Product Bulletin

Issue PB96/21
August, 1996

LAN Support Software 5.0

LAN Support Software (LSS) 5.0 is a comprehensive package of utilities and high performance drivers enabling users to install and operate Madge Smart Ringnodes quickly and easily for a wide range of client and server environments.

Key Benefits

Multiple levels of installation, configuration and diagnostics are available. This enables the network manager to match optimal installation techniques with the skills of any level network engineer from novice to expert.
Network productivity is maximized through provision of a wide range of high performance drivers that require minimal system resources, for clients and servers.
Time-consuming technical support calls can be significantly reduced through use of Madge's comprehensive on-line user documentation.
LSS 5.0 maximizes the potential of the latest PC hardware and software technologies, such as Novell Netware SMP, Novell 'Green River', Microsoft Windows NT v4.0, IBM OS/2 Warp Server, advanced power management, PC Card hot-swap and Novell's Client-32 Requester.
Simplified network administration with support for both new and installed PCs over a wide range of operating systems, platforms and bus architectures.

Wide environment and feature support

LSS 5.0 provides a number of enhancements for OS/2, Windows NT and NetWare, including additional utilities to simplify management and configuration of drivers. In order to maximize the potential of the latest hardware, support has been extended to provide the broadest possible family of drivers covering a range of platforms (Intel, MIPS, Alpha, PowerPC).

DOS memory saving features

To alleviate the limitations of conventional memory in DOS environments, LSS 5.0 provides a range of memory configuration options including Smart Software which allows adapter drivers to be relocated from DOS memory onto the adapter. The CD also includes support for Novell's Client-32 architecture which allows network adapter drivers to be loaded into DOS extended memory thus freeing conventional memory for other applications.

Easy to use

A network manager's time is an increasingly scarce resource, it is therefore important to be able to install and maintain adapters in the shortest possible time. To make adapter installation as simple as possible, all LSS 5.0 drivers are compatible across the range of Smart 16/4 Ringnodes. LSS 5.0 is exceptionally easy to use as it provides an optimal method of adapter installation to suit any experience level either through 'traditional' legacy installation programs, or the latest graphic based 'Madge Wizard' which provides on-line help whilst automating much of the installation process. In addition, pre-defined scripts can be used in Madge Wizard to further automate the installation process for the installation of large numbers of PCs.

For CD-Rom based systems, a single CD is supplied containing all the drivers plus 'Internet style' HTML on-line documentation which can be accessed through the supplied Browser or with any 3^rd Party Internet Browser. In addition, for quick administration of other machines, 2 floppy disks are supplied containing drivers for the most popular network operating systems.

Added fault tolerance for servers

LSS 5.0 extends Madge's unique server network adapter mirroring function. This provides additional fault tolerance for mission-critical servers, including Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server, in addition to support for Novell's Netware Server. By using this option, two standard network adapters are installed in a server, one acts as a backup to instantly take over should the first loose its network connection.

Improved Winsock & TCP/IP support

LSS 5.0 provides Winsock as the standard API for TCP/IP on all Microsoft Windows based operating systems. This allows any vendor's WinSock 1.1 compliant TCP/IP applications to access other TCP/IP hosts. The use of Winsock and TCP/IP allows the use of hundreds of applications both commercial and shareware, ranging from World Wide Web browsers such as Netscape Navigator, through X-Windows implementations to Telnet and FTP programs.

Until now, most TCP/IP and therefore Winsock, implementations supplied with 3^rd party TCP/IP connectivity products had a large memory requirement, undesired in DOS environments. The Madge Smart TCP/IP suite relocates the TCP/IP protocol stack from DOS conventional memory directly onto the network adapter. The TCP/IP suite in LSS 5.0 has been enhanced for Novells LAN Workplace 5 including DHCP. Performance on 512k Smart 16/4 Ringnodes has been enhanced.

Increased support for mobile users

With the increasing move toward mobile users, LSS 5.0 provides maximum functionality for notebook users to operate in both networked and stand-alone modes. Hot-swap allows users to insert or remove a PC Card adapter without the need to re-boot. Installation and maintenance of PC Card adapters is eased by using the same familiar utilities used to configure desktop adapters.

Desktop management support

LSS 5.0 extends the Desktop Management Interface (DMI) support to include OS/2 in addition to the current support for DOS. DMI is a key part of the common management foundation that is enabling new levels of consistent management, and information reporting across heterogeneous operating systems and network configurations.

Support for the latest in DTR technology

In addition to LSS 5.0, also included on the CD is support for DTR (Dedicated Token Ring) which allows DTR-enabled concentrator ports (typically switches) and network adapters to operate in a full duplex (2x16Mbits) mode . This allows data to be transmitted and received simultaneously via separate send and receive data paths between the adapter and port.

DTR provides the greatest performance improvements when the network traffic consists of a large volume of small bi-directional data packets such as Intranet/Internet/Web sites, relational databases and CAD/3D modelling.

Remote Booting

Remote booting provides centralized management of PC boot files and configuration data, improves security, and supports disk-less workstations. LSS 5.0 supports all Madge adapters installed with Smartrom, Madge's re-programmable remote boot ROM for RPL or Novell NetWare. For non-Smartrom systems, LSS 5.0 provides a floppy disk based scheme for added flexibility.

NB: The Smartrom is factory-fitted on the Smart 16/4 AT Plus Ringnode.

Summary Matrix - Features and utilities contained in LSS 5.0

KEY: Feature Available (+) Feature Enhanced (**)

Microsoft Windows 95 features

Feature name LSS4.3(X) LSS 5.0 Adapters supported

Windows 95 support + ** All Smart Ringnodes

Microsoft Windows NT features

Feature name LSS4.3(X) LSS 5.0 Adapters supported

Windows NT Adapter Mirroring . + PCI, EISA

Windows NT Multiplatform Drivers . + all

Windows NT Multiplatform Diagnostics . + all

Novell NetWare features

Feature name LSS4.3(X) LSS 5.0 Adapters supported

Netware Client32 for Windows 95 . + all

Netware NESL support . + all

Netware SMP . + all

Netware Adapter Mirroring + + all

NetwareIP support (DOS memory saving) + ** all

DOS features

Feature name LSS4.3(X) LSS 5.0 Adapters supported

hot swapping for PC Card . + PC Card (PCMCIA)

Advanced Power Management . + all

Memory saving Multi-protocol Support + ** all

TCPIP suite + ** all

BOOTP + ** all

DHCP . + all

DMI management support + + all

Card services emulator + ** PC Card (PCMCIA)

PnP Enabler + ** all PnP

Adapter Configuration + + all

Adapter Identification + ** all

Driver Version Identification + + all

Windows 3.x features

Feature name LSS4.3(X) LSS 5.0 Adapters supported

Winsock . + all

OS/2 features

Feature name LSS4.3(X) LSS 5.0 Adapters supported

hot swapping for PC Card . + PC Card (PCMCIA)

Advanced Power Management . + all

IBM Netview DMI management support . + all

Card services emulator + ** PC Card (PCMCIA)

PnP Enabler + ** all PnP

Adapter Configuration + ** all

Adapter Identification . + all

Driver Version Identification + ** all

General features of LSS 5.0

Feature name LSS4.3(X) LSS 5.0 Adapters supported

Diagnostic point-to-point test + ** all

Bootable Configuration & Diagnostics + ** all

Password protection on Configurations + + all

Remote boot + + all

Ring information monitor . + all

i8086, i80286 support + . all

i80386, i80486, Pentium, PentiumPro + + all

Expert Install + ** all

Comprehensive Installation Suite . + all

Enterprise-wide adapter support + + all

Incorporates latest driver updates . + all

Promiscuous MAC identification + + all

Electronic Documentation . + all

UNIX features also included on the CD

Feature name Adapters supported

SCO Open Server 3 & 5 support all*

Solaris 2.4 & 2.5 support all*

AIX 3.25 & 4.1 support all*

UnixWare 1.x & 2.0 support all*

*Dependant on operating system support of bus architectures

General features also included on the CD

Feature name Adapters supported

Full Duplex Token Ring PCI, EISA

Legacy LSS4.3(2) all

FastBlue 2.1(0) Blue+

Datasheets and product information for Madge products N/A

Madge presentations and technology discussions N/A

Notes:

There are three versions of 4.3:

LSS 4.3(0) Introduced as the first LSS release that unified support for the entire family of Smart 16/4 Ringnodes

LSS 4.3(1) Added support for PCI (Bus Master) adapters.

LSS 4.3(2) Maintenance release to update Fastmac Plus drivers.

+ Feature Available

** Feature Enhanced

Feature name	LSS4.3(X)	LSS 5.0	Adapters supported
Windows 95 support	+	**	All Smart Ringnodes

Feature name	Adapters supported
SCO Open Server 3 & 5 support	all*
Solaris 2.4 & 2.5 support	all*
AIX 3.25 & 4.1 support	all*
UnixWare 1.x & 2.0 support	all*

Feature name	Adapters supported
Full Duplex Token Ring	PCI, EISA
Legacy LSS4.3(2)	all
FastBlue 2.1(0)	Blue+
Datasheets and product information for Madge products	N/A
Madge presentations and technology discussions	N/A