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- NETWORKING
-
-
- Windows-based desktops are being connected to corporate
- networks at a steadily increasing rate. As a result, demands
- for better network integration, improved network and system
- management capabilities, and better network performance and
- reliability are growing as more business-critical functions
- rely on the PC network. Because of these demands, companies
- are faced with increased costs to run PC networks and are
- investing in tools and staff to meet the challenge of
- day-to-day network management.
-
- Windows 95 is constructed to address the needs of
- corporate network administrators with a well-integrated,
- high-performance, manageable 32-bit network architecture.
- Windows 95 is also designed to address the needs of the
- Windows user by making access to and control of the network
- consistent, and by making network browsing and printing
- much easier through the many enhancements in the UI.
- In addition, Windows 95 is designed to address users'
- mobility needs by enabling remote access to the network
- from portable PCs.
-
- Given the size of customers' current investments in both
- Windows and their PC network infrastructures, one overriding
- goal for networking in Windows 95 is compatibility.
- Compatibility involves ensuring continued support for
- existing real-mode components, as well as making the new
- 32-bit protected-mode components in Windows 95 compatible
- with existing 16-bit MS-DOS-based applications and device
- drivers and existing 16-bit Windows-based applications and DLLs.
-
-
- SUMMARY OF IMPROVEMENTS OVER WINDOWS 3.1
- AND WINDOWS FOR WORKGROUPS 3.11
-
- The primary improvements in networking for Windows 95
- include the following:
-
- - A robust, open, high-performance 32-bit network architecture,
- with 32-bit network client software, 32-bit file and printer
- sharing software, 32-bit network protocols, and 32-bit network
- card drivers
-
- - Support for using multiple redirectors, multiple protocols,
- and multiple network card device drivers simultaneously to
- facilitate integrating the desktop into a heterogeneous
- network environment.
-
- - Support for industry standard connectivity and systems
- management solutions, including TCP/IP, IPX, SNMP, and DMI.
-
- - Great integration with Novell NetWare, including
- high-performance, 32-bit protected-mode NetWare-compatible
- client software for connecting to NetWare 3.x and
- 4.x servers, and peer sharing for NetWare environments.
-
- - Great integration with Windows NT Server to support a
- powerful client/server solution.
-
- - Built-in support for systems management, including the ability
- to remotely administer, monitor, and view the configuration
- of PCs over the network.
-
- - Improved dial-up network access support, providing remote
- access to Microsoft Network servers, Novell NetWare servers,
- and UNIX servers. Support for remote protocols such as PPP
- and SLIP is provided.
-
- - Improved network printing, making it easier for users to
- connect and configure printers in network environments.
-
-
-
- *Easier Networking with Windows 95*
- The Microsoft Network support provides full interoperability
- with other Windows 95 PCs, and PCs running Windows for Workgroups,
- Windows NT, Windows NT Server, LAN Manager, and any other
- Microsoft-compatible servers. Windows 95 includes support for
- both client access and peer services capabilities on a Microsoft
- Network. Additionally, other network servers and services are
- provided by third parties-for example, Artisoft, Banyan, DEC,
- Novell, and SunSelect provide Windows 95 support for their
- respective network servers.
-
- This section summarizes the key features and concepts in
- Windows 95 that make networking much easier to implement and use.
-
-
- *Great Novell NetWare Integration*
- Windows 95 has built-in support for two networks: the
- Microsoft and Novell NetWare networks (built-in support
- for Novell NetWare is new with Windows 95). Installation
- of support for one or both networks is as simple as clicking
- the Setup program for Windows 95 or the Network icon in the
- Control Panel. Both the Client for Microsoft Networks and
- the Microsoft Client for NetWare Networks are implemented as
- high-performance, high-reliability 32-bit protected-mode components.
-
-
- *Microsoft Client for NetWare Networks*
- The Microsoft Client for NetWare Networks in Windows 95
- provides interoperability for NetWare 3.x and 4.x servers.
- Systems running Windows 95 can use all NetWare server services,
- browse NetWare servers, connect to servers, and queue print
- jobs either using the UI in Windows 95 or using Novell's
- NetWare command line utilities. The Microsoft Client for
- NetWare Networks in Windows 95 even run "TSR clean" NetWare
- logon scripts. In addition, Windows 95 provides continued
- support for Novell NetWare real-mode components, thereby
- supporting both the NetWare 3.x NetX shell and the
- NetWare 4.x VLM shell.
-
-
- *File and Printer Sharing Services for NetWare Networks*
- Windows 95 also provides NetWare-compatible peer services
- for file and printer sharing. These services feature
- user-level security by implementing a "pass through"
- security link to an existing Novell NetWare server to
- leverage the existing user database. Windows 95 doesn't
- introduce a new security scheme; rather, it fully leverages
- the existing user-level security built into NetWare's bindery.
-
-
- *The "Well-Connected Client" Operating System*
- Today's networks are heterogeneous and becoming even more
- connected. Companies are linking their Windows PCs to
- multiple PC network servers, mainframe and mini-computer
- host systems, UNIX machines, and a variety of services like
- the Internet. The desktop operating system must meet this
- challenge and provide support for often very disparate
- connectivity needs on the network. Today's desktop
- operating systems do not provide the necessary support for
- running multiple network clients simultaneously. Windows 95
- has been explicitly designed with multiple network support
- as a key design goal.
-
- Because integrated networking support is a key focus of
- the design of Windows 95, it's much easier to install and
- manage support for a single network or even multiple
- networks simultaneously using Windows 95. Building upon
- the support in Windows for Workgroups 3.11, which was
- capable of supporting up to two networks, Windows 95 can
- simultaneously support up to ten 32-bit, protected-mode
- network clients using its Network Provider Interface.
- This interface defines a set of APIs used by Windows 95
- to access the network for tasks such as logging onto the
- server, browsing servers, connecting to servers, printing,
- and so on.
-
- Installing network provider support is simple; it's done
- via the Network Setup icon in the Control Panel or from
- the Network Setup dialog box when first installing
- Windows 95. A Windows 95 desktop can run client support
- for NetWare, Windows NT Server, Banyan, DEC PathWorks
- and Sun NFS simultaneously. PC users in a network
- environment that includes Apple Macintosh computers can
- use Windows 95 to exchange documents and share information
- with Macintosh users when Macintosh-compatible file services
- are used with Windows NT Server or Novell NetWare to connect
- to the common file server (long filename support in
- Windows 95 further simplifies the integration of the
- two systems).
-