OS/2 Shareware BBS: 8 Other/08-Other.zip/cnfgls30.zip/CNFGLS30.TXT

Text File | 1994-02-23 | 9KB | 176 lines

                  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!