Installing Lotus Products on a Network Server -------------------------------------------------------- This file contains information for network administrators who are installing Lotus products on a network file server. Contents of this file: Supported Networks Why Use a Lotus Application on a Network? Steps to Complete Network Installation Designing a Directory Structure for Lotus Applications How to Install on a Network File Server How to Install on a Network Node Creating Personal Directories Information to Give Users If You Have a Problem Network-specific Information for Lotus Notes ------------------ Supported Networks ------------------ Lotus supports the following networks. Artisoft LANtastic version 5.0 Banyan VINES version 5.5x DEC PATHWORKS version 4.1 IBM LAN Server version 3.0 Microsoft LAN Manager version 2.1a or 2.2 Novell NetWare versions 3.x and 4.x ---------------------------------------- Why Use a Lotus Application on a Network? ---------------------------------------- The benefits of using Lotus applications on a network include the following: * Conserve hard disk space by having only one copy of a Lotus application on the server instead of a copy on each personal computer. * Allow users to share files, computer equipment, printers, backup devices, and other networked resources. * Quickly distribute files, templates, and applications while users access files immediately. * Easily support workgroup applications such as customer tracking. * Back up files centrally. * Save time when upgrading to a new release of a Lotus application because you upgrade the software on the server instead of on individual computers. * Allow use of diskless workstations. -------------------------------------- Steps to Complete Network Installation -------------------------------------- You must complete the following steps to install a Lotus application on a file server. * When upgrading from a previous release of a Lotus application, copy files that you want to save to another directory before erasing the application files from your server. * Determine the location and names of the server directories. * Use the Lotus Install program to install the Lotus application on the server. * Create any personal or shared data directories on the server. * Make printers and network directories available to users. * (Optional) Create a batch file, or update the system or user login script, to connect users to network directories. * Give users the information listed below in "Information to Give Users." ------------------------------------------------------ Designing a Directory Structure for Lotus Applications ------------------------------------------------------ There are several required and optional directories that you and Lotus Install create. Before you install Lotus products, you should decide where you want to put the directories. We recommend that you use the directory structure shown here: Program directory - Lotus Notes Release 4 (\Notes) Data directory - Lotus Notes Release 4 (\Notes\data) --------------------------------------- How to Install on a Network File Server --------------------------------------- To run a file server Install: 1. Insert Disk 1 into a floppy drive. 2. From the Program Manager, choose File Run. 3. Enter X:\INSTALL in the Command line text box, where X: is your floppy drive. Install consists of a series of dialog boxes that are generally self-explanatory. If you need more information when using a dialog box, choose Help by clicking the Help button or pressing ALT+H. When running Install: * If the directory you specify does not exist, Install creates it for you. * After you install a Lotus application on the network server, you must run a Node Install before you can run the application. -------------------------------- How to Install on a Network Node -------------------------------- Once you have installed a Lotus application on a network file server, the Lotus Node Install program resides on that server. To install the application on a node, you must run Node Install. NOTE: If you want to run a Lotus application from the server rather than from a node, you must complete the Node Install on the server. To run Node Install: 1. Open the Windows Program Manager. 2. Choose File Run. 3. Enter X:\PATH\INSTALL in the Command Line text box, where X:\PATH is the drive letter and path for the main product directory of the Lotus application on your server. 4. Choose OK. ----------------------------- Creating Personal Directories ----------------------------- Everyone who runs a Lotus application from a file server must have a personal directory, either on the server or on a node. A personal directory contains the application configuration files. Users can also store data or other files in their personal directories. (Each Lotus application requires a separate personal directory.) When deciding where to locate personal directories, you should determine if the server or node has enough disk space for personal directories. Also, the server may be the more convenient location for personal directories if the system administrator is responsible for regularly backing up and archiving data files. If you decide to put personal directories on nodes, let users create them because they are familiar with the directory structure of their hard disks. During installation on a node, Install prompts users for the name and location of their personal directory, and creates the directory if it does not already exist. If you decide to put personal directories on the server, you should create the directories because you must assign network names and access privileges to those directories. ------------------------- Information to Give Users ------------------------- You should provide users with the following information: * instructions on how to connect to: - the network - file server directories, such as the Lotus application program, personal, and shared data directories NOTE: Users must use the same drive letter and path when they connect to the program and personal directories as they used when they first installed the Lotus application. It is a good idea to tell them which letter and path to use when they install and then provide them with a batch file to connect to these directories. - network printers, and how to print on a network * information on using the Lotus Install program * information on starting Lotus applications * information on other applications as required --------------------- If You Have a Problem --------------------- PROBLEM: A user cannot run a Lotus application from the assigned node. SOLUTION: Ensure that the user has completed the Install successfully, that the network connections to the Lotus application program, and that users have read-only access to the program directory. PROBLEM: When clicking the icon to start a Lotus application, a user receives an error message saying the path is invalid or the file is not found. SOLUTION: Check the drive letter specified for the Lotus application icon. To do this, click the program icon and choose File Properties from the Windows Program Manager. Make sure that the drive letter in the user's network connection to the Lotus program directory is the same as that specified for the Lotus application icon, or change the properties of the icon to use the drive letter specified in the user's network connection. PROBLEM: A user tries to gain access to a shared data file in the shared data directory on the file server and receives a message indicating that no reservation is available. SOLUTION: This problem could be caused by any of the following: * Another user has the file reservation. * The directory is a read-only directory and does not allow users to write to files. * The file is a read-only file. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- NETWORK-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR Lotus Notes -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Artisoft LANtastic version 5.0 ------------------------------ Lotus recommends that you organize the server directories as follows: Lotus program directory recommended share name - NOTES access - read (R) ------------------------------------- Banyan VINES version 5.5x ------------------------------------- Lotus recommends that you organize the server directories as follows: Lotus Notes program directory recommended StreetTalk item name - NOTES@GROUP@ORGANIZATION access - read (R) ---------------------------------- DEC PATHWORKS version 4.1 or later ---------------------------------- Lotus recommends that you organize the server directories as follows: Lotus Notes program directory recommended application file service name - NOTES access - read (R) -------------------------- IBM LAN Server version 3.0 -------------------------- Lotus recommends that you organize the server directories as follows: Lotus Notes program directory recommended alias - NOTES access - read (R) -------------------------------------------------- Microsoft LAN Manager version 2.1a or 2.2 or later -------------------------------------------------- Lotus recommends that you organize the server directories as follows: Lotus Notes program directory recommended share name - NOTES access - read (R) --------------------------- Novell NetWare version 3.x --------------------------- Lotus recommends that you organize the server directories as follows: Lotus Notes program directory access - Read-File Scan (RF) --------------------------- Novell NetWare version 4.x --------------------------- The access control list (ACL) for each file system should be the same as for version 3.x, described above.