Preface

NetWare 6.5 continues the journey begun with the release of NetWare 6 nearly two years ago. Novell is busy embracing the Web, adopting Internet standards, and promoting the vision of One Net; in which the concept of Location is replaced with Identity and users can get what they need, when they need itregardless of location.

But delivering a transparent Net for your users can make things more complex on the back end. As a NetWare 6.5 administrator, you will be faced with a host of new features and technologies that are extending the applicability and value of NetWare like never before. For you, the question is not only how to make these technologies work, but how to keep your network running smoothly as these capabilities are introduced. To do this you can arm yourself with information from many different resources: architecture manuals, online documentation, magazines, books, technical Web sites, and even the phone numbers of your most knowledgeable acquaintances . With the powerful new capabilities, and Web-friendly focus of NetWare 6.5, you will likely tap all these resources at one time or another to make sure you have a handle on everything you need to properly manage your network.

But you don't always need all of this information. When you are administering a network, there are three principal tasks that will occupy most of your time: installation, configuration, and maintenance. You don't want to wade through periodicals, Web sites, or product docs searching for that one detail that you can't quite remember. You just need quick access to the information about a technology, concept, or utility so you can get the job done. The Novell NetWare 6.5 Administrator's Handbook has been written with those needs in mind.

Filled with concept overviews, installation procedures, configuration options, and maintenance schedules, this handbook can be your quick reference to the daily tasks associated with NetWare 6.5. The Instant Access pages at the beginning of each chapter help you immediately identify the information, utilities, and commands necessary to perform common tasks. So, keep this book handy, and spend less time looking for information and more time managing your network.