Copyright: GHOST Multicasting 5.1  (c) 1998, Symantec Corporation
Citation: (c) 1998, Symantec Corporation


Index
Ghost Multicasting Help

Overview

Introduction

The Ghost Multicast Server

The Ghost Multicasting Client

Ghost Multicasting Supported Platforms and interoperability guide

Understanding IP Addresses and Ghost Multicasting

DOS Application Setup

Creating a DOS Ghost Multicast Client Boot Disk

Step 1 - Copy system files onto a blank floppy disk

Step 2 - Setup packet driver interface

Step 3 - Copy GHOST.EXE and WATTCP.CFG to disk

Step 4 - Edit WATTCP.CFG file

Step 5 - Edit AUTOEXEC.BAT file

Creating a DOS Ghost Multicast Server Boot Disk

Step 1 - Copy system files onto a blank floppy disk

Step 2 - Setup packet driver interface

Step 3 - Copy DOSGHSRV.EXE and WATTCP.CFG to disk

Step 4 - Edit WATTCP.CFG file

Step 5 - Edit AUTOEXEC.BAT file

Packet Driver Setup

Option 1 NDIS with supplied Packet Driver Shim installed

Option 2 Network card dependent Packet Driver

Option 3 Other Third Party Packet Driver interface

Using the Windows Ghost Multicast Server

Step 1 - Enter a session name and type of Session

Step 2 - Select the image file for the Multicast Session

Step 3 - Specify Auto-Start parameters(optional)

Step 4 - Start accepting the Client Ghost Machines

Step 5 - Start Multicast Session

Ghost Multicast Server Options:

Generating a Multicast Log File

Closing Application on completion

Restart Application on completion

Windows Ghost Multicast Server Command Line Interface

Installing the Ghost Multicast Server

Using the DOS Ghost Multicast Server

The WATTCP.CFG Network Configuration File

Menu Commands

File menu

View menu

Help menu


File menu
File menu commands

The File menu offers a list of image files and the following commands:

Options…	Multicast log level IP address configuration for GhostSrv Closing the Application on completion Restarting the Application on completion Adjusting the Multicast buffer size
Exit	Exits GhostSrv.


View menu commands

The View menu offers the following commands:

Status Bar	Shows or hides the status bar.


Help menu commands

The Help menu offers the following commands, which provide you assistance with this application:

Help Topics	Offers you an index to topics on which you can get help.
About	Displays the version number of this application.


Option command
Option command (File menu)

Use this command to access the Applications options. Options include:

Multicast log level

IP address configuration for GhostSrv

Closing the Application on completion

Restarting the Application on completion

Adjusting the Multicast buffer size


File Exit command
Exit command (File menu)

Use this command to close the GhostSrv application.

Shortcuts

Mouse:	Click the application's exit button in the top right hand corner.

Keys:	ALT+F4


View Status Bar Command
Status Bar command (View menu)

Use this command to display and hide the Status Bar, which describes the action to be executed by the selected menu and the keyboard latch state. A check mark appears next to the menu item when the Status Bar is displayed.

See Status Bar for help on using the status bar.


Status Bar

The status bar is displayed at the bottom of the GhostSrv window. To display or hide the status bar, use the Status Bar command in the View menu.

The left area of the status bar describes actions of menu items as you use the arrow keys to navigate through menus.

The right areas of the status bar indicate which of the following keys are latched down:

Indicator	Description

CAP	The Caps Lock key is latched down.

NUM	The Num Lock key is latched down.

SCRL	The Scroll Lock key is latched down.


Index command (Help menu)

Use this command to display the opening screen of Help. From the opening screen, you can jump to step-by-step instructions for using GhostSrv and various types of reference information.

Once you open Help, you can click the Contents button whenever you want to return to the opening screen.


Using Help command (Help menu)

Use this command for instructions about using Help.


About command (Help menu)

Use this command to display the version number of your copy of GhostSrv.


Title Bar

The title bar is located along the top of a window. It contains the name of the application and the multicast session name.

To move the window, drag the title bar. Note: You can also move dialog boxes by dragging their title bars.

A title bar may contain the following elements:

Application Control-menu button

Maximize button

Minimize button

Name of the application

Name of the Multicast Session

Restore button


Scroll bars

Displayed at the right edge of the contacted window. The scroll boxes inside the scroll bars indicate your location in the list of connected client IP addresses. You can use the mouse to scroll to other parts of the list.


No Help Available

No help is available for this area of the window.


No Help Available

No help is available for this message box.


Ghost Multicasting Overview

The Problem:

The replication of a workstation setup onto many computers can be a daunting and time-consuming task. Ghost is designed to minimize these installation times, and make the task easier. One-to-one connections when replicating a small number of computers is fast and convenient, but as the number of machines increases, the time for the overall completion of the task increases in relation to the number of machines.

When using NetBIOS networking support or a mapped network drive to load the image file over a computer network, the one to one approach of transferring information is being used. Each of the drives being replicated uses it own copy of the information, and each of these copies needs to be passed through the same limited network channel.

As the number of replications on the same network increase, the time for overall completion increases due to it being passed through the common information channel.

The Answer:

Ghost Multicasting is the answer.

Ghost Multicasting minimizes both the concurrent network-bandwidth requirements and overall disk or partition replication time. Ghost Multicasting uses IP multicast packets to send information across an Ethernet or Token Ring computer network on a one-to-many basis. IP multicasting is part of the well-known TCP/IP protocol family, and allows a single transmission of information to replicate many workstations at one time. With the bottleneck of multiple copies of information being transferred now removed, Ghost Multicasting provides superior speeds and an efficient way of replicating hard drives to multiple machines.

Ghost Multicasting is built into the industry standard Ghost application. It teams up with a Ghost Multicast Server application to provide a fast and easy way of replicating workstations. Whether you are intending to do a one-off network workstation group update, or looking for a long-term repetitive disk replication solution, Ghost Multicasting provides flexibility and speed.

The user interface and companion user’s guide leads you through the steps needed to use Ghost Multicasting: the original image file creation; the network setup requirements; setting up and starting the Multicast Server to send the file; and then the starting of Ghost on the workstations to be updated.

The tasks can be done manually through the user interface, by command line switches and batch files, or a combination of both, to automate the process.


Ghost Multicasting Introduction

Multicasting allows multiple Ghost machines to receive the same information over a computer network simultaneously through the use of a single transmission of the information.

There are two applications used in Ghost multicasting:

•	the Ghost Multicast Server which distributes the image file using IP multicasting. This application can also work in conjunction with a single Ghost machine to create a model image file.

•	the Ghost Multicasting Client application. This is the industry standard Ghost application that receives the image file, and writes it to disk, or sends the information to the server to create an image file.

To perform Ghost Multicasting, the following steps are required. These steps are outlined in the companion user guide and in this online help file.

1.	Network setup requirements

2.	Creation of image files of model machines

3.	Setting and starting the Multicast Server application to send the file

4.	Starting Ghost on workstations to be updated

Tasks 3 and 4 can be completed in several ways, depending on how much automation is required:

•	Through Graphical User Interfaces

•	Via Command line switches

•	Batch Files

or a combination of the above as required.


The Ghost Multicast Server

The Ghost Multicast Server is the application which distributes the Ghost image file to the connected Ghost Multicast Client machines using IP multicasting. This application also contains the ability to receive an image file from a Ghost model machine.

 The Server comes in two forms:

•	GHOSTSRV.EXE - The Windows 95 and Windows NT server application

•	DOSGHSRV.EXE - The DOS command line interface server application


The Ghost Multicast Client

The GHOST.EXE application acts as the Ghost Multicast Client to receive the image file and then writes the image to the disk or partition. In addition, Ghost can send the contents of a local disk or set of partitions to the multicast server to allow the creation of an image file.

GHOST.EXE runs in DOS and requires a Packet Driver Interface to be setup prior to its use. Details on setting up a Packet Driver Interface is included in the Packet Driver Section

Details on the GHOST.EXE application and its use is included in the Ghost User's Guide.


Ghost Multicast Application Platforms Supported and Interoperability Guide

Ghost Multicast Server Applications

NOTES:

Winsock 2.x set-up for Windows 95

Packet Driver set-up

WATTCP.CFG configuration file set-up

Ghost Multicast Client Application

NOTES:

Packet Driver set-up

WATTCP.CFG configuration file set-up

Network Interface Cards

Ghost Multicasting supports:

 Ethernet network interface cards.

 Token Ring network interface cards.

Network Interface Card Windows Drivers

Ghost Multicasting applications designed to run on the Windows platform require a valid Windows TCP/IP networking configuration to be available.

Network Interface Card DOS Drivers

Ghost Multicasting applications designed to run on the MSDOS platform require a packet driver interface to be available and installed to access the network adapter cards functions.

The Ghost User Guide outlines how to use network interface card Packet Drivers and NDIS 2.01 Drivers supplied with the network card to provide a packet driver interface for Ghost.

Network Routers

To enable IP multicast communication across one or more routers, all routers between the sending Ghost Multicast Server and receiving Ghost clients need to support IP multicast routing.

To Support IP multicast routing, two protocols need to be implemented and configured correctly on the routers.

These are:

 Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP)

 and where more than one router is involved, an inter-router multicast routing protocol which all of the participating routers support.

Ghost multicasting uses the following IP multicast address range:

224.77.0.0 - 224.77.255.255


Understanding IP addresses and their use with Ghost Multicasting

Each computer on an IP network needs a unique IP address.

This IP address can be specified locally on a computer in a configuration file, or, automatically using a BOOTP or DHCP system.

Associated with an IP address is a subnet mask. The subnet mask indicates the range of IP addresses that are locally accessible to the computer. Each of these locally accessible computers become members of the local subnet.

If the address of another computer is outside the range of IP addresses specified by the subnet mask, then this computer is known to be on a different subnet.

To communicate with a computer on another subnet, the local computer sends the information to the “default gateway”.

It is the default gateway’s responsibility to forward information to the correct receiver.

The default gateway of a computer needs to be on the same subnet as that computer.

Locally Specified IP Address.

An IP network using locally specified addresses requires each machine to be manually set-up to have a unique IP address, the correct subnet mask, and optionally the default gateway.

The Windows Ghost Multicast Server receives its locally specified IP address, subnet mask and default gateway from the TCP/IP parameters in the Network option of the control panel in Windows.

The DOS based Ghost Multicast Server and Client(s) receive their IP address, subnet mask and default gateway from the configuration file named WATTCP.CFG** that is usually located in same directory as the Ghost executable.

**Note: If a DOS boot disk is used to start up Ghost Multicasting, each PC requires a different WATTCP.CFG file to be specified and therefore every boot disk for the workstations is unique.

Example of Locally Specified IP Address for Windows 95

Example of Using Ghost Multicasting Client and local IP address Configuration

Automatically Generated IP address using DHCP/BOOTP:

If a BOOTP or DHCP Server is installed on the network, one may take advantage of Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol [DHCP] or BOOTP for IP address assignment.

A DHCP Server is included in Windows NT Server release 4.0. Other DHCP and BOOTP Applications are available for various operating systems and can be used with Ghost Multicasting.

Specifying a local configuration for every computer on an IP network is sometimes inconvenient, or impractical. Ghost Multicasting supports the automatic, or remote definition of IP addresses and network parameters using BOOTP and DHCP systems.

For multicasting to many clients, the advantage of not having to edit a unique WATTTCP.CFG file on every client may well be advantageous. Balanced against this is the additional complexity of the DHCP set up.

The controlling element for DHCP or BOOTP is the DHCP or BOOTP server which serves the request of clients and replies to them the details it is configured to provide. Since many DHCP servers can be placed on a network active measures must be taken to avoid duplicate address generation and its attendant problems.

To be able to use BOOTP or DHCP to specify a computer’s IP address requires the running of a BOOTP or DHCP server on the network. This BOOTP/DHCP Server listens on the network for computers requesting an IP address to be provided, and replies with the address the DHCP/BOOTP server is configured to provide. For Ghost Multicasting, the BOOTP/DHCP Server needs to be configured to provide the IP address, subnet mask as a minimum, and (optionally) the default gateway. Other entries in the BOOTP/DHCP message will be ignored by Ghost.

Example of Using Ghost Multicasting with a DHCP Server

Selecting an IP Address

The IP addresses you use with Ghost Multicasting will depend on the network currently installed, and the IP addressing scheme already in use in the organization.

The following range of IP addresses are available for use in internal networks. In situations where you currently do not have any IP address scheme setup, and require a temporary scheme, select an address set out of the following range of IP addresses.

Examples in this help file use:

IP addresses: 	192.168.100.x (Class C address group)

Subnet Mask	255.255.255.0

Valid Subnet Addresses for machines: 192.168.100.1 to 192.168.100.254

Allowed addresses for internal private internets (RFC1597)

10.0.0.0	-	10.255.255.255	(1 class A)

172.16.0.0	-	172.31.255.255	(16 class B Addresses)

192.168.0.0	-	192.168.255.255	(255 class C Addresses)


Example of Using Ghost Multicasting Client and Local IP Address Configuration

Windows 95 PC #1 running Windows Ghost Multicast Server (GHOSTSRV.EXE)

IP address: 	192.168.100.10

subnet mask:	255.255.255.0

Default Gateway:	192.168.100.1

Uses Windows TCP/IP stack configuration so there is no need for WATTCP.CFG file.

DOS PC #2 running Ghost client (GHOST.EXE)

IP address: 	192.168.100.3

subnet mask:	255.255.255.0

Default Gateway:	192.168.100.1

DOS PC #2 WATTCP.CFG file is as follows:

IP = 192.168.100.3

NETMASK = 255.255.255.0

GATEWAY = 192.168.100.1

DOS PC #3 running Ghost client (GHOST.EXE)

IP address: 	192.168.100.44

subnet mask:	255.255.255.0

Default Gateway:	192.168.100.1

DOS PC #3 WATTCP.CFG file is as follows:

IP = 192.168.100.44

NETMASK = 255.255.255.0

GATEWAY = 192.168.100.1

Any address other than 192.168.100.0 to 192.168.100.255 is on another subnet, and needs to be passed on to the default gateway (192.168.100.1 in this example)

If the computers do not need to communicate with another machine outside their subnet, then a default gateway address entry is not required.


Example of Using Ghost Multicasting with a DHCP Server.

Windows NT 4.0 Server #1 running Windows Ghost Multicast Server GHOSTSRV.EXE and Windows DHCP Server.

IP address: 	172.16.5.10

subnet mask:	255.255.255.0

Default Gateway:	172.16.5.1

DOS PC #2 running Ghost client GHOST.EXE

IP address: 	supplied via DHCP

subnet mask:	supplied via DHCP

Default Gateway:	supplied via DHCP

DOS PC #2 WATTCP.CFG file is empty or does not exist, since Ghost Multicasting defaults to using BOOTP and DHCP if no local specified network parameters are supplied.

DOS PC #3 running Ghost client GHOST.EXE

IP address: 	supplied via DHCP

subnet mask:	supplied via DHCP

Default Gateway:	supplied via DHCP

DOS PC #3 WATTCP.CFG file is empty or does not exist, since Ghost Multicasting defaults to using BOOTP and DHCP if no local specified network parameters are supplied.


Example of Locally Specified IP Address for Windows 95

**If the Network Administrator provides default addresses, these addresses should be entered instead of the addresses in this example

Step 1:

Double-click on Desktop / My Computer / Control Panel / Network

Step 2:

If the Microsoft Networking TCP/IP protocol is not installed for your Network Card, do so now.

Confirm that the network TCP/IP entry is selected and double-click that entry.

The TCP/IP properties panel will open.

Step 3: The TCP/IP properties panel will contain details on how TCP/IP is setup on the machine.

Select the IP address tab and view the IP addresses. If no IP address is specified, and you are not using DHCP for this machine, enter the numerical values supplied by the system administrator. Alternatively if no pre-defined values are available then you may use these default values:

IP Address	192.168.100.10

Subnet Mask	255.255.255.0

If a Router is being used, select the Gateway tab and enter the appropriate IP address. In  this example 192.168.100.1, otherwise leave this entry field empty.

The above procedure has assigned the locally specified IP address for the Windows 95 Multicast Server machine that is used in this help file.


Overview of Steps using GHOSTSRV
Using the Windows Ghost Multicast Server

The Ghost Multicast Server (GHOSTSRV.EXE) is the application that multicasts a copy of an image file to one or more Ghost clients who are connected and listening to the server's session.

The Ghost Multicast Server (GHOSTSRV.EXE) also contains the ability to create a disk or partition image file of a connected client Ghost machine.

The Windows Ghost Multicast Server runs under Windows NT 4 or Windows 95 and requires the network settings to include a valid TCP/IP stack.

There are 5 steps to follow:

Step 1 - Enter a session name and type of session

Step 2 - Select the image file for the multicast session

Step 3 - Specify the Auto-Start parameters(optional)

Step 4 - Start accepting the Client Ghost Machines

Step 5 - Start the Ghost Multicast Session


Load to Clients Transfer option
Load to Clients

Multicasts out from the Multicast Server a copy of the selected partition or complete disk image to all connected Ghost Multicast Clients to the session.


Dump from Client Multicast Server transfer option
Dump From Client

Uploads and creates an image file locally on the Ghost Multicast Server side from the first Ghost machine connected to the creation session


Server Step 1
Step One - Enter a session name and type of session

A session consists of one server, a single disk or partition image and a group of similar Ghost clients requiring the identical disk or partition image. The session name acts as a key and identifies the session and must be unique. The session name is used by Ghost clients to indicate the session they are to join and listen to.

The two transfer options in the Ghost Multicast Server are: Load to Clients and Dump From Client.

Select the option required for this session.

Example is shown below:

See also:

Windows Ghost Multicast Server Command Line Interface

Step 2 - Select the image file for the multicast session


Server Step 2
Step Two - Select the image file for the multicast session

Enter the full path and name of the disk image file in the Image File Box. The Browse button may be used to locate a file or location for the file.

Creating an Image File (Dump from Client):

The image file will be created at the location and file name specified. If the file already exists, GHOSTSRV prompts you if you wish to overwrite.

Either the entire disk image or an image including selective partitions can be created. For the entire disk image, select the disk radio button.

If you require the ability to select which partitions on the Ghost Model Client are to be included in the image file, select the partition radio button. This will allow the selection of which partitions on the Client Ghost machine are to be included in the image file.

Sending an Image File (Load to Clients):

If the file selected is not a valid image file, step four will not be able to be completed.

Either the entire disk image or a selective partition image can be multicasted to the client Ghost machines. For the entire disk image, select the disk radio button.

If you wish to multicast a single partition from an image file, select the partition radio button and select the partition from the image file. The Disk or Partition settings must be selected before step four can be completed.

NB: The Ghost Image file can be created by GHOST.EXE through the use of the "Dump Disk to image file" option in either local mode, or using Dump From Client Mode.

See also:

Windows Ghost Multicast Server Command Line Interface

Step 3 - Specify the Auto-Start parameters(optional)


Server Step 3
Step Three -Specify the Auto-Start parameters (optional)

The server can be optionally setup to start sending to clients connected to the session automatically.

The start time can be based on:

•	the number of clients connected to the session.

•	a specified time within the next 24 hour time period.

•	a number of minutes after the last client joined.

•	a logical ‘OR’ combination of criteria.

The Auto-Start Time box allows a 24 hour time between 00:00 and 23:59  to be specified.

The format of the time is hours:minutes.

For example half past five in the morning would be 05:30,

and quarter past five in the evening would be 17:15.

The Auto-Start Client Count box allows the threshold number of joined clients to be specified.

For example, if the threshold is set to ten (10), then the server will wait and accept clients until the tenth client. Once the tenth client is accepted, the server will stop accepting any more clients and start sending out to the connected Ghost machines.

The Auto-Start Timeout box sets the maximum number of minutes the server will wait for a new client to connect before starting the session. For example, if the timeout was set to fifteen (15) minutes, the server will wait indefinitely until the first client is accepted. After the first client joins, the 15 minute count down is started. If no more clients join, the session will start 15 minutes later. If another client joins before the 15 minutes timeout, the timeout counter will reset to 15 minutes and start counting down again.

Logical combination of criteria:

When more than one of the auto-start parameters are specified, the first true criterion specifies the start time. For example, if the start time is 17:30 and the client count is 20, then the server will start the session when the 20th client joins, no matter what the time is, or at 17:30 if there is at least one client joined.

The auto-start values become active once step four, "start accepting clients" is carried out and can be stopped either by using the stop button, or by starting the session send earlier using the send button.

See also:

Closing the Ghost Multicast Server on completion

Restarting the Ghost Multicast Server on completion

Windows Ghost Multicast Server Command Line Interface

Step 4 - Start accepting the client Ghost machines


Server Step 4
Step Four -Start accepting the client Ghost machines

The Accept Clients button will become active following the completion of steps one and two. Check the image file name and settings, transfer option, session name and optional auto-start details are correct, and press Accept Clients. The file is checked to see if it is a Ghost image file, and then the Multicast Server starts listening for clients on the network who are requesting to join its session.

If the Multicast Server is setup to Dump from Client the Multicast Server will accept the first client to join the session as the model Ghost machine.

The Ghost clients should now be started on the destination machines. Refer to the Using the Multicast Ghost client in the Ghost User's Guide for more information.

The Auto-Start parameters become active once this step has been completed. To override the auto start parameters, press the start or stop button as required.

Step 5 - Start sending the Image to the client Ghost machines


Server Step 5
Step Five - Start the Multicast Session

The IP addresses of the client Ghost machines that connect will appear in the connected window.

Dump from Client Option:

The Multicast Server will start automatically when the first client joins the session. This will be the machine used to create the image file.

Load to Clients Option:

When all Ghost clients have connected and are waiting for the multicast session to start, and the auto-start option is not required, press the Send button. This will proceed with the multicast of the image file disk or partition.

The Progress Indicator will show the status of the Multicast session as it proceeds, along with other image file transfer details. Please note that the statistics shown are based on the image file size, and do not take into account the compression used internally in the image file. The speed shows the actual amount of (compressed) data being sent over the network in Megabytes per minute from the image file.


Automatic Closing of GHOSTSRV Application Option

GHOSTSRV includes the ability to automatically closedown on completion of the Multicast session.

To activate this option:

In the Options item of the File Menu, select the check box for "Close GHOSTSRV on Completion".

Alternatively, the -C command line switch can be used.


Automatic Restarting of GHOSTSRV Application Option

GHOSTSRV includes the ability to automatically restart using the same auto-start parameters on completion of the multicast session.

To activate this option:

In the Options item of the File Menu, select the check box for "Restart on Completion".

Alternatively, the -R command line switch can be used.


Generating a Ghost Multicast Log File

A Ghost Multicast log file can be generated for diagnostic purposes.

It should be noted that logging slows down the multicast process and should be used to assist in diagnosing problems noted during normal use. It is not intended for general use.

There are four steps to generating a Log File:

1.	Select the Options item from the File menu.

2.	Enter the log file location and file name.

3.	Select the logging level for the log file

4.	Use the Multicast Server as required.

Step One: Select the Options item in the File menu

The Options are accessible through the File menu.

Step Two: Enter the log file location and file name

Specify a filename and path where the log file should be generated in the Log File Box. The Browse Button can be used to assist in finding a location for the file.

Step Three: Select the logging level for the log file.

The Ghost Multicast log file allows various levels of diagnostic information to be provided. Selection of the logging level is completed through the log level combo box.

The diagnostic levels in order of increasing detail are:

•	Error

•	Statistical

•	Warning

•	Information

•	All

Step Four: Use the Multicast Server as required.

The Ghost RML Server can be used for normal operation and the log file inspected on completion.


Multiple Network Interface Support

When a machine has multiple TCP/IP interfaces the Ghost Multicast Server automatically identifies which of the interfaces it should use. All interfaces are used when accepting clients.

The multicast session will be transmitted on the interfaces with clients accepted only.


Ghost Windows Multicast Server Command Line Options

The Windows based Ghost Multicast Server can be run from the command line enabling it to be started using a batch file or third party scheduler application.

The command line interface is as follows:

GHOSTSRV filename session [options]

where:

•	filename 	= path and filename of disk image file to be distributed

•	session 	= session name to use.

and options:

-NCount	starts the multicast transmission after ‘count’ clients have joined the session.
-Thh:mm	starts sending session automatically after specified 24 hour time hh:mm occurs.
-Ominutes	starts transmission ‘minutes’ after last client connection.
-C	closes ghostsrv application after multicast session completion.
-R	restarts the multicast session on completion.
-D	use dump from client mode. (Load to client is default)
-P	specifies partition mode operation. If loading to clients, the partition number must be given. If dumping from Client, no partition number should be specified.
-Llevel	creates log file with log level specified (E,S,W,I or A).
-Ffilename	specifies the log file for the –L option (by default "ghostlog.txt").
-Bn	sets the multicast data buffer size to n MB

Some examples of usage:

Uploading a complete disk Image File from a client Ghost Machine:

GHOSTSRV c:\test123.gho TestSession -d

Starts a multicast session called TestSession and creates or overwites the file c:\test123.gho. The first connecting client's IP address will be displayed on screen, and the session will start automatically. The Client PC indicates the drive to use for the image creation.

Uploading partitions from a client Ghost Machine to an image file:

GHOSTSRV c:\test123.gho TestSession -d -p

Starts a multicast session called TestSession and creates or overwrites the file c:\test123.gho. The first connecting client's IP address will be displayed on screen, and the session will start automatically. The Client PC indicates the drive and partitions to be included in the image created.

General Partition Use:

GHOSTSRV c:\test123.gho TestSession -p2

Starts the GHOSTSRV application and configures a multicast session called TestSession and uses the second partition in the file c:\test123.gho. Once the Accept button has been pressed, the connecting clients IP address will be displayed on screen. Once all Clients have connected, pressing the start button will commence the session transmission.

Number of clients auto-start

GHOSTSRV -n10 c:\test123.gho TestSession

Starts a multicast session called TestSession and uses the file c:\test123.gho. The connecting clients IP address will be displayed on screen. Once ten clients have connected, the session transmission is started automatically.

Time based auto-start

GHOSTSRV c:\test123.gho TestSession -t13:30

Starts a multicast session called TestSession and uses the file c:\test123.gho. The connecting clients IP address will be displayed on screen. At half past one in the after noon the session transmission is started automatically.

Time based and client count auto-start

GHOSTSRV c:\test123.gho TestSession -t13:30 -n10

Starts a multicast session called TestSession and uses the file c:\test123.gho. The connecting clients IP address will be displayed on screen. At either half past one in the after noon or after 10 clients join the session transmission is started automatically. GHOSTSRV does not wait for both conditions to be met.

Time based and client count auto-start and automatic closing

GHOSTSRV c:\test123.gho TestSession -t13:30 -n10 -c

Starts a multicast session called TestSession and uses the file c:\test123.gho. The connecting clients IP address will be displayed on screen. At either half past one in the after noon or after 10 clients join the session transmission is started automatically. GHOSTSRV does not wait for both conditions to be met. Once the multicast session transmission is completed, GhostSrv is closed down as requested.

Problem solving:

GHOSTSRV -la -ferrlog.txt -n10 c:\test123.gho TestSession

Starts a multicast session called TestSession and uses the file c:\test123.gho. The connecting clients IP address will be displayed on screen. Once ten clients have connected, the session transmission is started automatically. A log file "errlog.txt" will be created for debugging purposes. Please note that using a log file will reduce the performance of the multicast transmission.


Creating  a GHOST Multicast Client Boot Disk
Creating a DOS Ghost Multicast Client Boot Disk

Do not use the Network Client Administrator from Windows NT4 or the Microsoft Network Client installation program to create a Ghost Multicast boot disk as they are not compatible with Ghost Multicasting.

The following steps are required:

1.	Copy system files onto a blank floppy disk

2.	Setup the Packet Driver Interface

3.	Copy GHOST.EXE and WATTCP.CFG to disk

4.	Edit WATTCP.CFG file

5.	Edit AUTOEXEC.BAT file


Creating  a GHOST Multicast Server Boot Disk
Creating a DOS Ghost Multicast Server Boot Disk

The following steps are required:

1.	Copy system files onto a blank floppy disk

2.	Setup the Packet Driver Interface

3.	Copy DOSGHSRV.EXE and WATTCP.CFG to disk

4.	Edit WATTCP.CFG file

5.	Edit AUTOEXEC.BAT file


DOS Boot Disk Step One - Copy system files onto a blank floppy disk
Step One - Copy system files onto a blank floppy disk.

On a Windows 95/98 or DOS PC, insert a blank formatted floppy disk into the drive and run sys to transfer DOS system files.

For example if the floppy disk is in drive A:

c:\ > sys a:

alternatively:

c:\ > format a: /s

Note: It is not possible to transfer DOS system files onto the diskette from within Windows NT.

Step Two: Setup the Packet Driver Interface


DOS Boot Disk Step Two - Setup Packet Driver Interface
Step Two - Setup packet driver Interface

Follow the instructions in the Packet Driver Setup section and ensure all files are installed on the disk. For example, with network card dependent packet drivers only one file, the packet driver, will be required to be copied onto the disk.

For example

c:\ > copy NE2000PD.com a:\

DOS Client Boot Disk:

 Step Three: Copy GHOST.EXE and WATTCP.CFG to disk

DOS Server Boot Disk:

Step Three: Copy DOSGHSRV.EXE and WATTCP.CFG to disk


DOS Client Boot Disk Step Three - Copy GHOST.EXE and WATTCP.CFG to disk
Step Three - Copy GHOST.EXE and WATTCP.CFG to disk

Copy the Ghost executable and WATTCP.CFG configuration file onto the floppy disk. Optionally copy a Ghost command line switch file onto the disk as required.

For example

c:\ > copy ghost.exe a:\

c:\ > copy wattcp.cfg a:\

Step Four: Edit WATTCP.CFG file


DOS Server Boot Disk Step Three - Copy DOSGHSRV.EXE and WATTCP.CFG to disk
Step Three - Copy DOSGHSRV.EXE and WATTCP.CFG to disk

Copy the DOS Ghost Multicast Server (DOSGHSRV.EXE) executable and WATTCP.CFG configuration file onto the floppy disk.

For example

c:\ > copy dosghsrv.exe a:\

c:\ > copy wattcp.cfg a:

Step Four: Edit WATTCP.CFG file


DOS Boot Disk Step Four - Edit WATTCP.CFG
Step Four - Edit WATTCP.CFG file

The WATTCP.CFG file stores the DOS TCP/IP stack configuration details, and specifies the IP address of the machine, the subnet mask, and optionally the local gateway.

An example WATTCP.CFG file follows:

IP = 192.168.100.3

NETMASK = 255.255.255.0

See Also:

Description of the WATTCP.CFG configuration file keywords

Example of using local IP address configurations

Step Five: Edit AUTOEXEC.BAT file


DOS Boot Disk Step Five - Edit AUTOEXEC.BAT
Step Five - Edit AUTOEXEC.BAT file

Configure AUTOEXEC.BAT startup as required.

For example:

NE2000PD 0x60 10 0x280

GHOST –CLONE,SRC=@MCsessionname,dst=1 -sure


Packet Driver Setup

The DOS based Ghost multicast client (GHOST.EXE) and DOS based Ghost multicast server (DOSGHSRV.EXE) require an Ethernet or Token Ring based packet driver to be loaded prior to running.

The Windows version of the Ghost multicast server does not require a packet driver as it uses the standard TCP/IP windows network support.

There a several options available to get a packet driver interface installed, and the option chosen will depend on your individual requirements and resources.

Options:

1.	NDIS stack with supplied Packet Driver Shim installed.

2.	Network card dependent Packet Driver

3.	Other Third Party Packet Driver interface


Packet Driver Setup Option One NDIS with supplied Packet Driver Shim
Option One - NDIS with supplied Packet Driver Shim.

Steps required:

1.	Locate NDIS driver for network interface card.

2.	Create and modify PROTOCOL.INI, CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files

3.	Copy other required files.

4.	Reboot machine to load stack

Step One - Locate NDIS Driver for network interface card

NDIS (version 2.0.1) drivers are usually supplied on the installation disk included with a network card, and usually have a .dos filename extension. Alternatively, NDIS (version 2.0.1) drivers may be available from the network card manufacturers web sites.

Step Two - Create and Modify PROTOCOL.INI, CONFIG.SYS, and AUTOEXEC.BAT files

The base configuration files for editing are available in the NDISFILE.ZIP file.

Example PROTOCOL.INI file:

[PROTMAN]

drivername = PROTMAN$

[PKTDRV]

drivername = PKTDRV$

bindings = PC_CARD

intvec = 0x60

chainvec =0x66

[PC_CARD]

drivername = PNPND$

NOTES:

•	The [PC_CARD] module drivername should be changed to correspond to the NDIS driver in use for your network interface card. For example, if a 3Com 509 card is used then the change required would be:
[PC_CARD]

drivername = ELNK3$

•	Any additional required options for the network card configuration can be entered in the [PC_CARD] module. Refer to the documentation of the NDIS driver for the network card in use if required. For example, the 3Com 509 card allows you to optionally specify the IO base address

 	[PC_CARD]

drivername = ELNK3$

IOADDRESS = 0x300

Example CONFIG.SYS file:

device=protman.dos /I:\

device=dis_pkt.dos

device=pnpnd.dos

NOTES:

PROTMAN.DOS should be the first device driver loaded.

•	The /I: indicates the location of the PROTOCOL.INI file and must be present.
For example /I:\ specifies root directory and /I:A:\NET specifies A:\NET

•	DIS_PKT.DOS is included with the multicast version of Ghost.

•	The last line should be altered to indicate the device driver for the network card. For example if a 3Com 509 is in use the line would be:
device=ELNK3.DOS

Example AUTOEXEC.BAT file:

prompt $p$g

netbind

NOTES:

NETBIND Binds the NDIS drivers together and the packet driver interface is installed.

Step Three: Copy other required files

Locate and copy the following files:

NETBIND.COM

PROTMAN.DOS

PROTMAN.EXE

NETBIND and PROTMAN files can be sourced from ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/bussys/Clients/MSCLIENT/ if not locally available.

The Directory should now contain the following files:

System Files:

COMMAND.COM

MSDOS.SYS	(hidden)

IO.SYS 	(hidden)

Configuration Files:

CONFIG.SYS

AUTOEXEC.BAT

PROTOCOL.INI

NDIS Files:

DIS_PKT.DOS

NETBIND.COM

PROTMAN.DOS

PROTMAN.EXE

???.DOS	(Your network card specific driver)

NOTES:

PROTMAN.EXE is used during the NETBIND and does not need to be included in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

Step Four: Reboot machine to load stack

Reboot the machine using the configuration files created.

The Packet Driver Interface should now be ready for use.


Packet Driver Setup Option Two - Network Card dependent Packet Driver
Option Two - Network card dependent Packet Driver.

(Also known as Packet Drivers, Clarkson Packet Drivers and Crynwr Packet Drivers)

Packet Drivers have the advantage of being relatively quick to set up, and the need for minimal configuration.

Steps in using a card specific packet driver:

1.	Locate Packet Driver designed for your network card

2.	Start Packet Driver

Step One - Locate Packet Driver designed for your network card

Packet Drivers are usually supplied on the installation disk included with a network card, and usually have a .com filename extension. Alternatively, packet drivers may be available from network card manufacturers web sites.

Step Two- Start Packet Driver

Follow the instruction included with the packet driver and install it.

For example:

A 3Com 509 PCI network card packet driver:

A:\ > 3c5x9pd

A NE2000 compatible at IRQ 10 and IO base 0x280 using software interrupt 0x60:

A:\ > ne2000PD 0x60 10 0x280

If unknown, the IRQ and IO base address values can be found using the setup program included with the network interface card. The software interrupt used can be between 0x60 - 0x7F.


Option Three - Other Third Party Packet Driver interfaces.

Various other Packet Driver Interfaces are available. This includes ODI driver based packet driver interfaces like ODIPKT.COM.


Installing the Ghost Multicast Server on Windows 95

The Windows Ghost Multicast Server, GHOSTSRV.EXE, uses Winsock 2 to provide the multicasting features in Windows 95, Windows 98 and Windows NT.

Winsock 2 is included in the distribution of Windows NT 4 and Windows 98.

There are no additional installation steps required to install GHOSTSRV.EXE on Windows NT 4 and Windows 98 machines. However, to run the Ghost Multicast Server, GHOSTSRV.EXE, on a Windows 95 machine, the following steps are required:

1.  You can acquire the Microsoft Windows 95 Winsock 2 update by pointing your web browser to: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/downloads/contents/Updates/W95Sockets2/

2.  Read the associated documentation and text files.

3.  Run the update named WS2SETUP.EXE.

4.  Reboot the Windows 95 Machine.

The update copies several files across into the windows directories and updates the networking stack to Winsock2 as detailed in the documentation.

CAUTION: If you are running Windows NT, Windows 98, or a later release, DO NOT install the Windows 95 Winsock 2 update. WinSock2 is built into Windows 98 and Windows NT version 4 and above, and is not available for earlier versions of Windows NT.


Using the DOS Multicast Server
Using the DOS Ghost Multicast Server

The DOS Ghost Multicast Server:

•	uses the Packet Driver Interface.

•	provides a command line user interface.

•	offers a command line DOS alternative to using the Windows Based Ghost Multicast Server.

DOSGHSRV.EXE uses the same Packet Driver setup the Ghost multicasting client uses. Refer to the Packet Driver Setup  section for more details on setup requirements.

The command line interface is as follows:

DOSGHSRV filename session [options]

where:

filename	= path and filename of disk image file to be distributed

session	= session name to use.

and options:

-Ncount	starts the multicast transmission after ‘count’ clients have joined the session.
-Thh:mm	starts sending session automatically after specified 24 hour time hh:mm occurs.
-Ominutes	starts transmission ‘minutes’ after last client connection.
-D	use dump from client mode. (Load to client is default)
-P	specifies partition mode operation. If loading to clients, the partition number must be given. If dumping from Client, no partition number should be specified.
-Llevel	creates log file with log level specified (E,S,W,I or A).
-Bn	sets the multicast data buffer size to n MB
Some examples of usage:

Uploading a complete disk Image File from a client Ghost Machine:

DOSGHSRV c:\test123.gho TestSession -d

Starts a multicast session called TestSession and creates or overwrites the file c:\test123.gho. The first connecting client's IP address will be displayed on screen, and the session will start automatically. The Client PC indicates the drive to use for the image creation.

Uploading partitions from a client Ghost Machine to an image file:

DOSGHSRV c:\test123.gho TestSession -d -p

Starts a multicast session called TestSession and creates or overwrites the file c:\test123.gho. The first connecting client's IP address will be displayed on screen, and the session will start automatically. The Client PC indicates the drive and partitions to be included in the image created.

General Use:

DOSGHSRV c:\test123.gho TestSession

Starts a multicast session called TestSession and uses the file c:\test123.gho. The connecting clients IP address will be displayed on screen. Once all Clients have connected, pressing any key starts the session transmission.

General Partition Use:

DOSGHSRV c:\test123.gho TestSession -p2

Starts a multicast session called TestSession and uses second partition in the file c:\test123.gho. The connecting clients IP address will be displayed on screen. Once all Clients have connected, pressing any key starts the session transmission.

Client Count auto-start:

DOSGHSRV -n10 c:\test123.gho TestSession

Starts a multicast session called TestSession and uses the file c:\test123.gho. The connecting clients IP address will be displayed on screen. The session transmission is started automatically once ten clients have connected.

Time based auto-start

DOSGHSRV c:\test123.gho TestSession -t13:30

Starts a multicast session called TestSession and uses the file c:\test123.gho. The connecting clients IP address will be displayed on screen. The session transmission is started automatically at half past one in the after noon (1:30PM).

Time based and client count auto-start

DOSGHSRV c:\test123.gho TestSession -t13:30

Starts a multicast session called TestSession and uses the file c:\test123.gho. The connecting clients IP address will be displayed on screen. At either 1:30PM or after 10 clients joining the session the session transmission is started automatically.

DOSGHSRV does not wait for both conditions to be met.

Problem Solving:

DOSGHSRV -la -n10 c:\test123.gho TestSession

Starts a multicast session called TestSession and uses the file c:\test123.gho. The connecting clients IP address will be displayed on screen. Once ten clients have connected, the session transmission is started automatically. A log file "rmllog.txt" will be created for debugging purposes. Please note that using a log file will reduce the performance of the multicast transmission.


The WATTCP.CFG Network Configuration File

The WATTCP.CFG configuration file contains the TCP/IP networking configuration details for Ghost and DOSGHSRV running in DOS. The WATTCP.CFG file is not required for the Windows based Ghost Multicast Server (GHOSTSRV).

The WATTCP File:

•	specifies the IP address of the machine

•	specifies the Subnet mask

•	allows the setting of other optional network parameters

•	should be located in the same directory as GHOST.EXE

The key words available in the WATTCP.CFG configuration file are:

•	IP
specifies the IP address of the local machine. Each machine must have a unique IP address. Ghost supports the use of DHCP and BOOTP Servers and defaults to using them when the IP address is left blank or invalid. DHCP and BOOTP provide automatic assignment of IP addresses to machines. This allows identical boot disks to be used on machines with similar network cards.

•	NETMASK
specifies the network subnet mask.

•	BOOTPTO (optional)
overrides the time out value in seconds for BOOTP/DHCP.

•	GATEWAY (optional)
specifies the IP address of the Gateway. This option should be used when routers are present on the network and when BOOTP services cross routers.

•	RECEIVE_MODE (optional)

overrides the automatically configured packet driver mode used by Ghost.
The modes in order of preference are 4, 5 and 6.

RECEIVE_MODE NOTES:

Some packet drivers misrepresent their abilities in receiving multicast information from the network and allow the use of packet receive modes which they do not correctly support.

Ideally the packet driver should be set to mode 4 so that it gives only the multicast packets that are for the Ghost multicast session to Ghost.

If the packet driver does not support this mode, mode 5 can be used to collect all multicast packets and give them to Ghost to filter.

The final option is to set the Packet Driver to give Ghost all packets being sent on the network (mode 6).

Altering the WATTCP.CFG filename and location

The location and file name of the WATTCP.CFG configuration file can be changed using a DOS environment variable GHOSTIP.

For example:

SET GHOSTIP=c:\ghost\pc1ip.cfg

If the “GHOSTIP” DOS environment variable is set, Ghost will attempt to open the configuration file specified, otherwise it attempts to open GHOSTIP.CFG or WATTCP.CFG in the current directory.


Multicast Session Name: Each multicast session running on a network must have a unique session name.


The GHOST image file's  name and location: Specify the name and path of the image file that is to be sent to clients who connect to this session. The Browse button can be used to assist in finding the GHOST image file.


Auto Start Time Value: (Optional - leave blank if not required) Enter a time value if you wish to automatically stop accepting clients and start the multicast session at a pre-set time. The time should be entered in 24 hour format HH:MM. e.g. 17:15 indicates the session will begin at quarter past 5 in the afternoon. The Accept Clients button activates the auto start feature.


Auto Start Client Count: (Optional- Leave blank if not required) Enter the maximum number of clients to be joined in this session here. Once this number of clients are joined, GHOSTSRV will stop accepting clients and start the multicast session. The Accept Clients button activates the auto start feature.


Connected Clients List Box: Displays a list of connected clients, and their last known status.


Accept Clients Button: Starts GHOSTSRV listening for clients requesting to join this session. The session name, image file, and auto-start parameters should be correct before pressing this button.


Send Button: Stops GHOSTSRV accepting more clients and starts multicast transmission of the image file to connected clients.


Stop Button: Stops the multicast session.


Transmission Speed: The transmission speed displayed in Megabytes per minute. For compressed image files, this value indicates the number of megabytes of compressed data being sent over the network. The uncompressed rate will be higher.


Percentage Complete: Indicates the percentage amount of the image file that has already been transmitted.

Mb Sent: The number of Megabytes of the Image file that have been transmitted. If the image file is compressed, actual uncompressed megabytes may be higher.


Mb Remaining: The number of megabytes remaining to be sent from the image file. If the image file is compressed, the actual uncompressed number of megabytes may be higher.


Time Elapsed: The amount of time elapsed since the multicast session started transmitting.


Time Remaining: The estimated time remaining for the multicast session transmission to complete.


Percentage Complete: Indication of the percentage complete of the transmission of the Image file.


Multicast log level: Select the level of Diagnostics required to be generated in the log file.


Multicast log file name and path: Enter the log file name and path required. the Browse button can be used to specify a location graphically.


Number of connected Clients


Number of failed Clients