GraceLAN is a network management utility that allows the network administrator to monitor devices connected to the network and troubleshoot problems. To give the network administrator as much information as possible, an special CDEV file must be installed on each Macintosh on the network. It communicates with the GraceLAN application when it's run to return information about that Macintosh. The information includes things like system version, memory size, number and size of hard disks, inits and applications present and so on.
Installing the CDEV
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To install the “GraceLAN Responder” CDEV on your machine, drag it from the release disk into your system folder(or control panels folder in system 7.0) and re-boot. You will notice that the GraceLAN Responder will take about 30 seconds to boot the very first time it is run. After this initial delay, it will only take a couple seconds each time you re-boot.
Configuration
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Once installed, open the Control Panel and select the GraceLAN icon. The first thing you need to do is set the "security" level for your machine. This tells the CDEV how much information it can give out about your machine. The levels have the following meanings:
Name and Machine Type -
Only your user information and the type of the
machine will be returned.
System Info -
Only information pertaining to your system
configuration and things in your system folder
will be returned.
All Info -
All information about you machine will be returned.
This includes hardware, system software, and information
about application versions on your hard disk(s).
Make Changes -
All information will be returned about your machine.
In addition, the GraceLAN Responder will be able to update
itself, installing new versions on your machine as they
become available. In the future, GraceLAN may allow
your system administrator to make other changes, such
as distributing software.
NOTE: GraceLAN DOES NOT look inside any data files.
No one can read your documents or otherwise
tamper with your data, regardless of your security level.
Your network administrator will probably have a policy concerning the security level settings for your network, please follow that policy.
After setting your security level, click the button called "User Info...". This will bring up a dialog that asks for your full name, phone number, and comments. Please fill in these fields, they will help the system administrator contact you if there is a problem with the network or your machine. If you move the machine to another location, please remember to change this info. Again, the system administrator may have a policy about the contents of these fields. For example, the comments field can be used to report your physical location within the facility, or the serial number of your Mac, or whatever. Please follow your system administrator's policy.
Impact on your machine
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GraceLAN also allows your system administrator to send you a quick message if there is some problem with the network. If this happens, you will see an alert pop up on your screen, in front of whatever else you're doing. Just read the message and dismiss the alert.
You're done. GraceLAN is dormant most of the time, waiting for information requests from your system administrator - you'll probably forget GraceLAN is even installed on your machine.
