"Networking Windows NT 3.51 - 2nd Edition" Electronic Update #3, October 1996
This document is an electronic supplement to "Networking Windows NT 3.51-2nd Edition" (published by J. Wiley & Sons, NY, 1995 $32.95 ISBN 0-471-12705-1). It is not intended as a stand-alone resource. Reference is made several times in what follows to articles and columns appearing in WINDOWS Magazine (CMP Publications, NY). Those articles are available on-line in the WINMAG forums of America Online and CompuServe; and from www.winmag.com on the Internet.
This will be the final electronic update to the second edition. It will be superseded by a webpage dedicated to our third edition ("Networking Windows NT 4.0") which is due out this December. The web address will be www.winmag.com/netnt, and we expect to have it running by December 1st.
* NT 3.51 Service Packs (See Chapter 1 below).
* Microsoft's NT 3.51 (3rd Edition) Resource Kit (see Appendix 4 below).
* Microsoft's Shell Technology Preview (STP), which provides NT with a Windows 95-style user interface (see CHAPTER 1) and CHAPTER 4 below).
* Microsoft's beta Exchange e-mail client (see CHAPTER 4) and (see CHAPTER 7 below).
* New information on Performance Monitor usage, including acquisition of periodic log information (see CHAPTER 5 below).
* Executive Software's updating of its Diskeeper on-line defragmenter for Windows NT 3.51; and results of performance testing Diskeeper under NT 3.5 (see CHAPTER 5 below).
* New information on Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS), including version 1.1, and early information on version 2.0 (see CHAPTER 7 below).
* Third party FTP, WWW and DNS software (see CHAPTER 6 below).
* Cross-domain issues with RAS (see CHAPTER 7 below).
* Enterprise issues, including troubleshooting, clustering (see CHAPTER 7 below).
* NetWare issues, including Novell's shipment (finally!) of a fully supported NetWare requester for NT, Microsoft's delay in shipping FPNW, and early information on future developments (see CHAPTER 9 below).
* Clarification on future NT releases including SUR and Cairo (see CHAPTER 11 below).
* Microsoft's release of an Extended MAPI 1.0 development kit, and associated API (see APPENDIX 1 below).
* New information on popularity of/support for RISC processor architectures as NT platforms (see APPENDIX 5 below).
Shell Technology Preview (STP)
STP (which provided a preview of NT 4.0's Win95-style shell on NT 3.51) is now obsolete, and we do not recommend using it.
Service Packs
As with previous NT releases, some bugs were discovered after NT 3.51 was released. These included driver problems, and compatibility issues with Windows 95 applications. Service Packs 1-4 (SP1-SP4) fixed these and other problems. SP4 is downloadable from Microsoft's website (www.microsoft.com).
This new feature appeared in NT 3.51 Service Pack Two (SP2). It is a full-blown software router that supports both IPX and TCP/IP protocols. It uses the RIP routing protocol and, in contrast to the limited static routing capability NT's TCP/IP suite has supported since version 3.1, this is fully automatic. I haven't tried it myself; but folks who have tell me that the IPX routing is excellent, while the TCP/IP routing still needs some work. In any case, NT Server owners who want the option to use a second network card and turn their server into a low-cost substitute for an expensive dedicated router should check out SP2.
Emergency Disk
It is absolutely vital to update the emergency disk after creating user accounts on an NT Server. Failing to do so may cause unsolvable problems if you ever use the emergency disk, as it will recreate only the user accounts which existed when the original emergency disk was created (eg: the administrator account). Follow the instructions for updating the emergency disk using the RDISK utility (pages 276-277 of "Networking Windows NT 3.51").
Scripts
An excellent article on Windows NT scripts and batch files by Rick Furnival appeared in the February issue of WINDOWS Magazine. You can find an online version on Windows Magazine's site at www.winmag.com/ew (search the back issues for it).
Exchange Beta Client
Microsoft provided a pre-release version of the Exchange client for Windows NT available on the MSDN Level-II CD set (look for the MAPI 1.0 Developer's Kit; it includes the client). This client can be used against both MS-Mail 3.x *and* (as yet unreleased) Exchange Servers. I've found it to be at least as reliable as NT's built-in Mail 3.x client, and (when used with Windows NT RAS) much more reliable than Microsoft's 16-bit Mail 3.2 Remote client for modem-based remote e-mail (see the "Windows NT" column in the December issue of WINDOWS Magazine for details). While using a beta version of any program in a production environment is almost never recommended, in this case I've made an exception and have had no cause to regret it (so far!)
Performance Monitor-Logging
While some basic information on using performance monitor to create and view log files was presented in Chapter 3 of the text, to be honest, I didn't fully understand how valuable this feature is until I tried it while writing an article on SMP scaling that appears in the November issue of WINDOWS Magazine. Details of performance monitor logging may be found in that issue's "Windows NT" column. If you have not tried this feature, do so-it's exceedingly simple, and you will learn things about your server that you might never discover using any other means. Here's how to do it:
* Start Performance Monitor, and select View\Log.
* Click the plus-sign button to add objects to the log, and add the Processor, Logical Disk, Memory, Redirector and Server objects (note that using the Logical Disk object requires you to start disk performance counters by typing diskperf -y at an NT command prompt.)
* Select Options/Log. Specify a logfile name and directory--and how often you want to update the log (I recommend starting with 3600 seconds-one hour).
* Click the Start Log button. PerfMon will start collecting data--and as it goes, it will display the file size. When you're finished collecting data, select Options/Log again, and press the Stop Log button ( I recommend letting it run for 24 hours the first time through).
To view the resulting data:
* Select View/Chart, then Options/Data From...
* Type in the name of your log file. You may now add counters to the chart just as you would for a regular chart--but you're getting the data from the log file. You can also export data in comma-separated-variable format, which can be read in by most spreadsheets.
Again, you'll find more information on this in the November "Windows NT" column; two hits: check memory/page faults per second (if it's consistently 100 or higher, you need more RAM), and processor/percent CPU (if it's less than 100%, you are not CPU bound and do *not* need to buy a faster system to improve server performance!)
Diskeeper
When the text went to press, Executive Software had released Diskeeper for NT 3.5, but did not have a version available for NT 3.51. Since then, updated versions have been made available for NT 3.51 with and without SP1. They may be downloaded from Executive Software's website: http://www.earthlink.net/execsoft; or Compuserve (go execsoft, "executive software" library). The update requires you to have Diskeeper for NT 3.5.
Also since the text went to press, I've had an opportunity to test Diskeeper's effect on file server performance. In a word: Outstanding! See the August 1995 "Windows NT" column for details.
Systems Management Server (SMS)
Since the 2nd edition went to press, Microsoft has delivered version 1.1 of SMS, which provides support for Windows 95 as a client operating system (including automated remote upgrade of Windows 3.x systems). Microsoft sources tell us that support for Windows NT as a client operating system will be greatly improved in SMS 2.0, which will also integrate SMTP support (Microsoft recently acquired the NMC-4000 network management product.) When we can expect SMS 2.0 is a very good question-it appears to be in the product definition phase, with some features still under discussion. However, a Microsoft source tells me that it's possible one desperately needed feature-secure remote control for NT Workstations-will be made available as a separate product in advance of the SMS 2.0 release. WATCH THIS SPACE for more information!
I'd also like to expand a little on the limited information provided in the text on the Network Monitor (aka "Bloodhound" utility provided with SMS 1.0. This is nothing less than a network "sniffer" implemented in software as an NT service. As such, it suffers the limitation of all sniffers (turn it on, collect 10MB of data in seconds, spend the next week decoding it)-but it's sometimes the only way to diagnose serious network problems. In my opinion, "Bloodhound" alone justifies purchasing SMS in all but the smallest NT networks!
Internet Products
Since the 2nd edition went to press, we've become aware that a number of good third-party internet products have become available. Among these are commercial ftp, http (web), and dns servers that vastly improve on the ones Microsoft includes in the Windows NT resource kit. A (probably incomplete) list includes:
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|---|---|---|
| Cold Fusion (database links for WWW servers) | Allaire LLC | (612)831-1808 |
| DNS (DNS Server) Sendmail with POP3 (Email) | MetaInfo Inc. | (206)521-2600 |
| FBLI DNS Server for Windows NT (DNS Server) | FBLI, Inc. | (514)349-0455 |
| Netscape Communications Server (WWW server) | NetScape Communications Corp. | (415)528-2555 |
| Purveyor (WWW server) | Process Software | (800)722-7770
(508)679-6994 |
| WebSite (WWW server) | O'Reilly and Associates | (707)829-0515 |
We have not had an opportunity to test these products ourselves-but we've heard good things from users about most of them. In particular, from all reports we've heard, O'Reilly and Associates WebSite has to be the premiere http server for NT today-it is evidently much easier to set up and use than any competitor. And of course, the NT resource kit includes functional (if not precisely elegant) www, dns, gopher, and wais servers developed by the European Microsoft Windows Academic Centre (EMWAC), based at Edinburgh University. Finally, Microsoft has an effort (code-named "Gibraltar") underway to develop a secure internet firewall/server for Windows NT. A good location to check for this and other "from the horses mouth" info on NT and the internet is http://www.microsoft.com/BackOffice/internet/. WATCH THIS SPACE for more information!
Exchange
As mentioned above, Microsoft has made an Exchange client beta available on the MSDN Level-II CD set; and the Exchange Server is now in a relatively wide beta test. However, Microsoft still declines to discuss when it will ship. My best guess is not before the first of the year.
Remote Access Service (RAS)
Since the 2nd edition went to press, we've discovered one major problem with RAS in NT 3.51 (and earlier versions): connecting across domains causes no end of trouble. Basically, inter-domain trust fails unless both PDCs can "see" each other. You can get around this to some extent by assigning RAS users a local account in the domain of the server being dialed into; but this appears to defeat the whole purpose of inter-domain trust.
On the good news side, RAS bridging, per the instructions on Page 384 of the 2nd edition, continues to work in NT 3.51 (indeed, I use it constantly!) This can be combined with TCP/IP routing (per Chapter 6) to provide a functional internet gateway for small LANs.
Enterprise Troubleshooting
As noted above, Microsoft SMS includes a Network Monitor service (aka "Bloodhound") that can be extremely useful for troubleshooting enterprise nets. In particular, examining router traffic can identify problems that are all but impossible to troubleshoot using other means.
Is NT Ready for the Enterprise (Pg 398 of 2nd Ed. Text)
The answer still has to be a *qualified* yes. Digital's long-promised clustering support for NT still hasn't shipped, though a recent joint technology cross-licensing agreement with Microsoft means that we're likely to see this technology built-in to future versions of NT Server. AT&T GIS ships a more limited form of clustering for file/print and TCP/IP network services with their high-end servers. The same product (called "Lifekeeper for Windows NT") is available for sale (though how it may be affected by the recent AT&T announcements is a good question-AT&T appears to be abandoning the *desktop* PC business, but announced that it would remain a player in the "transaction-intensive server" business.)
Windows 95 Support
As mentioned above, the STP provides a Windows 95-style user interface on NT 3.51, and what's said about Windows 95 support in this chapter pretty much applies to NT as well when STP is installed. One annoyance we've encountered in used Windows 95 with NT is cross-domain support; in particular, remote Windows 95 users may be unable to log on via NT RAS if they do not have a valid account in the NT domain in question.
Novell's NetWare Requester for Windows NT
Novell has *finally* shipped a fully supported NT requester, including all the features (including NetWare 4.x NDS support) discussed in Chapter 9. However, they've now changed the file name more than once. The best way to download it is from the NOVFILES forum on Compuserve: it's in Client Kits/Windows NT.
FPNW
Unaccountably, Microsoft has still failed to ship FPNW, despite a universally positive response from users. This may be due in part to development of a new (as yet unnamed) network management product which allows NetWare servers to function as members of Windows NT Server domains-Microsoft may be planning to package these products together. WATCH THIS SPACE for further developments.
IBM LAN Server
Everything we said about LAN Server 3.0 applies to LAN Server 4.0-and probably to IBM's new Warp Server as well. And OS/2 users will be glad to know that Warp Connect includes client components that allow Warp-based systems to access NT Servers.
VINES
Banyan apparently removed the beta VINES client from their server when a commercial version became available. Contact your local Banyan VAR or Banyan Systems at (800)222-6926 or (508)898-1000.
Cairo
Cairo (NT 5.0) is now expected to be available (at least in beta) in 1997. In the meantime, Windows NT 4.0 integrates the Windows 95-style user interface. For answers to common questions about NT 4.0, see www.winmag.com/ew, and browse the "NT Q&A" link.
MAPI 1.0
As mentioned earlier, extended MAPI (the API used by Microsoft's forthcoming Exchange Server) is now available on the MSDN Level-II CD set. Microsoft has indicated that, while simple MAPI will continue to be supported, it is basically obsolete. Extended MAPI will be used by all future Microsoft Mail products, and the Common Messaging Call (CMS) API-which is functionally identical to Simple MAPI-will be supported for interaction with third party products.
Mail developers are therefore advised to go out and have a stiff drink on us!
Windows 95
Developers should also be aware that experience has proved Win32 on Windows 95 (Win32c) to be a very different animal from Win32 on Windows NT. Incompatibilities exist with Windows 95's registry, performance counter and low-level I/O interfaces. See "Programmer's Guide to Microsoft Windows 95", Microsoft Press, pages 51-70; and the MSDN CD.
No news.
The NT 3.51 Resource Kit turned out to have quite a few new features of interest to network users. For NT 4.0, Microsoft has bifurcated the resource kit into separate versions for NT Workstation and NT Server. For more information, see my "Windows NT" column in the December 1996 issue of WINDOWS Magazine.
RISC
Digital and Archistrat Systems are both on the verge of releasing workstations with interchangable processor cards supporting either Intel or RISC CPUs (Deskstation Technologies has had such a system available for some time). At a recent briefing by Digital, I was shown performance test results of their system used as a CAD platform (both AutoCAD and Bentley Systems now support Digital's Alpha AxP architecture as well as Intel), indicating that performance with a single Alpha CPU at 266 MHz was approximately double the performance with *dual* Pentiums at 133 MHz. Since neither of the CAD programs in question are multithreaded, that's not a huge surprise (the second Pentium was effectively unused); but note that the difference in performance is exactly the same as the difference in clock rates.
Digital's performance advantage is really due to their decision to drive the Alpha at extremely high clock rates, rather than to any special RISC features. When Intel introduces faster processors, the ratio will decrease (of course Digital can probably make the Alpha faster as well). Other vendors, eg: Mips and Motorola (Power-PC), however, have so far produced processors with less of a clock rate advantage--and therefore less of a performance advantage-than Digital.
Aside from performance issues, one other issue faces anyone considering purchase of a RISC-based system: popularity, and its effect on software availability. In a recent (December 1995) WINDOWS Magazine NewsTrends story, I reported that downloads of *all* RISC versions of Microsoft's STP for NT 3.51 have been running at less than 10% the rate of downloads for Intel versions; and a check of other files provided in multiple versions showed much the same thing. Based on such information, we presently estimate the breakdown of the NT installed base as:
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| Intel x86 | 93% |
| Digital Alpha AxP 21x64 | 4.4% |
| Mips R4x00 | 2.2% |
| Motorola Power-PC 6xx | .4% |
Not surprisingly, relatively few software developers are willing to expend the effort to port their programs to a RISC platform when it will add only single-digit percentages to their market (to be fair, the percentages among NT Server are probably higher). Examination of Microsoft's new InfoSource CD (a single-CD database of information on all Microsoft Back Office products, third party products that support Back Office, etc.-well worth getting as it's *free*) shows that only 30% of the 4,000 NT-based programs listed support Alpha; fewer still support Mips or Power PC.
As we said in the text, check the availability of software before buying a RISC system as an NT platform.
Pentium Pro (P6)
Since the 2nd edition went to press, we've had some experience with Intel's new P6 processor-reported in the November issue of WINDOWS Magazine. P6 turns out to have some features in common with RISC processors-it is faster than a Pentium, but not by all that much; and it depends on an unimpeded 32-bit code path for best performance (so much so that Intel doesn't recommend it at all as a Windows 3.x platform, and reluctantly admits that it requires NT rather than Windows 95 for best performance). P6 does, however, execute Intel x86 instructions in hardware; and is therefore faster than any RISC platform when executing Win16 applications; moreover it is directly compatible with Windows 95 applications (provided they're "well behaved", and do not depend on nonstandard low-level I/O and other Windows 95 features not available in any current version of NT).
Symmetric Multi-Processing (SMP)
Since the 2nd edition was published, I've had an opportunity to experiment at some length with real-world SMP performance as a SQL Server platform (see the November 1995 issue of WINDOWS Magazine). That experience essentially validated everything we said in this section. However, it may be worth pointing out that AT&T has recently been successful in employing large, SMP-based servers to replace numbers of PC Servers, a process called "LAN Consolidation". This works *only* however, in cases where an adequate network backbone (ie: FDDI) already exists. We're extremely interested in hearing from people who have experience with such an operation (we'd particularly like to see a 24-hour performance log on such a site, per the instructions in CHAPTER 5 above). Please address any such correspondence to the e-mail address which follows.
One final point about SMP: many people are buying it who should not. I recently acquired performance monitor traces from two dual-processor servers, one used for file-and-print services (host for a CC:Mail net), the other serving an extremely active Internet website. Neither showed more than 10% CPU utilization on a steady-state basis; both were clearly gross overkill for their current application.
No news.
All the authors of "Networking Windows NT 3.51" are acessible on e-mail (see the list of addresses on page 510 of the text). As principle author of the text (and sole author of this electronic update), you can address correspondence to me: jruley@cmp.com. Please put the keyword "NETNT" in the subject line of your message. I'll try to reply as quickly as possible. -John D. Ruley
This electronic update is dedicated to Mrs. Blanche Mitchell Ruley (nee Blanche Elizabeth Mitchell), who died at the age of 73 on September 29th, 1995 after a short illness. A life-long teacher (of music, reading, and English), she was extremely proud of this work. RIP, Mom!
This entire document is copyright (c) 1995, 1996, by John D. Ruley and John Wiley & Sons Pubishers. All Rights Reserved.