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  Novell, the undisputed king of file and print services, is moving toward the next release of the flagship operating system, NetWare. Although NetWare 5, code-named Moab, is not slated for release until mid-1998, I tested a beta version in Network Computing's University of Wisconsin at Madison lab and via the magazine's San Mateo, Calif., lab. It includes many new features, such as Java support, virtual memory, the ability to run on an IP-only network, hot-plug PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) support and a slick file system (also see the feature "State of the NOS: Charting the Future of the Enterprise Network," on page 50).

Although the beta was somewhat rough around the e dges--the server crashed several times--I appreciated these long-awaited, features. With the addition of Java support, NetWare 5 should be a stronger contender in the application hosting arena.

Features in Shining Armor Installing the beta on my Compaq Computer Corp. ProLiant 6500 server was fairly painless. This beta release only offers the option to install a new NetWare server. The ability to upgrade servers is set for a later release. Novell's goal for this beta focuses on NetWare operating with an IP-only environment. After I installed Moab, I was given the choice to install into an existing directory services tree over IP or IPX. I chose to link into an NDS tree created on a Moab server in our San Mateo lab over our frame-relay WAN via IP. Both servers used only TCP/IP to communicate. The server had no problems connecting into the tree, but the clients were another story. While I successfully connected to a single server, I experienced some problems until I had NetWare create a read/write rep lica of the NDS tree on our local server.

I initially created a replica of the NDS tree's lower branch. Client programs, like NWAdmin, had problems administering the root of the tree. This was primarily because of an incomplete SLP (Service Location Protocol): The NLM is listed as an alpha-quality component for this beta release. Novell says it has resolved this problem in a later build of SLP.

One of NetWare's long-awaited improvements is a new file system. Moab includes an alpha build of NSS (Novell Storage Service), but I downloaded Beta 1 from Novell's Web site prior to installing an NSS file system. NSS is a journaling file system that provides faster mounting and repair times, as well as lower memory overhead. The file system boasts such features as the ability to store millions (or nearly unlimited) files per volume, an unlimited number of volumes per server, fast volume mount and repair times, and significantly lower memory requirements for mounting volumes. Any file write that is unable to com plete before a server crash is easily and quickly backed out. However, I did miss the ability to salvage files, a Macintosh name space and a utility to convert the old file system.

After creating a 17-GB volume, I created a number of files on the server (enough to fill 10 GB of disk space). Prior to testing Moab, I initiated a similar file system under NetWare 4.11; it took about two to four minutes to mount the volume and about 20 minutes to run VREPAIR. The number of files created on the Moab server was even more than I had used for the 4.11 test. NSS mounted the volume instantly. For added measure, I turned off the server while copying files to the NSS volume. The NSS volume repaired itself and mounted the volume immediately as a result of the way NSS catalogs disk events.

Future additions for NSS include compression, Macintosh name space support, mirroring and in-place upgrade. At press time, Novell said it was not committed to bundling any of these features with the shipping NetWare 5 product. No vell has decided to concentrate on the most popular features--like the ability to maintain extremely large files and fast repair times. For our site, I was displeased with the lack of support for previously included features.

Coming Out of the Trenches Moab also includes a reworked kernel. Unlike earlier versions, there is no longer a separate kernel for single processors and multiprocessors. Now you simply load a PSM (Processor Support Module) to add support for more processors. The documentation with this beta release states that problems can arise in Java when using a PS/2 mouse with the MPS14.PSM loaded. This limitation should be fixed by final release.

The new kernel also provides support for virtual memory and multiple protected memory spaces. Novell claims that its virtual memory support will improve performance--not hamper it. Any portion of the code that is unused for a period of time can be swapped out to disk and the reclaimed physical memory used for other processes, such as disk ca ching.

NetWare 5 will also offer the ability to run Java applications--both command line and GUI-based--on the server. However, you'll notice a slight performance hit on the server when the GUI environment is active. An ugly requirement to the GUI portion of the Java interface is that the server must have 64 MB of RAM. While testing some of the preinstalled Java applets, I crashed the server a couple of times. Despite this, I ran a Java application (written here at the university) that talks to a Microsoft SQL Server without much difficulty. The ability to run Java applications on the server will simplify writing server applications. Note, however, that NetWare does not support all video cards.

Moab offers the ability to use hot-plug PCI components. I installed a network card into an already running Compaq without any hassles. After the card was inserted, NetWare started up the Install program to add drivers for the new card. Your computer must support this feature before you attempt this feat--but if it does, good-bye to server downtime to add/replace PCI cards.

James E. Drews is a network administrator for the Computer Aided Engineering Center of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He can be reached at drews@engr.wisc.edu.