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Date:         Thu, 13 Aug 1992 13:14:52 -0600
Reply-To:     Novell LAN Interest Group <NOVELL@SUVM.BITNET>
From:         Joe Doupnik <JRD@USU.BITNET>
Subject:      Re: Updating Network Drivers

>
>We have gradually been adding campus buildings one at a time to the
>campus over the past five years. As a result, we have numerous
>versions of network drivers installed on our users workstations.
>Currently, we have approximately 400 users connected to the building
>LAN's with another building coming online beginning in October.
>
>When we connected the last building, we upgraded all of our servers
>to NetWare 3.11 on no less than a 386 machine. Before we get involved
>in the installation of another building LAN and connecting it to the
>campus WAN, we want to update all network drivers currently installed
>on user workstations to the current version. We would also like to
>have in place a procedure to continue to update these drivers as
>needed.
>
>We were thinking that it would be great to run a program over the
>network which would check a users HD for the most current version of
>drivers. If it was not the most current version it would copy the
>most current version from the network to the user's HD. It sounds
>simple enough, but when you start considering the various machine
>types with various ethernet cards and of course all those "special"
>cases, the difficulties with writing and implementing such a program
>increase drastically.
>
>Now, here's my question(s)....
>
>Are you concerned with having all of your users running the
>current versions of drivers? If not, why? If so, how do you deal
>with keeping the network drivers on your user workstations at the
>most current version? Do you already have such a program to
>automatically update these drivers? If so, can we have a copy of it?
>
>Note: We are doing our best to not have to visit each workstation to
>      update the drivers. We feel there should be some way to handle
>      this over the network transparent to the user.
>
>Thanks in advance for any and all information.
>
>
>=====================================================================
>Catherine A. Erdly                              Phone: (313) 762-3123
>Computer Systems Specialist II                         (313) 766-6629
>Information Technology Services                   Fax: (313) 762-3687
>University of Michigan - Flint
>207 Murchie Science Building      E-mail: Cathy.Erdly@um.cc.umich.edu
>303 East Kearsley Street            or    erdly_c@msb.flint.umich.edu
>Flint, Michigan 48502
>=====================================================================
Cathrine,
        My opinion, and it is just an opinion, is automatic updating
across the net is not a swift idea. Machines differ so memory managment
layouts differ, and shell components change size from issue to issue.
Older shells can continue to work effectively for several years, or
equivalently til the next release of Windows, and then folks need to
upgrade. Since the goal of support organizations is user support then
the least disruption and intrusion is wanted until a problem arises.
Poking about someone's local hard disk is an intrusion with a capital I
and the consequences might be unpleasant. An out of date shell is not
causing harm to the net nor to other users, though it might generate
extra Tech Support calls from the particular user.
        What we do here is make jolly noises, urge folks to update, and
in a few cases offer to do the job personally. Naturally that leaves a
segment of the population untouched, because they want it that way. Shells
are made available across the network so the effort is minimal.
        On support calls it is easy to ask the person to type IPX I and
NETX I to get version numbers. There are some commercial programs around
which, I believe, can provide those numbers across the net.
        Joe D.
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU