CNFGLS30 - A spreadsheet to generate a 'starting point' LAN Server 3.0 Configuration OVERVIEW CNFGLS30 is an EXCEL (tm) (V2.2) or LOTUS (tm) (123 V3.0, 123/G) spreadsheet which will generate, for a LAN Server configuration, an IBMLAN.INI file and NTS/2 NetBIOS, 802.2 PROTOCOL.INI and netbeui.nif parameters which are required to run the Server. It may be used for an initial setup of a Domain Controller or Additional Server. It will take into account NTS/2 802.2 requirements for other functions in addition to the server which might be running on the server machine. These include other NETBIOS applications, CM/2 SNA Gateway, APPC, RDS, IBM LAN Network Manager and 802.2 applications. The generated INI file is complete, and it may be cut from the spreadsheet, pasted into an editor session and saved directly into the IBMLAN subdirectory if you use EXCEL. 123 users can copy the generated parameter settings and enter them into the IBMLAN.INI file manually. Look in columns F through N to see the values you'll need to change. Or, look at the generated INI file - the changed parameters will be found to the right of the INI parameter names (except for SRVHEURISTICS). SRVHEURISTICS changes too, so make sure you copy them down! Any changes to text strings (server name, domain name, server services) are handled like the SRVHEURISTICS, so check to be sure you get 'em. RUNNING THE SPREADSHEET When you load the CNFGLS30 spreadsheet, you will see columns A-D and rows 1-24 displayed. Column headings are furnished to help you get oriented. There are several questions which you must answer about your server before a configuration can be generated, and they are in column A under the heading 'Questions to Answer'. Your answers will be entered in column B under the heading 'Response'. Where help may be needed to explain what is meant by a particular question, column C ('Comments') provides additional information. As your responses are entered and checked, error messages may be displayed in column D ('Errors:) which you should monitor during data entry. Correct any entry errors as they occur. One question, number 8, has caused some confusion. It asks for the 'number of apps shared'. What it does with the number entered is straightforward. It multiplies it by 3 to get the first cut at MAXSHARES and later adds the responses to questions 12 and 14 to that for the final result you will see in the generated INI file. Users of the older configurations tools, TUNELS12 and CNFGLS13, should take note of the new question #3. It has two parts, and question #3a) changes depending on your response to question #3! So, be carefull and READ before responding. Question #3 determines the main cache to be used (HPFS or FAT), and #3a determines if the 'other' cache is required. Note also that question 11 is now in two parts since the new OS/2 RIPL function tales a bit more memory than the DOS RIPL function. No real surprises except that you may need extra memory if both are to be supported. After getting good, valid responses to the questions on screen 1, page down to the next screen. These questions are used to help configure your LAN Adapter(s.) First, how many adapters do you have? It does not matter if they are all on the same or are on different networks. Then, for each adapter, is it Token-Ring (TRN) or EtherNet (E-Net) - respond T or E (an error message appears in Col D if you don't, and another question appears if you do). After specifying T/E, you are asked to identify the adapter card type (Busmaster, 4Mbps or 16/4Mbps for TRN or manufacturer/model of a E-Net adapter.) Only NTS/2 supported adapters are listed, and you may have something special - if so, just pick an adapter and ignore the drivername recommendation that is generated. Tuning recommendations appear in Col D of this screen, so be sure to look for them - it can take a while to do all the calculations. If an error message appears in Col D, you must (of course) modify your response(s) to get rid of it -- invalid configurations are NOT supported (if I've done all this right, anyway). Under the questions on the second screen is a third screen of questions. These furnish information necessary to generate NTS/2 and CM/2 NETBIOS and 802.2 configuration parameters required to support a variety of additional communications functions you may have. The last of these questions can be used if you want the server to also be used as a 3270 workstation (not a Gateway). Say you have one application, then say how many stations you'll need. Usually, this is 2. Under these questions in column A is an additional 'Errors Encountered' message area. As your configuration is generated, storage maps are generated internally and checked to make sure your server has enough memory, that you do not have other potential errors for which the spreadsheet checks, That your NetBIOS work area will be able to contain all the resources required by your configuration, that your Token-Ring Adapter(s) will have enough RAM for your configuration and that you do not have too many machines in your Domain. You should ensure that 'OK' or 'None' appears in column B for each of these tests before attempting to use the generated configuration. In Col E, you will find my estimates of memory areas utilization. Some errors may be diagnosed in Column N at the top of the spreadsheet. If these occur, the message you see will direct you to it for further information. Most of these merely indicate you have reached a parameter's maximum limit - they can generally be treated as warnings. The spreadsheet assumes that messaging is supported on the server. 1000 1015 is the maximum number of total 'maxusers' that can be defined. Do NOT use the 'memory map' feature to configure the minimum memory required for a server. Performance of a minimum configuration may be minimal. Starting in cell A93, you will find your generated INI file. It ends in row 253, and is a complete INI file which should require no modifications by you. Cut it out, paste it into an editor session and save it into the server's IBMLAN subdirectory as IBMLAN.INI, and you are ready to go. Doing this requires Excel. 123 users will have to copy the generated parameters down and enter them into the INI file manually. 123 users should note the NET1 statement does not have required ',' characters in it. These commas should go between the Xn parameters. Starting in cell A270, you will find the IEEE 802.2 configuration recommendations. Starting in cell A278, you will find the NetBIOS configuration requirements for the server function ONLY. Finally, starting in cell A321, you will see recommended cache value(s) for your server and the statements required in your CONFIG.SYS to enable the HPFS cache. The spreadsheet does not take all available memory in the server, but leaves some to allow for dynamic allocation of memory by other functions (EG spooler, dynamic bigbuffs, NET RUN, Admin, etc.) Make a note of these parameters, and use them to adjust your configurations as required. IPL to restart, and your server should startup and run without error. NITTY-GRITTY STUFF For those of you who want to see more than was just described, return to the top of the spreadsheet (Ctrl-Home) and move the cursor to columns F and G. Here you can see the formulas and intermediate results generated during the spreadsheet run. 802.2 stations = 0 indicates the support is not required. All the NetBIOS stuff for all adapters is below the 802.2 stuff. If that isn't enough for you, continue to columns L, M and N. In this set of cells are the final calculations for generating the INI values used in the generated parameter file. Notice that column N is still another 'error' check. Here you will find indications of generated parameters which are pushing the limits of the LS 3.0 product. STILL not satisfied? OK, move to columns P and Q. The 'Memory Required' numbers are pretty much from the Announcement Letter, but have been checked to be sure they are still valid. Columns S & T show assumptions which have been made in the spreadsheet to make your job (and mine) a bit easier. The most important one to note is that if a Token-Ring Busmaster is specified, the 32 bit adapter is assumed to be used. If your adapter is the original 16 bit Busmaster, and you have specifed over 16MB of memory is available, the generated configuration will not run. Now, if you're still hanging in there, move to columns V and W, and you'll see still another work area (will we never run out of them?) This is used to convert yes/no answers to manipulable numbers, and to help us stay organized. But wait! There's more! Move to column AD, and you'll see still more fascinating stuff - in this case a list of almost all the error messages which can be output. They HAD to go Somewhere! Oh, yeah! You'll find, if you like to explore spreadsheets (and have nothing better to do with your time) a few other things scattered here and there. Don't mess with them! SECRET STUFF If you haven't noticed yet, the Excel spreadsheet is protected so the innocent cannot hurt themselves. If you insist on having that privilege, the password is 'sstuner'. Use it with care. Be gentle. Good installing!