Unix vs Novell

[Dan Mercer]

In article <25307 at adm.brl.mil> omega!ash at relay.eu.net (Andrew Hardie) writes:
:Unix users -
:
:I need your advice and support.
:
:We are about to install a pilot system of around a dozen users, as a
:precursor to a full system for around forty users, which will be used
:to prepare textual copy for a daily publication (text only, no pics).
:I am planning to use DOS boxes working to one (for the pilot) or more
:(later on) UNIX boxes. Having seen a system for a requirement similar
:to ours that was UNIX box plus dumb terminals experience difficulties
:because of the typing speed of the users, I intend to have the word
:processor running locally, on the DOS boxes, as our typists are *very*
:fast touch-typists, and keep the server(s) for the central resources,
:such as the various databases (both record oriented and free-text) that
:need to be referred by the users and the external background comms 
:required to get material in and out. To make it easy for the users to
:access the databases and transfer the material into the text being 
:worked on, I was considering using DOS (Microsoft) Windows and JSB
:Multiview Desktop, or something similar like PC-Connect or XPC. Have
:read with interest about Desqview-X but not had a chance to do much more.
:
:As they say here in England, "I feel it in my water" that DOS boxes and
:UNIX hosts with TCP/IP & NFS is the way to go, offering fast local 
:response for the interactive WP, access to common databases etc on the
:hosts, access to terminal lines to reach other (VMS) hosts not reachable
:over the TCP/IP, inbound and outbound file transfer and remote logins via
:modems and leased line or ISDN, i.e. a mixture of local, terminal emulation,
:file transfer and file sharing requirements.
:
:However, I have this bad feeling that I may be called upon to justify
:this approach instead of buying Novell. I know enough about UNIX to 
:state the advantages I think the approach I have outlined above offers, 
:and I know a lot about DOS applications, but I know very little about
:Novell and don't have time to learn before the questions start flying.
:For example, does Novell have an equivalent to the UNIX "cron"? Can I 
:have "background" processes under Novell? And so on...
:
:So, for those of you with the knowledge of both sides who can spare the 
:time, perhaps you would be kind enough to provide me with a list of 
:pros and cons to enable me to make this justification. I am in the 
:happy position that cost is not the prime consideration here; getting
:a sound and reliable system is. Resilience is vital, to me this means
:flexibility.
:
:I look forward to your comments and thank you for sparing the time
:away from the Christmas parties.
:
:Andrew Hardie
:London, England-- 
:Andrew Hardie
:London, England
:ash at omega.uucp


TCP-IP and Novell are not mutually exclusive for a variety of reasons:

    1. Portable NetWare - runs on several different UNIX platforms -
       including NCR Towers (700's are quite fast) - you can login to
       the Tower across NetWare - This gives you access to TCP-IP on
       the Tower,  use of the Tower for mass storage (using SCSI mass
       storage controllers,  the amount of data you can store is truly
       staggering.  Add SCSI tape units,  and the Tower can act as the
       perfect backup device - automatically backing up in off hours).

    2. NCSA Telnet - TCP-IP and Novell networking can co-reside on the
       same PC.  In fact,  we have a Novell NetWare network that I'm
       currently on and I'm telnet'ed into a Tower.  In our case, we
       have a cisco router with Token Ring card and ethernet cards
       that's doing the routing.  Go with an ethernet network and you
       shouldn't need the router.  We went with Token Ring because we
       needed access to an IBM SNA network,  and at the time,  our NCR
       front end processor only supported TR.  Of course now the NCR
       56X5 series supports both Token Ring (Netbios) and Ethernet
       (TCP-IP - tn3270) access.

If you think this is a plug,  it is.

-- 
Dan Mercer
NCR Network Products Division      -        Network Integration Services
Reply-To: mercer at npdiss1.StPaul.NCR.COM (Dan Mercer)
"MAN - the only one word oxymoron in the English Language"