Open lab projects for the remainder of 2001

1
Open lab projects for the remainder of 2001

• NC State University Information Technology,
  Systems, unnamed Micro computing group

Let go every Zig for Great Justice!
2
March 6 Feedback meeting

• Our slides, and raw feedback that we gathered
  is on the web at http//www.ncsu.edu/mtip/zen/labs
  
• Polite feedback is always welcome, either at this
  meeting or via e-mail to microsys_at_help.ncsu.edu
• We are basing all our work plans on the feedback
  we receive!

3
Breakdown of the To-Do list

• Things to fix
• Infrastructure Improvements
• New Capabilities / Applications
• New Policies and Procedures
• Training

4
Things to fix
5
Things to fix

• Actually fixed now
• Norton AV now in base NT install
• Netscape bookmark copies now run once only
• Netscape NSREG.DAT Corruption
• Assistive Tech software collection
• Access to Dept Servers (Remedy Solution 2531)
• Things were still working on
• Roaming Profile Corruption
• Acrobat Distiller and embedded fonts
• Improved install instructions
• Time and process to establish Wolfcopy printers

Work begun, but not complete, or results not
yet available
6
Some suggestions

• If youre having profile corruption problems
• Be sure your workstation container is associated
  with .Unity-WSP.Users
• Check your version of Norton! (7.5)
• Educate your students about the perils of storing
  files on the profile volumes.

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Infrastructure Improvements
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Infrastructure Improvements Easy stuff

• Complete retuning of ITD replica/profile servers
  for optimum and consistent performance. (complete
  Summer I)
• Profile increase to 25MB (Fall)
• IP only in new labs to reduce net traffic

9
Infrastructure Improvements Harder Stuff

• Replicas at CVM for geographic fault tolerance
  (complete Summer II)
• Printing Services to NDPS for IP based,
  clusterable, IPP (with NW6) and automatic driver
  distribution
• Storage Area Network (SAN) and Cluster Services!
  (Fall)

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Replicas at CVM
Hillsborough
Three sites with all data Any site can
authenticate users, Process any updates
(Multi-master)
Poe
CVM
Replication
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Novell Distributed Print Services

• Designed to handle the increased complexity of
  managing modern printers in a network environment
  
• Exploits the new functionality offered by these
  printers
• Web based management
• IPP support with Netware 6
• See http//www.novell.com/products/ndps/

12
Remember RAID-5?

• Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks. Data is
  written to multiple disks, with an extra disk
  that has enough data to reconstruct any disk in
  the array that fails.

Your Files
Data is split up, and parts kept on several disks
for safety
The parity disk computes a value that can be
used to restore the data from any one lost disk
Extraaka Parity
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SANs are even better

• With RAID, only the disk channel is redundant
• A single transistor on the motherboard, network
  card, or other subsystem can still crash the
  system
• Enter the Storage Area Network!

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ITD SAN Configuration
And servers are clustered
½ TB disk subsystem
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Novell Cluster services
152.1.3.100
Both real and service address
152.1.3.50
152.1.3.100
Clients Think theyTalk to This IP Address
Real Servers
152.1.3.100
152.1.3.55
No real hardware, but all NDS configuration
objects
On failure a new node picks up the service IP
address
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What Clustering gives us

• Next level of fault tolerance any server
  subsystem can fail, with 4 x failover
• Transparent to clients. Virtual servers can host
  read/write as well as read-only volumes
• Any IP based Netware hosted service can be
  clustered, not just volumes (NDPS, ftp, web)

IP based
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Prepare for the future!

• All Novell Clients should be configured for IP
• We recommend Client-32 v 3.3 for Win9xClient-32
  v4.8 for Win 2000 / Win NT
• You should install the NDPS client, even if
  youre not using it now
• Guidelines for SANitizing applications being
  developed and shared with Zen test group

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New Capabilities / Applications
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New Capabilities

• Windows 2000 in labs (Fall)
• New installer for Win2K (sysprep)
• New Applications
• Zen 3 uses MSI files directly (no snapshot)
• Zen 3 Disconnected NAL
• Zen 3 workstation imaging and auto registration
• WebDAV (clientless web access)

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Hey, hey, its Win 2K

• Limited deployment Summer II to iron out
  anti-features.
• Win2K with SP1, Novell Client v4.8, AFS 3.6 v
  2.14
• All Unity Apps will be tested with Win2k
• Print drivers for automatic setup via policies
• IP only

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Sysprep

• No Leadoff for Windows 2000
• Ghost image with all drivers (New site license in
  progress)
• On first boot, prompts for Computer Name and
  Administrator password
• Log in once for Workstation Registration, and
  youre done!
• Classes / Demo in Summer II

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New Applications

• Applications for Fall and Spring will be tested
  under both NT and 2000
• Fall brings major version updates for most
  shipping applications
• Internet Explorer!
• Complete list of applications on web at
  http//www.ncsu.edu/mtip/zen/labs/newapps.html

23
Zen 3 MSI support

• Making and maintaining applications one of the
  most difficult skills to master in this
  environment
• Snapshot is rather an art. Must watch for DHCP
  leases, explorer and rpc mess.
• With Zen3 use Microsoft System Installer files.
  Snapshot completely eliminated!

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Zen 3 Disconnected NAL

• Use a laptops hard drive or burn a CD-ROM with
  NALs .FIL files
• Even without a network connection, Verify
  functions to rebuild apps
• ITD to provide, but not lead on this without a
  strong mandate from campus (too much else cool in
  Zen 3!)

25
Zen 3 Imaging and Autoregistration

• Zen 3 provides WS imaging (like Ghost) but
  controlled via NDS
• Not fully developed for use here (no compression)
• Autoregistration removes last login from setup.
• Zen 3 scheduled to be installed June 30, 2001

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WebDAV

• Use IE or Web Folders to access Netware lockers
  or other resources remotely
• No client software to install
• Access to all security features (ACLs)
• Mac AFP/IP a bust, so may be best way to get Mac
  access from off campus
• Well pursue with Netware 6 (not shipping yet)

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New and ImprovedPolicies and Processes
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Password and Profile Resets

• Unity Password Resets Coming Soon!
• Dept heads and above may request privilege for
  staff (full or part time)
• Good for one (fiscal) year
• Must have Unity and Remedy accounts
• Profile Resets Web-based tool in the future,
  workaround documented in Remedy solution 2590

29
Software and Printing

• Application Issues
• Discipline Apps in Unity Labs policy on web
• Software priorities/responsibilities in
  progress
• Printing documentation in progress anticipated
  turnaround for WolfCopy queues,
• Assistive Technology folder on APPS volume, Terry
  Thompson controls access

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Improving support for admins

• Computing Services is developing tiered
  support, to help admins bypass 1st level
  helpdesk when appropriate
• Documentation review and reorg beginning in
  Systems, rules/regulations project
• Some new Remedy solutions Access to dept.
  lockers, 2531, Help an end user reset NT
  profile, 2590

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Support Issues for Local Servers

• ITD will hold, maintain and troubleshoot NDS
  replicas for departments/Colleges
• ITD offers a Distributed Support program, which
  can place qualified staff in departments that
  need to run a server
• ITD can refer you to vendors on state contract
  for Rent a Systems Engineer for consulting,
  server setup, maintenance and troubleshooting

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Support Issues for Local Servers, cont.

• For groups that wish to move commodity services
  off of local servers, ITD offers the following
  services
• NetWare file space /AFS locker rental
• Print services (accounted printing through
  Wolfcopy or NetWare file space rental)
• Unity IMAP email
• General consulting on the migration project
• Send email to microsys_at_help.ncsu.edu for more
  information on these services

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Training

• Remedy training
• 1st Thursdays, 9am-11am, Avent Ferry Training
  Center
• Alternating general and advanced
  (http//remedy.ncsu.edu/news)
• Norton Antivirus Workshop Summer I
• Windows 2000 installation - Summer II
• How to Key applications Fall
• How to Build NAL Applications Fall

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Linux

• No plans for Linux desktop development
• Linux initiatives already underway in groups that
  have identified this as a critical need
• We will work with these other groups to leverage
  NDS/LDAP into this platform
• Our focus will continue to be on meeting NCSU
  communitys need for strong support of the
  Windows and Macintosh desktop platforms

35
Open lab projects for the remainder of 2001

• NC State University Information Technology,
  Systems, unnamed Micro computing group

Let go every Zig for Great Justice!
36
Secret Slide Unaddressed Issues

• Power users on particular workstations Huh?
• NAL equivalent on Macintosh
• Macintosh client access ?
• Force Run sysnews on login
• NAL and Unity apps in Resnet / Off campus