Phase II: Installing NetWare 6 Storage

Test Objective Covered:

4. Install NetWare 6 (continued).

In Phase II, we will install and configure NetWare 6 storage devices by selecting an appropriate platform support module, configuring storage device(s) and network board(s), and creating a NetWare partition and the SYS: volume.

Let's continue our installation adventure with Step 7.

Step 7: Select Platform Support

Figure 1.7 shows the second of three driver screens. This one lists the plat form and support modules (which have been autodetected, wherever possible):

• Platform Support Module A platform support module (PSM) driver can be loaded to optimize the performance of servers with multiple processors and other configurations. If a PSM is not detected, your computer probably does not need one. If a platform support module driver is detected on a computer that does not contain multiple processors, the driver can be allowed to load without adversely affecting performance. Platform support modules typically have a .PSM filename extension.

• HotPlug Support Module PCI HotPlug technology allows storage adapters and network boards to be inserted and removed while the computer is powered on. If a PCI HotPlug module is not detected, your computer probably does support the technology (and, thus, does not need one). PCI HotPlug modules typically have an .NLM extension.

• Storage Adapters Storage adapters require a software driver called a host adapter module (HAM) to communicate with the computer (host). Because a single storage adapter can control more than one type of storage device, only one HAM may be required. Various types of storage adapters, such as Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) and Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), may be autodetected. If a particular storage adapter is not detected, choose the appropriate driver from the list, or load it from a manufacturer-provided disk. Verify that properties such as interrupt, port value, and slot do not conflict with any other device in the computer. Host adapter modules typically have a .HAM extension.

Figure 1.7. Step 7: Selecting platform support, PCI HotPlug, and storage adapter drivers.

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Disk drivers with a .DSK extension (found in early versions of NetWare) are not supported in NetWare 6. NetWare 6 uses NetWare Peripheral Architecture (NWPA), which requires the use of HAMs and custom device modules (CDMs).

REAL WORLD

To add, change, or delete a device driver in any of the three driver screens discussed here, follow these simple steps:

1. In the Options box, select Modify.

2. Select the device type that you want to work with and press Enter.

3. To add a driver, press Insert, specify the location of the driver, and press Enter. To delete a driver, select it from the list and press Enter. To modify a driver, select it from the list, choose the property to modify, and press Enter.

Step 8: Select a Storage Device and Network Board

As you can see in the example in Figure 1.8, the third and final driver screen lists the following storage and network drivers:

• Storage Devices Storage devices require a software driver, called a custom device module (CDM), to communicate with the storage adapter that controls it. Each type of storage device requires a separate CDM. The Installation Wizard autodetects many types of storage devices, such as SCSI/IDE drives, CD-ROM drives, and tape drives. If a storage device is not detected, choose the appropriate driver from the list provided, or load it from a manufacturer-provided disk. Custom device modules typically have a .CDM extension.

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  Because a single adapter can control more than one type of storage device, your computer may require only one HAM, but have multiple types of storage devices and, thus, multiple CDMs.

  
  

• Network Boards Network boards require a software driver called a LAN driver to communicate with the network. The Installation program autodetects many types of network boards. If a particular network board is not detected, choose the appropriate driver from the list provided, or load it from a manufacturer-provided disk. To edit the properties of the network board, it must be installed and configured properly. Verify that properties such as interrupt, port value, and slot do not conflict with any other device in your server. LAN drivers typically have a .LAN extension.

• NetWare Loadable Modules Some servers and network configurations require that you load an NLM before completing the server installation. (For example, if you are installing the server in a Token Ring environment, you may need to load ROUTE.NLM.) If required, add the appropriate NLM to the NetWare Loadable Modules field.

Figure 1.8. Step 8: Selecting a storage device and network board.

Step 9: Create a NetWare Partition and SYS: Volume

After the device drivers have been installed, you need to create the SYS: volume and parent NetWare partition. As you recall from earlier in the chapter, a partition is a logical section of physical storage that is used to divide a large storage region into smaller, more manageable sections.

Each partition typically corresponds with an operating system, such as NetWare, Unix, or DOS. A single storage device can contain up to four partitions. Each partition can be divided into smaller sections called volumes. A NetWare partition can contain up to eight volumes.

During Step 9, the NetWare 6 installation program checks whether a SYS: volume already exists (from a previous installation). If one is found, you will be prompted to select one of the following options (as shown in Figure 1.9):

• Replace Volume SYS and Its NetWare Partition This option removes the entire NetWare partition containing the existing SYS: volume. Any volume that is part of the NetWare partition that contains the SYS: volume is also removed (even if the volume spans to other NetWare partitions). If you wish to retain the existing SYS: volume rather than replacing it, you can exit the NetWare 6 installation program and perform a NetWare 6 upgrade following the instructions in Chapter 2.

• Remove All NetWare Volumes and NetWare/NSS Partitions This option removes all NetWare volumes and all NetWare and NSS partitions.

Figure 1.9. Deleting an existing SYS: volume.

Both of the options remove only NetWare partitions. Other types of partitions, such as DOS, Unix, and system/utility partitions, are not removed. Any data on a volume that is removed is lost.

REAL WORLD

If shared storage is detected on the server, a third menu option will appear, titled Remove All but Shared NetWare Volumes and Partitions. This option removes all NetWare partitions and volumes that are unique to this server (that is, not shared).

Next, the installation program displays a storage creation screen similar to Figure 1.10. If your hard disk is large enough, the installation program uses the following defaults:

• File System Type: NSS

• NetWare Partition Size (MB): 4010.0

• SYS: Volume Size (MB): 4005

• File Compression: Off

Figure 1.10. Step 9: Creating a NetWare partition and SYS: volume.

By default, the NetWare 6 installation program creates the SYS: volume as an NSS volume, rather than a traditional volume. This has many advantages. See Chapter 5 for more information about NSS volumes.

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Traditional volumes should only be used if you require block suballocation, data migration, Network File System (NFS), File Transfer Protocol (FTP), VREPAIR, or file locks. If you wish to create a traditional SYS: volume rather than an NSS volume, press F5 on the Volume SYS and Partition Properties screen.

If you plan to have additional volumes on this partition, decrease the size of the SYS: volume, as necessary, to leave room for the other volume(s). It's probably a good idea to create one or more additional volumes for your data, to keep it separate from your NetWare operating system files. It also makes it easier to restrict access to specific directories or files.

If you choose to modify the defaults, remember that NetWare 6 requires 2GB for the SYS: volume (4GB recommended). To modify the SYS: volume size, select Modify from the Options box shown in Figure 1.10. Then, choose the appropriate storage device (SEAGATE ST32550N, for example), select the NetWare Partition Size field, and backspace over the current size. Input the new size into the Volume SYS Size (MB): field. Save the settings and continue by pressing F10. If desired, additional volumes can be created later in the installation process or after the installation is complete using ConsoleOne.

When you select Continue, the NetWare 6 installation program creates a NetWare partition and SYS: volume using the parameters you specified. The Installation Wizard then copies system files to the new SYS: volume.

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If you are installing NetWare 6 from the network, you will be prompted to reconnect to the network. To continue the installation, you must authenticate with the same User object and password that you used at the beginning of the installation process.

This completes the next three steps of NetWare 6 installation, and Phase II. Now, we will venture into a whole new world GUI installation screens.