Advanced Novell Network Management: NetWare 6

Chapter 1: Migrate NetWare 4 and NetWare 5 Servers to NetWare 6

 

Objectives:

This chapter introduces several methods of putting NetWare 6 on an existing network. The objectives important to this chapter are:

  1. Review How to Prepare for a Server Migration to NetWare 6
  2. Review How to Implement Novell Licensing
  3. Identify How to Perform a Migration
  4. Perform Post-Migration Tasks
  5. Troubleshoot Post-Installation Issues
Concepts:
Upgrading Servers

The chapter begins with the distinction between upgrading and migrating servers. An upgrade is defined as changing the operating system on a server, leaving the data it holds more or less intact. This can only be done if the server meets the hardware requirements of the new operating system. A migration is defined as moving the data from one server to another, which is done when the server does not meet the hardware requirements of the new operating system, or when there is data you cannot afford to lose.

This text assumes that you performed an upgrade in a previous class, so it merely describes two forms of an upgrade, giving you few details on them. (Note that in addition to these methods, you could also just format a hard drive and perform an initial installation.) The upgrade methods are:

  • In-place Upgrade: Can be used on a NetWare 4 or 5 server, to upgrade to NetWare 6. Like an installation, but it keeps the data already on the server intact, unless something goes wrong. The text lists seven steps to carry out in an in-place upgrade:
    • Meet system and software requirements - upgrade hardware as necessary. A NetWare 6 server must have a Pentium II or AMD K7 processor (or better), at least 256 MB RAM, an SVGA video card, 200 MB of space for the DOS partition, 2 GB of space for the NetWare partition, a NIC, a CD-ROM, and you really want a mouse. These are minimum requirements.
    • Prepare the network and the computer - Use the Deployment Manager utility to review and upgrade network features. NDS must be upgraded to a version that is compatible with the eDirectory. Odd, you'd think that you could just install the new version, but you may have to upgrade to an intermediate version first. NetWare 4.11 and 4.2 servers must be upgraded to NDS 6.09 or later. NetWare 5 servers should be upgraded to NDS 7.47 or 8.51.
    • Specify hardware and software settings - Make your choices about partition sizes, software to run on boot.
    • Create additional disk volumes (if required) - NetWare 6 volumes can be up to 8 TB in size
    • Select and install networking protocols - NetWare 6 supports TCP/IP, IPX/SPX, or both.
    • Set up Novell eDirectory - This is where you plan a project, using a GUI interface to drag objects from the old Tree into containers in the new one.
    • Install other networking products - Other products from the installation CD.
    Some steps you might perform manually in an installation are automated:
    • Device drivers and LAN drivers for NetWare 6 are loaded. NetWare 6 drives are not the same as those in previous versions.
    • eDirectory is upgraded - This is where you actually upgrade to the current eDirectory/NDS version.
    • NetWare 6 information is added to the AUTOEXEC.NCF and STARTUP.NCF files.
    • The NetWare 6 files are copied to the server.
  • NetWare Accelerated Upgrade: This is an option for speeding up the process. If you only use the method above, each server must be upgraded one at a time. Instead, you can manually upgrade one server, then use Accelerated Upgrade from a Windows workstation to upgrade multiple other servers at the same time. The drawback is that it does not install other Novell products, like ConsoleOne, nor does it install licensing services or license certificates. These things can be installed manually afterward. The text notes that you must install the included version of Apache web server for the web based services to work: iFolder, NetWare Web Search, iManager, NetWare Web Access, and NetStorage.
Review How to Prepare for a Server Migration to NetWare

Your text explains that for a migration, you have to prepare a workstation, your source server, your destination server, and the server application files you will need.

Workstation requirements
  • Your workstation must run Windows 98, Windows NT 4, Windows 2000, or Windows XP, and must have 50 MB of available disk space. NetWare Migration Wizard 6 does not run on Windows 95.
    • If running Windows 98, the workstation must run Novell Client for Windows 98, version 3.3 or later.
    • If running Windows NT 4, 2000, or XP, the workstation must run Novell Client for Windows NT version 4.8 or later.
  • Install the latest service pack for Windows 98/NT/2000/XP on your workstation.
  • If you are migrating from NetWare 4, IPX must be configured on the workstation.
  • The migration will go faster if you run the source server, destination server, and workstation on the same LAN segment.
Source server requirements
  • Must run NetWare 4.11, 4.2, 5.0, 5.1, or 6. Why would you migrate a server already running NetWare 6? Maybe because you just bought a better one.
  • A login ID with Supervisor rights to the server's file system and the source tree.
  • Common protocols to communicate with the workstation and the destination server. If you must use IPX, make sure all devices also have the same frame type. (A frame is a kind of packet used in network communications.) Protocols and frames must be bound on the workstation and both servers.
  • Apply the NW6NSS1A patch to update the version of NSS on the source server.
  • Apply the most current NetWare support pack for the server.
  • If this is a NetWare 4.x server, load long name space on all volumes. The command line syntax is:
    LOAD LONG
    ADD NAME SPACE LONG TO volume name
    Execute the first command once. Execute the second command for each volume.
  • Run DSREPAIR. Use these three options: Unattended Full Repair, Time Synchronization, Report Synchronization Status. Finishing without errors is the goal, but expect unavoidable errors if you have a mixed NetWare 4/NetWare 5 environment.
  • Things can go wrong, so make two backups of the source tree, and two backups of the file system.
  • Seems late in the game to me, but Novell wants you stop here to make sure your hardware is supported by the migration program. Check the Novell web site for this information.
Destination server requirements
  • Must run NetWare 6. It must be installed using the Pre-Migration option.
  • Must be installed in a temporary tree. This is because the destination server is intended to replace the source server after the migration, but it cannot have the same name, or be in the same tree during the migration.
  • A login ID with Supervisor rights to the server's file system and the destination tree.
  • Create volumes on the destination server with the same names as the ones on the source server. These volumes must be at least as big as the ones on the source server, or the originals won't migrate.
  • If you are migrating compressed volumes to uncompressed volumes, decompression will have to take place, which will slow the migration considerably.
  • As noted above, bind common protocols to communicate with the workstation and the destination server. If you must use IPX, make sure all devices also have the same frame type.
  • Configure the destination server as a secondary time server. The command line settings are:
    SET TIMESYNC TYPE = SECONDARY
    SET CONFIGURED SOURCES = ON
    SET TIMESYNC TIME SOURCES = SOURCE SERVER NAME
    Instead of the server name, you may use its IP ADDRESS, if it has one.<
  • Turn on the Timesync Debugger screen with the command:
    SET TIMESYNC DEBUG = 7
  • Set the Timesync Restart Flag to restart TIMESYNC. The command is:
    SET TIMESYNC RESTART FLAG = ON
  • Set the destination server's time the same time or later than the source server. Use the command
    TIME
    and enter the time you want.
Server Application Files

You should make sure that the source and destination servers are running the same application, in order for the files to migrate properly.

Review How to Implement Novell Licensing

NetWare 6 uses Novell Licensing Service (NLS) to manage the number of workstations connected to your network. This is not a change from previous versions of NetWare. A difference is that you can use iManager to install license certificates for new users and new servers.

You should be aware that NetWare 6 uses two kinds of license certificates: one for users and the other one for servers. A user license certificate will allow users to access any number of servers, as long as they have proper rights. A general rule is that you should install license certificates higher in the tree than the objects that will use them. An exception is that you are allowed to install license certificate in the same container as users, if all the users in the tree are in that container.

History: Before NetWare 6, the licensing model Novell used was the Server Connection License (SCL) model. This was inefficient, in that users tied up a user license for each server they concurrently used. Other resources in the network also tied up user licenses, such as printers and workstations configured for ZENworks. It is possible to run out of licenses in this kind of environment even if all users are not connected.

NetWare 6 follows the User Access Licensing (UAL) model. In this model, a single license gives a user access to as many servers and resources as the user has rights to. When a user logs in to the tree, a license is assigned. The same license remains assigned to that user, unless the user stays logged out for 90 days. (This is similar to the way IP addresses are assigned and used by DHCP systems.) If you need to release a license sooner than 90 days from last login, use iManager to do so. SCL licenses are released when a user logs out.

If you have not changed all your servers to NetWare 6, you may have both SCL and UAL licenses active on your network. A user would need one SCL license for each NetWare 4 or 5 server they are using, but would only need one UAL license for any resources associated with NetWare 6 servers.

When a NetWare user logs in to the network, NLS searches for a license for the user. The search starts at the user's container and goes up the tree.

A server must have a license certificate placed inside its license container object. A server license usually will be one of the following types, three of which are related to the network's size:

  • MLA - a Master License Agreement may be installed over and over on as many servers as a company has. This type of license is for very large (global) organizations.
  • CLA - a Corporate License Agreement is restricted: each server must have its own unique license number. This type of license is for medium to large organizations.
  • VLA - a Volume License Agreement is restricted, and each server must have its own unique license number, just like a CLA. The difference is cost and size: this type of license is for small to medium organizations.
  • CUAL - This one is new with NetWare 6. Clustering User License Agreement is installed when you install NetWare Cluster Services; by default it is placed in the same context as the cluster object. It has nothing to do with the size of the network. Did you notice that the acronym doesn't match the definition? The acronym is the Spanish word for "which", so you might remember is as, "which one is Spanish?"

To remember these in the right relationship, remember Roman numerals. M (1000) is bigger than C (100), which is bigger than V (5).

A server can also be given an "emergency" license, downloadable from Novell. This is meant to be temporary, so do it only when you install a new device that you don't have a license for. If you buy a new installation kit, over the counter at a retailer, it should come with an installation CD and a license diskette. This is called buying a Red Box product by your text.

Identify How to Perform a Migration

The text returns to the discussion how to migrate a server. The method described is to create a new server, in a new tree. The tree is considered temporary, because the server will take the place of the old server in the existing tree, at the end of the procedure.

More details are presented about each section in the procedure.

  • Run the Migration Wizard - This utility is found on the installation CD. Install it on a Windows 98, Windows NT 4, Windows 2000, or Windows XP workstation. Create a project file to contain the details of the migration. This file will be saved by default to C:\PROGRAM FILES\NOVELL\NETWARE MIGRATION WIZARD.
  • Copy Volumes - Remember to make volumes on the destination server large enough to hold the data from the source volumes. If you copy some volumes, stop, and return to the project later to copy more, there is a potential problem. The Migration Wizard will restore trustee assignments only to the last volumes copied. To avoid this problem, when you are ready to copy the last volume, select all the other volumes for copying, then cancel the copy. This will tag those volumes for assignment restoration. Remember that open files will not be copied, so users should be logged out. The Migration Wizard is not allowed to overwrite the destination SYS: volume. If you choose to copy the source SYS: volume, its directories are saved in the destination server's SYS:SYS.MIG directory.
  • Edit Configuration Files - You are allowed to edit the NCF and CFG files on the destination server to match the ones on the source server. For example, you will want to change the IP address on your destination server to be the same as the IP address of your source server. It must be changed in three files: AUTOEXEC.NCF, SYS:\ETC\HOSTNAME, and SYS:\ETC\HOSTS.
  • Begin the eDirectory Migration - This option is actually called Begin NDS Migration by the Wizard. (Remember, eDirectory is just a new name for NDS.) Back up all volumes, if not done already. Resolve any critical errors found by the Wizard. (Critical errors have icons that look like red circles with white Xs in them. Non-critical errors, also called warnings, are shown with yellow triangle icons with black exclamation points. Informational messages are shown with white balloon icons that have blue Is in them.)
  • Finish eDirectory Migration - More error and warning messages may appear. Resolve them, finish the project, and proceed to the next objective.
Perform Post-Migration Tasks

Three tasks are listed in the text:

  • First, check external references. These are references to objects on other servers. To check such references, you can use the following commands:
    SET DSTRACE=ON
    SET DSTRACE=+BLINK
    SET DSTRACE=*B
    Continue running these processes until there are no more external references listed.
  • The second task is to Upgrade Existing NSS Volumes. For each NSS volume, there are six steps to upgrade it to the new version of NSS.
    1. (For an in-place upgrade only) At the command prompt enter:
      NSS /ZLSSVOLUMEUPGRADE=All
    2. At the server console, enter:
      SET NLS SEARCH TYPE
    3. Make sure the value for NLS SEARCH TYPE is set to 0; if not, at the console prompt enter:
      SET NLS SEARCH TYPE = 0
    4. At the server console, enter:
      SET STORE NETWARE 5 CONN SCL MLA USAGE IN NDS
    5. Make sure the value is set to OFF; if not, enter:
      SET STORE NETWARE 5 CONN SCL MLA USAGE IN NDS = OFF
    6. At the server console prompt, enter:
      FLUSH CDBE
  • The third task listed is really three: Run DSREPAIR in its most effective mode, Unattended Full Repair. Then, check random user objects to make sure migration took place. Last, reinstall applications that use subdirectories of SYS:.

The text presents an exercise here that uses all the information presented thus far.

Troubleshoot Post-Installation Issues

The last section of the chapter presents a menu of problems and their recommended solutions.

  1. Missing device drivers - The installation program will automatically copy drivers to the C:\NWSERVER directory for all devices that it autodetects. If a device is not autodetected, you may have to find a driver for it in the C:\NWSERVER\DRIVERS directory, and copy it up one level.
  2. Old LAN and WAN files - Old LAN and WAN files are not deleted from migrated directories. These old files might not work in a NetWare 6 environment.
  3. Speeding up the post-installation utility - To improve performance of the post-installation utility, change the VM Cache Pool Percentage SET parameter with this command:
    SET VM CACHE POOL PERCENTAGE = 30
    The change remains in effect even if the server is rebooted.
  4. Update SMS components - The version of Storage Management Services (SMS) that ships with NetWare 6 is not the desired version. An improved version can and should be downloaded from Support.Novell.com. The patch supersedes the SMS modules installed by default during installation.
  5. Installing the Agent for GroupWise 6 replaces LDAP files needed by iFolder - Avoid this when installing the GroupWise 6 Agent by selecting No when prompted to overwrite the LDAP modules. The LDAP module includes:
    LDAPSDK.NLM
    LDAPSSL.NLM
    LDAPX.NLM
    If these files are overwritten, manually copy the files from the NetWare 6 CD to allow iFolder to run on NetWare 6.
  6. Missing user licenses - NetWare 6 requires you to install user licenses separately from the server license.
    If you installed only a server license when installing the server, use iManager to install user license certificates.