even the press that gives us a sense of growing enthusiasm for the product. Check out the following message from a CompuServe and excerpt from Corporate Computing's January 1993 issue: ============================================================= FROM COMPUSERVE.... #: 3935 S1/Wrkgrp Non Tech Srv 14-Dec-92 08:50:53 Sb: WFW is Great! Fm: William Wolf 76420,3346 To: August Hahn 72360,1177 (X) August, I want to congratulate the Microsoft team on the WFW product and publicly puff it in hopes of encouraging others to implement WFW at their worksites. I have had great sucs so far connecting 15 users on two floors of our building using existing twisted pair wiring and Asante smart hubs in three phone closets. I plan to add 15 more users. Thus far I have had to spend minimal time and money, have had almost no hassles, and I am thrilled to not have to master arcane configurations and administration procedures. The WFW result is a functioning network that is blindingly fast for file transfer and printing, has a great user interface, and a very impressive suite of workgroup software that we enjoy using. When sharing resources on my 386dx the performance degradation is imperceptible for local computing, and were it not for the cpu meter I often wouldn't notice when my machine is also working for someone else. I had purposely been avoiding Novell and Lan Manager because of the steep investment and learning curves. When NT is released we wiprobably add a dedicated peer running it. Thanks again- -from the Center for AIDS Prevention Research at the University of California, San Francisco. ============================================================== From CORPORATE COMPUTING's January 1993 Issue. The article is "Best Buys for 1993 -- Fifty Tools You'll Need to Improve The Way Your Enterprise Works." #26 Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.1: "Trade show attendees know there's always at least one session in which the PC software giants promise to deliver workgroup productivity. These bull sessions used to be a superb time to catch up on magazine reading. Now that Microsoft has weighed in with Windows for Workgroups, however, that's no longer true. In 1993, look for Windows-based enterprises to move to the new software, lured by its file- sharing features, bundled mail, and group scheduling applications. Windows for Workgroups injects outstanding networking features and functionality into Microsoft's flagship Windows 3.1 operating environment. By providing plug-and-play simplicity for installing, configuring, and customizing Windows clients on a PC network, Windows for Workgroups makes short work of what used to be one of IS's most arduous and thankless jobs. More important, the software also lets users share information on their PC's hard disks without having to copy files to a centralized server. Users can work with files on remote drives as if they were located in their own computers. If this kind of decentralized networking seems like a support nightmare, think again. The time savings offered by immediate access to strategic information, coupled with the productivity increases resulting from effective collaboration, can translate to a significant competitive advantage for your company." ============================================================== That's it for this issue. Stay tuned for more news as it breaks. Windows for Workgroups Product Management Windows for Workgroups Product Update Page 5 "The Windows for Workgroups Update" The latest news affecting the Windows for Workgroups Product Issue 1 January 4, 1993