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FEATURES.TXT
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1993-03-16
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Guide to new features in
LANtastic(R) Network Operating System
Version 5.0
LANtastic version 5.0 adds new capabilities to the network and
improves features from previous versions, which we explain in this
guide.
The feature guide has been organized into four sections. We identify
and explain the major features and the benefit each provides.
Administration
Remote accounts
LANtastic V5.0 lets you set up all user accounts on a single
server, which can share the information with other servers. This
makes individual accounts, wild card accounts and Access Control List
(ACL) groups faster to set up and easier to maintain because all
records reside in one place.
Global resources
LANtastic V5.0 lets you redirect drive and printer connections
from a LANtastic server to other servers as shared resources. This
enables a user to log into a single server and still have access to
designated global resources connected to other servers. Once a
workstation connects to a global resource, LANtastic sets up a direct
link to the server where the resource is connected, so using global
resources does not affect performance.
Remote operator notification
Users with the new O (Operator) privilege can receive
notification of events such as access violations or printer errors
that occur on remote servers. This enables network managers to
determine the nature of a problem without leaving their desks. Audit
information can also be received at the network manager's station.
This includes the number of log-ins, log-out details, and queuing and
printing activity.
Batch despooler
This function enables you to despool commands to a server's
keyboard from a local PC. This is useful if you have a list of
commands, such as a backup sequence, to queue up on a server. You can
even specify the date and time to execute these commands.
Improved remote server management
You can edit a remote server's accounts and resources from your
local computer. Simply select that server's name and make the changes
in the same way you edit settings for your own computer.
Remote access to a server's keyboard and screen
Your keyboard can take over the server's keyboard, and you can
view its screen from a local PC. This allows you to control the
server without leaving your desk. You can run a command on a server
and see the results from your station.
Voice error messages
With an Artisoft Sounding Board(R) installed, spoken error
messages are possible. To use this feature, simply record a spoken
message associated with a specific text error message. Record your
own in either DOS or Windows(TM), or use the pre-recorded messages we
provide. This provides customized messages novice users can easily
understand.
Connectivity
Bridged NetWare(R), UNIX(R), OS/2(R) HPFS, WORM and non-DOS disk
redirections
LANtastic V5.0 enables you to share non-DOS drive connections.
If, for example, a computer is set up as a workstation on a NetWare
network and as a server on a LANtastic network, you can designate the
NetWare drive to be a shared resource for LANtastic users with the
same access to the NetWare drive as a NetWare workstation. This type
of redirection applies to other non-DOS disks such as WORM drives,
OS/2 HPFS partitions and UNIX NFS drives.
Routable NetBIOS
The NetBIOS provided with LANtastic V5.0 has routable packets.
The NetBIOS now has an option to make it compatible with IPX-
compliant routers, which is especially important in Wide Area Network
installations.
New Security Features
ACL (Access Control List) groups
The LANtastic system now allows you to set up file access
privileges by creating ACL Groups. Where groups of users, such as
departments, generally have the same privileges, this simplifies
setting up and maintaining security. You can establish access rights
for multiple accounts by setting up the ACL Group. Changes are then
as easy as changing the master definition for the group. For example,
when users transfer from one department to another, you simply remove
them from their old ACL Group and add them to their new one. As an
additional feature, each user's individual account can have specific
additional access rights and still be linked to the ACL Group. They
would then have all the combined privileges of their individual
accounts and the ACL Group's.
File-level security
The LANtastic system's airtight security has been extended to
include individual files. It is now possible to extend ACL security
to individual files or groups of files. For example, if you have a
shared resource called DATA, where users have unlimited rights, you
can set up individual files or groups of files with access rights
specific only to them. For instance, you can establish a file called
SECURITY.DOC within the shared resource DATA, where users have read-
only rights.
ALONE
The ALONE program now brings more security. Although ALONE is
designed to enable a dedicated server on a LANtastic network, it also
brings a degree of security not generally available in a peer-to-peer
network. You can require a password to exit ALONE. When the password
feature is active, CTL+ALT+DEL will not restart the computer without
the password. The password feature also prohibits unauthorized users
from exiting to a DOS prompt. New ALONE features in V5.0 include a
detailed user information screen that displays such things as the
name of a file the user has opened, the mode in which it was opened
and record locks in effect on the file. New command-line features let
you specify the shutdown password, the number of seconds before the
built-in screen-saver is enabled and other parameters.
Additional Features
Network scrapbook
The new scrapbook in LANtastic(R) for Windows(TM) allows users
to share text, graphics and sound items across the network.
Individual files can have security set for no access, read-only
access or full access, which allows users to view, copy and paste.
They can be further protected by invoking the "Use Passwords" option.
Now users can be granted access to information through the scrapbook
and receive new information when it is updated at the source.
Auto-retry on disconnect
After disconnecting from a server for any reason, LANtastic
version 5.0 will automatically attempt to reestablish the connection
if you have no open files on the server's drive. If the server is
turned off, LANtastic reestablishes the connection when it is turned
back on.
Deferred NET LOGIN and NET USE commands
This feature allows you to log in to servers, even when they are
not running. LANtastic software remembers the attempt, and when you
try to use a resource from a previously unavailable server, it
automatically retries the login operation without interrupting your
work. If the server is available, the request is completed. If it is
still unavailable, NET continues to hold onto the NET LOGIN or NET
USE attempt to retry the connection later.
Delayed despooling
Delayed despooling lets you specify a date and time for a
particular print file to despool to the printer. This is useful for
dealing with extremely large print jobs. You can set despooling for
late at night or on a weekend and avoid tying up a printer during
high-use times.
LAN Radio
LAN Radio allows users to communicate on up to 100 channels
without using any of a company's phone resources. LAN Radio can
broadcast news, information and music across a network, as well as
allow users to listen and talk to co-workers. Individual workers can
communicate with each other, company information can be broadcast to
all employees and specific information, such as the latest stock
market figures, can be broadcast on different channels. Employees
simply tune their stations to the appropriate channel. This feature
requires an Artisoft Sounding Board, with both DMA channels enabled,
and the Sounding Board Windows driver.
Improved LANcache feature
We designed the LANcache(TM) disk caching system for optimal
performance with the LANtastic network. LANcache software can
simultaneously cache up to four physical drives, both disk reads and
writes. It performs flushes as background operations so your PC can
perform other operations in the foreground. You can now set the
LANcache program to use as little as 10K of RAM, and it is now fully
compatible with enhanced-mode Windows, even with delayed background
writing enabled. The software also allows you to change the cache
size at any time while running DOS. You can specify different cache
sizes when running with DOS or Windows. After you exit Windows, the
cache automatically returns to the size you specified for running
with DOS.
Remote Despooling
Users can take print jobs out of a server's queue and despool
them on their local PCs. With this feature, even a diskless
workstation can now be used as a print server. It gives you the
option of setting up a machine as a print server without setting it
up as a file server. Further, you can have printers distributed
throughout your network despooling print jobs from a common queue
server. This can help speed network printing, since multiple printers
can now service a server's queue.
(C)1993 ARTISOFT, INC. All rights reserved. Artisoft, AE-3, LANtastic
and Sounding Board are registered trademarks and ALICE, ALONE,
LANcache, LANtastic on Board, NodeRunner, Peer-Hub and The Serial
Port of the Nineties are trademarks of Artisoft, Inc. Windows is a
trademark of Microsoft Corporation. All other company names, brand
names and product names are the trademarks and/or the property of
their respective companies. Specifications subject to change without
notice.