I have a customer who wants to convert a perfectly running 5 station

Novell 3.12 network to a Win98 network running Microsoft Client.

-Is this a good idea? (If not please give me some ammunition to shoot it down)

-Is MS Client stable with Arev?

-Is there any performance degradation?

-Do I need any additional software or drivers

Thank You in advance,

Steven Danielson

It will probably work, but it's a bit like replacing a perfectly good reliable 5-seat motor vehicle with 5 wheelbarrows, and getting each user to push themselves around.

The other aspects to consider:

Novell 3.x is absolutely reliable with respect to AREV. Only some Win 95 Client 32's have given grief, mostly due to Microsoft's activity. Win 98 is so new, it will not be as stable.

Novell's throughput will be better than Microsoft.

Locking under Novell is easier to achieve and guarantee. With Win 98 they can mess up locking in an instant from their workstation settings, and not be aware.

I get many support calls from my Microsoft Networked clients. I get virtually none from my Novell networked clients. I offer free support to my 17 Novell networked clients for all their networking needs. I can't afford to do this for Microsoft Networks (5 in all).

A dedicated server is always superior to a non-dedicated one. Add a UPS to a Novell server and it's virtually unbreakable.

For security features and ease of management Novell wins hands down.

Steve

Right on, Mr. Smith!

Novell's networking with Arev is

- bulletproof

- fast.

The change over to Windows networking is not worth the pain - how do

you determine what causes the spurious freezes. Why do customer's screens freeze when any one goes near a Windows Printer definintion?

The list could go on.

I feel much better now having had a good whinge about MS. How about Linux, eh? Server performance on a 486 like an Alpha!

Hi Peter,

Please Email me at [email protected] and let me know your email address.

Steve

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