October 20, 1996
Sunbelt Windows NToolstm Electronic Newsletter
Vol. 1, # 15
USA: www.ntsoftdist.com
EUROPE: www.sunbelt.co.uk
Sunbelt Windows NTools E-News is the world's largest E-Newsletter designed for NT System Managers that have
the job of getting and keeping WinNT up & running in a production environment. Sunbelt launched this electronic newsletter so
that we could keep members of the Windows NT community informed and aware of what is happening with 3-rd party NT
System Management Tools, and to provide hints and tips that will enable you to better understand and utilize Windows NT.
You'll find general Windows NTools related and third party news, technical information, and 3-rd party beta and release
information. By subscribing to NTools E-News, you are also a charter member of the Sunbelt Field Test Bonus Program.
Sunbelt Software is the first and largest distributor worldwide of Third Party System Management Tools for Windows NT.
This Issue of Windows NToolstme-news contains:
2. "TECH BRIEFINGS"
* SUNBELT FIELD TEST PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT: FORTRESS-NT[tm]
* HOLD YOUR HATS: PRE-ANNOUNCEMENT SUPERCACHE-NT[tm]
* OCTOPUS UPDATE FROM 3.51 TO 4.0 - NEW VERSION NEEDED
3. "NT RELATED NEWS"
* YOUR BIGGEST CONCERNS CREATING AN NT ENVIRONMENT
* WINDOWS NT MAGAZINE ANNOUNCES ITS OWN EMAIL NEWSLETTER
* PRODUCT PLANS SCETCHED OUT BY GATES
* MICROSOFT TO REPORT STRONG PROFITS
* MICROSOFT QUITS DEVELOPMENT FOR THE MIPS PLATFORM
4. "THIRD PARTY NEWS"
* WHO BACKS UP MICROSOFT'S MSN SERVERS? LEGATO NETWORKER.
* REMOTELY POSSIBLE VERSION 3.0 WITH NEW FEATURES OUT NOW
* NEW FEATURES IN OCTOPUS VERSION 2.0
* QUARTERDECK RELEASES CLEANSWEEP 3.0 (NOW ALSO NT)
6. "HOW TO USE THE MAILING LIST"
*Instructions on how to subscribe, sign off
and change addresses.
"EDITORS CORNER"
The expansion of this newsletter is astounding, it has grown
to over 7,500 now. This is clearly a reflection of the growth
of NT, and the need for up-to-date information on developments
in the Utilities area. NTools E-News tells you everything you
need to know about NT System Management Utilities. Here are some
comments from your System Administrator colleagues:
"Thanx, actually I have been on your mailing list for a couple
of months - I ENJOY READING YOUR NEWLETTERS - GREAT INFO -
THANX!!" - Mark.
***
"The newsletter has been an excellent source of information
in regards to NT in general as well as specific software
applications for NT. Keep up the good work." - John
***
So, here is our continued request to you. Please forward this
newsletter to all your friends and co-workers that you think
might need the info? Thanks in advance! :-)
The fact we now have this newsletter also on a web page does not
mean we suddenly stopped sending it by email, you will get it
every two weeks in your in-box and always a day earlier than the
web version. To save bandwidth, the web version may have more info
but we'll tell you about that per item. For the current and back
issues you can always come to http://www.ntnews.com
And for a change, we have a question for YOU... Who has a CD-Write
up and running under NT4.0? We are in need of some ourselves and
we'll report in the next issue what the results are. Email to
stus@pssi.com will be highly appreciated.
Our next issue will be mainly news from the Windows World Show
in Dallas Texas. Sunbelt will have a booth there and I'll be
at the show (that ends Oct. 31) so you will have the all the hot
news right the next day!
Warm regards,
Stu
*************************************************************************
2. "TECH BRIEFINGS"
* SUNBELT FIELD TEST PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT: FORTRESS-NT[tm]
As you know, by subscribing to NTools E-News, you are also a
charter member of the Sunbelt Field Test Bonus Program. This is
the first announcement of a possibility for you to participate
in one of our Field Test Programs. Sunbelt will soon make Release
Candidate 1 of Fortress-NT available on our website. This product
has 3 important pieces of functionality:
- Limits a user log-on time to specific hours, e.g. 9 to 6.
- Tamperproof screen saver that kicks in fast to ensure data safety.
- Parameter can be set to log off idle user after x-minutes.
We will have a special webpage that allows you to download this
RC1 and a form for feedback. Participants in this field test will
be able to license the starter pack at half price when Fortress-NT
goes gold. A special NTools <<<NewsFlash>>> will warn you when
this field test is on the web ready to download.
--------------------------
* HOLD YOUR HATS: PRE-ANNOUNCEMENT SUPERCACHE-NT[tm]
And here is another piece of VERY exciting NTools News. Remember,
you heard it here first! SuperCache-NT V1.0 is almost ready for
release. This product is a software device driver that enhances
your Hard Disk Drives and makes them a whopping 500 to 2000
percent faster.
A SuperCache device is available as a network mountable device.
Each node in the network can have its own SuperCached device, or
it can be shared over the network from a server to all other systems.
SuperCache currently has 2 modes of operation:
- Write-Through Data Protection - Data is written to disk synchronously
- Write-Back (Lazy Write) Data Protection - faster than Write-Through
but must be used with a USP (Uninterruptible Power Supply)
SuperCache can use from 25 to 75 percent of physical memory as cache
for disk drives. It supports NT 3.51 and 4.0 - Installation is about
5 minutes - Requires a reboot to make it operational - Minimum RAM
recommended 24MB. Automatically allocates and deallocates memory -
Supports both FAT and NTFS - Extremely fast access with total data
protection in Write Through Mode.
Benchmark results done by BackOffice Magazine show:
* Native Windows NT caching 2-6 MB/sec (100 MHz Pentium)
* SuperCache 50MB/sec (100 MHz Pentium)
* SuperCache 270MB/sec on Quad Processor 200 Mhz Pentium Pro.
In a next issue we will give you more info about the release date of
this product. We have an alpha version on our offices and we're in
the process of putting fire to its shins to see if we can break it.
--------------------------------
* OCTOPUS UPDATE FROM 3.51 TO 4.0 - NEW VERSION NEEDED
*** TECHNICAL BULLETIN ***
From: Dave Dabney - Director of Technical Services, Sunbelt Software
To: All Octopus users running Octopus 1.6 build 147f
Date: 17-October-1996
RE: NT 4.0 Upgrade Path for Octopus 1.6 users
If you are currently running Octopus version 1.6, Build 147f on your
NT 3.51 server and are planning to upgrade the server to NT 4.0, you
***ABSOLUTELY MUST HAVE*** Octopus version 1.6 Build 147n.
DO NOT INSTALL VERSION 1.6 BUILD 147F ON YOUR NT 4.0 SYSTEM. IT WILL
DAMAGE THE NT 4.0 INSTALLATION AND LOCK UP. THE ONLY KNOWN FIX IS TO
RE-INSTALL NT 4.0.
Please send an email to Sunbelt Technical Support at daved@pssi.com
for detailed instructions how to get updated to the latest upgrade
for Octopus.
**********************************************************************
3. "NT RELATED NEWS"
* YOUR BIGGEST CONCERNS CREATING AN NT ENVIRONMENT
A recent survey over 700 information systems managers worldwide
showed that 80% are "concerned" or "very concerned" about
whether they are properly managing the growing mass of
information their businesses need.
Their concerns are:
- The Performance and Response Time of the applications
that deliver information
- The Security and Integrity of those applications
- Keeping these applications Up and Running.
Sunbelt Software is dedicated to help you handle exactly
these problems. Let us know what products you need to cover
these areas, send email to stus@pssi.com
-----------------------
* WINDOWS NT MAGAZINE ANNOUNCES IT OWN EMAIL NEWSLETTER
UPDATE is the free, weekly Windows NT industry newsletter brought to you
by Windows NT Magazine. Our editors sort through hundreds of news items
and announcements to deliver the most important and relevant information
to you. UPDATE is available on the web or can be delivered as email to
your desktop. Get current...stay current!
In each issue of UPDATE:
+ Hot off the Press -- Key industry news that affects you.
+ New and Improved -- Only the most important product announcements.
+ Picks of the Week -- Tips, shareware, and user group highlights.
Subscribe between 9 am MST October 21 and 9 am MST November 4 and be
entered to win one of the following prizes:
+ One free registration to a Windows NT Professionals Conference.
(approx. value $595 US)
+ Five subscriptions / renewals to Windows NT Magazine.
(approx. value $39.00 US)
+ Ten Windows NT Magazine T-shirts. (approx. value $15.00 US)
Subscribe at http://www.winntmag.com/update
-------------------------------
* PRODUCT PLANS SCETCHED OUT BY GATES
At the Gartner Group Inc.'s ITxpo Symposium, Gates said Microsoft
plans to merge future versions of Windows and Internet Explorer.
He also said the company plans to offer new software features
to lower the total cost of PC ownership. The centerpiece of this
drive is clustering, which will enable users to make queries
across distributed systems with no need to be aware of where
data is stored, said Bill Gates.
"Microsoft is spending time making sure they're trained on our
technology", Gates remarked when asked to comment on other
vendor's clustering technology like Hewlett-Packard Co. and
Digital Equipment Corp., The company will continue to upgrade
Windows 95 with enhanced file systems. But five years down the
road, it will be moving toward a single kernel based on Windows
NT, Gates said.
--------------------------------
* MICROSOFT TO REPORT STRONG PROFITS
Microsoft's earnings for its first-quarter financial results
are expected to exceed Wall Street expectations of 90 cents a
share, up from 78 cents a year ago.
"I think it is probably going to be a little better than that.
Maybe they'll do 92 cents," said Rick Sherlund, an analyst for
Goldman Sachs.
Sherlund said Monday's announcement will indicate Microsoft is
collecting an average of $43 per copy of Windows 95, up from $33
from previous versions. Windows 95 retails for about $89.
Microsoft's newest version of its Windows NT operating system
also has a higher price than the version it replaced. As they
work their way into the revenue stream, they carry some margin
benefits with them, and that will be positive for earnings.
And starting this winter, Microsoft should get a boost in sales
and profits from its Office 97 suite, an upgrade of one of its
biggest-selling products, Office 95.
Office 97 is really going to raise the stakes in terms of
performance and seamless integration with the Internet.
Estimates are that Office sales in the year ended June 30
totaled about $2 billion, including sales of the suite's
individual components, Excel, Word and PowerPoint. That's
23 percent of Microsoft's sales last year.
----------------------------
* MICROSOFT QUITS DEVELOPMENT FOR THE MIPS PLATFORM
Microsoft announced it is in the process of phasing out future
development and engineering efforts for the MIPS platform. This
decision was driven by decreasing demand for MIPS-based systems
from its customers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
In particular, Microsoft's largest OEM for the MIPS platform,
NEC Corp., has decided not to provide the MIPS platform beyond
the Microsoft(R) Windows NT(R) version 4.0 operating system.
Over the last five years, Microsoft has shown a strong commitment
to the MIPS platform. The company has released Windows NT WS 4.0
and Windows NT Server 4.0 in most major languages. Longer-term
customers should plan to evaluate other hardware platforms for
Windows NT-based solutions.
**********************************************************************
4. "THIRD PARTY NEWS"
* WHO BACKS UP MICROSOFT'S MSN SERVERS? LEGATO NETWORKER.
Legato Systems announced that Microsoft Corporation has adopted
Legato NetWorker as their internal storage management tool for
protecting data on the Microsoft Network (MSN).
MSN, the third-largest online service worldwide, is the first
service to debut on the Internet. Based on many distributed NT
servers and Microsoft Internet Information Server software,
the new web-based service offers reliable Internet access,
high-quality information, entertainment, and communications
services on the Internet to its members.
"The challenge MSN faced, of backing up growing volumes of
data in a limited backup window, was one we encounter
fairly frequently, and is the reason NetWorker has been so
successful," said Kent Smith, chief operating officer of
Legato Systems Inc. "NetWorker was designed from the ground
up to be an industrial strength storage management solution,
and as a result is able to easily accommodate MSN's daily
data protection requirements."
"We implemented Legato NetWorker because it met the performance
requirements of our challenging environment," explained David
Monteros, a senior systems analyst in Microsoft's Interactive
Media Division, MSN Operations Group.
"It provided us with a command line interface which allows
us to reliably integrate pre- and post-processing of data with
batch backups. NetWorker, with its concurrent tape streaming
capabilities, empowers us to complete all backups in the allotted
time frame, leaving us completely confident that all critical
data is always protected."
Another feature that led MSN to implement NetWorker was its
media pools that facilitate both tape cloning as well as grouping
of tapes by retention times. But the greatest benefit of this
solution, according to Monteros, was performance.
"Depending upon the complexity of the file structures in any
given server," said Monteros, "NetWorker throughput was
significantly higher than a standard single stream backup."
NetWorker's multi-streamed parallelism is a feature in the
software which enables the DLT tape drives to maintain a very
high throughput. It keeps the drives moving to increase the
continuity of multiple tape writes.
With NetWorker, MSN has also been able to reduce its investment
in backup servers and tape devices. When fully implemented, nine
existing backup servers with a total of fourteen tape drives
will be consolidated to one NetWorker server with four drives
in an ADIC Scalar 458 Library unit. As MSN grows, the service
will be able to scale-up by adding more NetWorker servers and/or
DLT tape library units.
----------------------------------
* REMOTELY POSSIBLE VERSION 3.0 WITH NEW FEATURES OUT NOW
Remotely Possible/32 version 3.0 is available from our web site.
When you download, you'll get 10 license numbers for testing on
up to (10) machines, any 32-bit Windows machine for 30 days!
This new version 3.0 will work on Windows 95 and Windows NT 3.51
and Windows NT 4.0, NT Server or Workstation. It allows you to
take over any remote system and do anything you can do locally
but twice as fast as pcAnywhere.
Version 3.0 has a few Special features which include:
TCP/IP, IPX, NetBios, and TAPI (Dial) & RAS compatibility
Intel or Alpha NT platforms (download special Alpha version)
Enhanced video support (unlimited colors and resolutions).
More features in versions coming out soon:
Remote Installation
Master Password Management
Logoff NT on disconnect
Download the new 3.0 now from http://www.ntsoftdist.com
-----------------------------
* NEW FEATURES IN OCTOPUS VERSION 2.0
- Super ASO
The target system can assumes multiple sources identities
(machine names and IP address). This allows a target server
to maintain its legacy responsibilities while assuming the
functions of a failed source server. Switch over will occur
in less than one second.
- Schedule Synchronize
The user can specify by date and time when the Synchronize
Or Copy to Target process should start.
- Schedule Pause Updates
The user can specify by date and time when the Pause Updates
process should start and stop. This feature gives the user
the ability to schedule backup from the target system without
user intervention on Octopus.
- Set Protocols per Target System
You can specify for each target what protocol Octopus should
use to send the data from the source system.
- Selectable Multiple IP Addresses per NIC on Source System
If the source system has more that one IP address, you can
select from the IP address list which IP should be forwarded
to the target system.
- Multiple IP Addresses per NIC on Target System
The target system can receive multiple IP addresses from
Multiple sources (under Super ASO).
- Retry Synchronization
This feature allows the user to do a synchronization with
open files. Octopus will try for a specific time to resync.
these files. As soon as they are closed under that specific
time Octopus will synchronize them.
- Services to Start
Under Super ASO Can Now be Associated With a Machine Name
When an additional service is selected, you will be able to
specify to witch source that service is related. If no source
is specified Octopus will assume that that service is related
to all sources.
- Target System can assume the Source Configuration Under ASO
If the ASO option is selected on the target system and the
source fails, the target will assume the source machine name,
IP address and also the Octopus configuration from the source.
That way when the failed machine is ready to come on line,
the user should configure it to be target system. With this
feature the new source will start mirroring automatically to
the target system, and no downtime will occur when the failed
system is ready to come on line.
- Clean Data Directory Option
This feature will clean the Octopus data directory automatically
without user intervention.
-----------------------------------
* QUARTERDECK RELEASES CLEANSWEEP 3.0 (NOW ALSO NT)
Quarterdeck Corp. (Nasdaq: QDEK) announced CleanSweep 3.0 today,
an all-new version of its popular Windows cleanup program for W95 &
WNT. This new release offers a score of innovative features that
provide the most effective cleanup for Windows PCs, including
an exclusive automatic Internet update feature, a greatly enhanced
application knowledge base, tools for the Windows 95/NT system
registry and extensive new safety features.
CleanSweep frees up valuable hard disk space by removing unwanted
programs and by quickly finding and removing duplicate files,
redundant DLLs, orphaned files and infrequently used files on
Windows 3.1, Windows 95 and Windows NT 3.51 and 4.0. Automated
wizards determine which files are clogging up the user's system,
then guide the user through the cleanup process.
CleanSweep 3.0 features a new application knowledge base containing
the program files and configuration entries for more than 1,000
applications. This expedites the thorough removal of applications
already on the user's system by ensuring that all related
executables, DLLs, INI files, Registry entries, and other items
will be purged when a given application is deleted.
CleanSweep 3.0 adds new features focused on automatic safety.
The exclusive Safety Sweep(TM) provides superior protection against
accidental file deletions. Safety Sweep also automatically
compresses and backs up the files it removes for yet another extra
level of safety.
CleanSweep 3.0 also offers a major innovation in a new Internet
feature, Update-It(TM). Update-It automatically updates CleanSweep
and its application knowledge base over the Internet. "We believe
Update-It provides the best possible service to our customers,"
said Elissa Murphy, Director of the Utilities Business Unit.
"It allows us to automatically deliver updates to CleanSweep
over the Internet. With the introduction of Update-It and our new
exclusive safety features, CleanSweep 3.0 provides the safest and
most advanced PC cleanup available." Update-It is the first in a
series of intelligent agents that Quarterdeck will introduce over
the next year.
Other unique new features include Registry Sweep(TM) which
speeds startup and performance by removing invalid entries from
the Windows 95/NT system registry; and the new Registry Genie(TM),
a dramatic new approach to editing the Windows 95/NT system registry.
Registry Genie simplifies the registry through its explanations of
many common Registry entries. It also allows users to globally
search and replace items, and adds "undo" functionality to reverse
unwanted changes.
The new version fully supports Windows NT Workstation and Server
3.51 and 4.0, making it the only hard disk clean up software designed
specifically for the NT platform.
CleanSweep 3.0 will ship in October at an estimated street price
of $39.95. System requirements include 4 MB RAM for Windows 95/3.1,
12 MB RAM for Windows NT Workstation and 16 MB RAM for Windows NT
Server, with 10-12 MB of available hard disk space.
Further information may be obtained by calling 800-354-3222,
accessing Quarterdeck's Web site at http://www.quarterdeck.com,
or by e-mailing info@quarterdeck.com.
*********************************************************************
5. "HINTS AND TIPS"
To tune your Server for your environment go into Control Panel/Network:
For 3.51:Highlight Server under Installed Network Software and click
the Configure button:
For 4.0: Click the Services Tab, select Server and click Configure:
The Tuning Options are the same under 3.51 and 4.0. They are:
Minimize Memory Used: This is geared primarily for when you are running
server as a workstation as well and want to minimize the memory
allocated for the network and server responsiveness.
Balance: This is when you want to balance your Server's memory between
applications running on the server and needing more responsiveness to
network requests than Minimize.
Maximize Throughput for File Sharing: This setting allows the server to
be most response to file and print services like an Novell server. This
is best for Print Servers, Fax Servers, Internet Servers, and general
file servers. This is the default setting for NT Server.
Maximize Throughput for Network Applications: Optimizes server memory
for distributed applications that do their own memory caching,
Tip by: Shane Creamer
USA: http://www.ntsoftdist.com
EUROPE: http://www.sunbelt.co.uk
Email for US sales information to:
ntsales@ntsoftdist.com
Email for US Tech support to:
daved@pssi.com
Email for European Sales to:
chris@sunbelt.fr
Email for European Tech support to:
robdixon@sunbelt.demon.co.uk
webmaster
Legal Stuff:
This document is provided for informational purposes only. The information contained in this document represents the current view of Sunbelt Software
Distribution on the issues discussed as of the date of publication. Because Sunbelt must respond to changes in market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a
commitment on the part of Sunbelt and Sunbelt cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information presented after the date of publication.
INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED
INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND FREEDOM
FROM INFRINGEMENT.
The user assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and the use of this document. This document may be copied and distributed subject to the following conditions: 1)
All text must be copied without modification and all pages must be included; 2) All copies must contain Sunbelt's copyright notice and any other notices provided
therein; and 3) This document may not be distributed for profit. All trademarks acknowledged.
Copyright Sunbelt Software Distribution, Inc. 1996.
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