Return-Path: <rbrown@dijkstra.UnivNorthCo.EDU>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.novell
Date:         Fri, 14 Aug 1992 13:03:52 MDT
Reply-To:     Novell LAN Interest Group <NOVELL@SUVM.BITNET>
From:         Rich Brown <rbrown@DIJKSTRA.UNIVNORTHCO.EDU>
Subject: Re: Dial-In Access to Novell
X-To:         NOVELL@SUVM.SYR.EDU

------------From Previous Message ---------------------------

I have been approached by our department head with the task of investigating
the methods of dial-in access to our Novell networks.


<text deleted...>

I see a temporary solution in something like Carbon Copy, but have never
personally used it.  In the future we will need to have the ability for
multiple simultaneous connections.

I have heard of building something along the lines of a communications server.
This would consist of a main CPU, and a special card which acts as a separate
CPU for the incomming connection.  Does anyone have any information on this
kind of system?

I would greatly appreciate any help/suggestions.  I am also interested in the
relative price for this kind of system.  Thanks.

---------------End of Quoted text -------------------------------------

We have been lo these many nonths trying products for remote access.  I
will summarize the results here for David and anyone else looking into
this can of worms....

The software solutions we tried were
PC Anywhere
Cross Connect
Another I can't remember right now (drat!) -- maybe carbon copy

All worked well enough (though VERY slow) and we settled on Cross Connect
because (at that time) the cost was far less that the other two.  Not long
after we purchased the software we discovered (don't know why we never
thought to test this) that it will not do any graphics (e.g. the WordPerfect
preview screen).  Up until then weh and only been typing documents remotely
to test the system.  (Oh, yes - also got Cross Connect because it used only
one modem for dial-in, dial-out and a non-dedicated PC.  PC anywhere needs
two modems and the other needs a dedicated PC on the network to access other
workstations).  This lack of graphics makes it useless for most
applications, and we no longer have our eval copy of the other produts to
test.  Cross's tech support says a graphics-supporting version is
forthcoming.  In the mean time they recommended we buy everyone on the
network a copy of all the applications on the server so that they can use
Cross for file transfer only.  (Now there's a cost saving suggestion!  Let's
see, 25 copies of Harvard plus 25 copies of WP plus........)

so,...........

At a recent show and tell I saw a demo of the Microdyne Access Server
(Novell's remote access software on a special PC manufactured by Microdyne)
and arrangeed for a trial (could only get it for 5 days and if I promised
to buy it if it did what I had requested, that is graphics, etc.)  This can
also be purchased as a software product and installed on a dedicated
computer.  Results:

MUCH faster than the Cross Connect software, but ....
still cannot do the WP preview (they blame WP)
locks up when running other graphics (tried Quattro Pro and Harvard)
re-maps drives differently when you access it after your login script
     has executed (can really mess things up).

Microdyne tech support recommends changing the drive mappings back
after logging in (what fun) and re-configuring Quattro to exclude
expaned memory when it loads (OK I can live with this, I guess).  They
don't have an answer for Harvard.  Of course my 5-day trial was over by the
time they got back to me so I never got to try these "patches".

SUMMARY:  I don't think that anyone yet has the answer to "painless" remote
access.  I can live with slow (to a point) but I would like things to work
as if I were any other user on the network.  Next we try PC Tools remote
product which promises windows support including remote mouse (for windows
only, I believe).  Will keep you posted....
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU