Questions and answers for Axis StorPoint  NetWare NDS support

Q: What will the NDS server look like on the network? 

A: It will announce itself as an NetWare 4.10 file server. It will install itself as an NCP Server in the NDS tree, displaying all the familiar dialogues in NWAdmin. A volume object will also be created in the NDS tree. 

Q: Is it easy to install? 

A: Yes. Installation just takes a few minutes of your time. When you first connect the server to the network, it will allow you to log in to it in bindery mode. There you will open up the configuration file and write down a few parameters needed for the StorPoint to install in NDS (Server name, Tree name, context, administrator name and password).After writing this configuration to the StorPoint, the server will install itself into the NDS tree. If there was a problem with the installation you will get a complete log of the installation and you'll be told what went wrong. 

Q: Can I manage the server with NWAdmin? 

A: Yes! You use NWAdmin to setup user rights to the server object in the NDS tree. You also use NWAdmin to set user rights in the file system itself, restricting access to configuration directories and individual CD:s.In the NDS server we support full access rights using users, groups, organisational units etc. Inheritance rights filters are also supported. This means that you can use NWAdmin for all your day-to-day management tasks.

Q: What can't I do using NWAdmin? 

A:  

• Initial NDS server installation. This is done using parameters in the config.ini configuration file.  

• Managing bindery users and their access rights. Bindery users and their access rights will have to be managed by using the configuration files in the volumes directory.  

• All configuration and management of non-NetWare related protocols and subsystems.  

Q: Can I disable bindery support?

A: Yes If you only plan to use the server as an NDS server you have the option of disabling bindery mode completely, allowing no login:s in bindery mode.

Q: Can I run the StorPoint as a standalone NDS server? 

A: No. The StorPoint relies on existing NDS servers for it's functions. It integrates into an existing NDS tree, but it cannot create a tree of it's own. 

Q: Does the StorPoint NDS-server take part in replica syncronization? 

A: No. The StorPoint server is not part of any replica at all and therefore does not take part in replica syncronization. This means that you don't have to fear that the StorPoint can mess up your NDS syncronization. 

Q: Does it support time syncronization? 

A: Yes. The StorPoint NDS-server implements time syncronization. It works as a SECONDARY time server which means that it accepts time from the network, but never takes part in the voting procedures. 

Q: Can I run the StorPoint server in both NDS and bindery mode at the same time?  Is it wise to do so?

A: Yes, you can use both bindery mode and NDS at the same time. This allows your users and your system to migrate to NDS at their own pace.Once all users have migrated to NDS, we recommend that you disable bindery mode. This increases security by only allowing users that are logged in to the more secure NDS system to attach to the server. If you run it in both bindery and NDS modes, you will have to manage server rights using two separate databases. By only using NDS, you reduce the time you put in administrating the server. 

Q: Do I still need that Authentication server?

A: No, not if you intend to only use NDS in the future. The AuthenticationServer was used to handle security in bindery mode.By disabling bindery mode you can completely lock out all bindery users, increasing security in the system by only allowing NDS users to log on. 

Q: Can I use NetWare Application Launcher (NAL) with the StorPoint?

A: Yes. You just point the application object to the location of the CD and executable file you want to launch and that's it! (Some CD:s may require that you map them as root). 

Q: What NetWare clients can I use? 

A: All? 

• Netx  

• VLM  

• Client 32 for DOS and Windows 3.1x 

•  Windows 95 (Microsoft and Novell Client 32 both releases)  

• Windows NT 3.51 (Microsoft)  

• Windows NT 4.0 (Microsoft and IntranetWare Client 4.1 for Windows NT).  

• OS/2 (OS/2 Requester) 

Installing the first StorPoint in NDS 

The first StorPoint installation is a little different than when installing the second and third and so on. This is because the first installation requires that the NDS Schema can be modified by the StorPoint during the installation procedure. The StorPoint needs to extend the schema with a new attribute in the class 'NCP Server'. The name of this attribute is 'AXIS:SPcd:rights'. This schema extension was approved by Novell as part of the YES Certification of the StorPoint. All schema modifications are made against the server holding the MASTER replica of the ROOT partition of the NDS tree. Modifying the schema requires SUPERVISOR rights to the [Root] object. This means that for the first installation, the parameter NDSAdminName must contain the name of a administrator with these rights. 

If the administrator that does the first installation doesn't have these permissions, he/she will have to ask the corporate tree administrator to temporary assign these rights to him/her or ask the tree administrator to do the installation for him/her.  

Security concerns: 

Since the installation is done using a text file and the text file isn't encrypted when being saved, there has been some concerns about this. I will try to explain how this works. When the text file is saved the first time the password will be sent in clear text. After being written to the internal parameter storage, the password will be replaced by asterisks ('*'). So the next time you read the config.ini, the NDSAdminPassword will be '**********'. So, using this method, the password will only be shown in clear text ONCE. If this is also a concern, we suggest that you do this parameter setting in an isolated network with only the StorPoint and a workstation so that you have total control over the network. Alternatively, you could create a temporary user and assign it the necessary rights, do the installation and delete the user again. No matter how you do the setting, the password will only be sent in clear text once. After that, there is no way to read the password from the StorPoint again. If you want, after the installation completes, you can clear the password and you don't have to worry about it again. The schema extension has been made and the StorPoint will not need these rights again. 

 Installing the second StorPoint in NDS 

Installing more StorPoints into the tree is much easier. The rights needed is only CREATE rights to the container where the StorPoint is to be installed. It will not need access to [Root] during the installation. 

After installation is complete 

When the StorPoint is installed in the tree, it will not need the NDSAdminName and NDSAdminPassword parameters. These were only used for the installation. If you want, you can now clear these parameters. During normal operation, the StorPoint will only write data to it's own object (using the attribute previously added) and read data from user objects and server objects in order to authenticate users when they log in to the StorPoint.  

Upgrading the server firmware 

A flash upgrade should not affect an installed StorPoint. The server will still be installed in NDS after the upgrade is complete.