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    NetPort(R) II Print Server: Using NPADMIN on a Wide Area Network

    
    

    USING NPADMIN IN A WIDE AREA NETWORK ENVIRONMENT

    
       Overview:
    
       If NetPorts(R) are distributed across a wide area network, NPAdmin may
    
       take a a little extra time to list all the NetPorts.  NPAdmin can
    
       usually list a large number of NetPorts very quickly as long as they are
    
       local.
    
    
    
       Description:
    
       Most menu options in NPADMIN will query the complete network in an
    
       effort to list all of the NetPorts.  Without any filtering in place, all
    
       NetPorts, even those across wide area links, will be listed.  Because
    
       NPAdmin must communicate directly with each NetPort, the NetPorts
    
       located across the wide area links can delay this process.
    
    
    
       The way NPAdmin queries the network for NetPorts is by searching the
    
       bindery for the unique NetPort SAP number (8002).  About every 40
    
       seconds NetPort sends out a SAP (service advertisment packet) which
    
       creates a bindery object that includes the SAP number 8002.  Every time
    
       NPAdmin finds a bindery object with the NetPort SAP number, it
    
       communicates with the NetPort to inquire its status.
    
    
    
       Two Possible Solutions:
    
    
    
         1. Command line:
    
    
    
            For working with a individual NetPort the command line utilities
    
            may be useful.
    
    
    
            The NPSTAT utility (NPSTAT netport_name) is a quick way to get
    
            status about an individual NetPort.  It actually has more
    
            information than NPADMIN.  NPSTAT is quicker because it searches
    
            the bindery for a name (netport_name) and communicates with the
    
            designated NetPort.
    
    
    
            The NP2CON utility (NP2CON netport_name option) can be used to
    
            configure and administer an individual NetPort.  This also may
    
            require using Pconsole to complete the configuration.  See your
    
            NetPort manual for more information.
    
    
    
         2. Filtering NetPort SAPs (Service Advertisment Packet):
    
    
    
            NPAdmin lists NetPorts by finding their bindery object information.
    
             If you can filter out the NetPort SAPs, the bindery objects will
    
            not be created and NPAdmin will not recognize the NetPort.  Most
    
            WAN environments use routers.  If your router has the ability to
    
            filter IPX packets, then you can prevent NetPorts, located across
    
            your router, from showing up and delaying NPAdmin.
    
    
    
            There are two types of filtering that can be done to eliminate
    
            NetPort Service Advertising packets (SAP).
    
    
    
           A.  Define the SAPs to be received.  For example, if only SAP's for 
    
              file servers are allowed, then no NetPort SAP's can get through.
    
    
    
           B.  Do not allow SAP's that are from a NetPort.  These are server
    
              type 8002 (hex).
    
    
    
            Both of these methods eliminate the ability for either command line
    
            utilities or NPAdmin to see any NetPorts across a router.
    
    
    
       For reference, the format of a SAP is listed below.
    
    
    
       Offset   Content            Type        Comments
    
        0       IPX Header         30 bytes
    
       30       Response Type       2 bytes
    
       32       Server Type         2 bytes    Netport server is 8002
    
       34       Server Name        48 bytes    This would contain NPxxxxxx
    
       82       Network             4 bytes
    
       86       Node                6 bytes
    
       92       Socket              2 bytes
    
       94       Intermediate NW     2 bytes
    
    
    
       Note: Novell's Service Advertising Protocol (SAP) is designed to allow
    
       servers of all types to advertise their services and locations to all
    
       other NetWare servers and routers on the server's network.  NetWare
    
       servers use this information to provide  routing information to
    
       interested workstations throughtout an internetwork.  All NetWare-aware
    
       servers broadcast a SAP packet  at least every 60 seconds.
    
    

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