Waymark's real-time reporting is smartly conceived and it offered tremendous detail. The summary screen displays server status, and by drilling down into specific lines, we unearthed details such as bytes transferred and RS-232 line status. We also obtained a summary of the server from the perspective of the data being transferred onto the Ethernet network. We discovered that network use was less than 5 percent and noted few collisions on the Ethernet port.

Waymark was a snap to install. We cabled it and installed the management station, and it was ready to go. The server manager autodiscovers the servers via IPX by default. During testing, we had some trouble using IPX for management because it wasn't running on our network; we used IP instead. Although some of the configuration is awkward (you have to make changes to individual lines), the overall management scheme is well-crafted and easy to use. In fact, anyone familiar with remote access can probably bypass the manual--Waymark's online help is complete. Best of all, changes to the server occur dynamically. Other servers, such as Shiva's LanRover 8E/PLUS, require a reboot for changes to take effect.

Shiva Corp. LanRover 8E/PLUS

Shiva's LanRover 8E/PLUS sports a huge installed base--and for good reason. For a long time, it provided one of the best solutions for SOHO (small office/home office) remote access. But new competitors, such as Meridian and ACC, are vying for position in this market. Shiva's NetManager, the management GUI for the LanRover line, hasn't changed from earlier versions, though Shiva just released a Java configurator. Aside from its solid management, LanRover's many features and low price per port make it suitable for most environments. However, we were troubled by the need to reboot for configuration changes, and LanRover's reports were less detailed than Waymark's.

Shiva NetManager looks for IPX broadcast traffic to determine the IPX frame type. However, if no NetWare servers are on your network, Shiva NetManager and LanRover 8E/PLUS won't be able to determine the IPX frame type, and management communication will become unstable. The solution is either to manage the device using IP or set up an NT server with an IPX address.

The only way to obtain historical logging information for auditing is through RADIUS. The system log is rather short and is overwritten as new information arrives, but on the plus side, it lists information such as start and stop times of users and system events. We relied on the log during our initial tests to verify that LanRover 8E/PLUS and our test bed were reporting the same information.

Shiva NetManager offers some helpful system snapshots. During testing, we obtained an overall LanRover status and drilled down into specific ports to see data and error statistics. Unfortunately, the information is static and the only way to refresh it is to close and reopen the Session Info window.

System-configuration changes require reboots. This is one of LanRover's downfalls--even a slight change requires that all users be disconnected first.

Multi-Tech Systems Multi-Tech MiniArrayIII

Anyone familiar with Multi-Tech's product line will be at home with MiniArrayIII. Running on an Intel Corp. P200-MHz CPU, this DOS-based server provides solid remote-access functionality with an effortless console management system, a set of Windows management utilities called RASExpress, and a well-designed Web interface.

But MiniArray has a quirk or two. System and user logging is maintained on the server, and you must transfer the information to a workstation for viewing if you are using a Web browser. If you are using RASExpress remote-management utilities--Multi-Tech's native Windows95-based GUI--the logging is immediately available. With enough features for both experienced and inexperienced network administrators to effectively manage remote access, MiniArray offers scalable remote access with simple management. If its reporting capabilities were a bit stronger, especially at the call-tracing level, and if it passed data more quickly, it would have claimed top honors.