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frequently asked questions
setting up a Novell NetWare server for tape backup
with hp surestore tape drives
contents of this section
introduction
native backup applications
what is the difference between NWPA and the old DDFS ".dsk" driver
architecture, and which architecture is supported by which versions of
NetWare?
how do I know what drivers (DDFS or NWPA) I am using at the moment, and
what drivers I need for running tape backups?
how do I tell if my tape drives and drivers are correctly set up?
are there any important points I need to be aware of when changing drivers in
my system?
why does my autoloader not work correctly with ISV Backup Software, or the
NetWare in-built backup applet?
why does my ISV Backup Software not give me the option to specify that I am
using ".ham" drivers when I install it?
why do I get SCSI errors when using my tape drive?
which HP SureStore DAT and DLT tape drives are certified by Novell, ISVs
and IHVs for use on NetWare?
how do I use the built-in Tape Backup applets provided by Novell?
This topic is available in English only
introduction
As with most software development cycles, the Novell NetWare network operating
system has been subject to a number of major and minor version releases over
time. This has resulted in the widespread use of a number of different versions of
NetWare.
Earlier versions made use of a monolithic driver architecture known as DDFS
(Device Driver Functional Specification), in which the SCSI HBA and peripherals
such as disks and tapes, used drivers having the file extension ".dsk".
Adding new devices to the monolithic architecture was problematic, so Novell
introduced a new driver architecture called NWPA (NetWare Peripheral
Architecture). With NWPA, a driver having the file extension ".cdm" (custom
device module) is used to control the peripheral, and a separate driver having the
file extension ".ham" (host adapter module) is used for the SCSI HBA.
Although NWPA was adopted as the system of preference, the "old" DDFS
architecture continued to be supported until NetWare Version 5.0. In addition, new
minor releases in the NetWare 3.x (NetWare 3.2) and NetWare 4.x (NetWare 4.2)
series were subsequently issued with support for both DDFS and NWPA.
Downloadable "patches" were also made available to allow users with NetWare
3.12 and NetWare 4.11 to use the new NWPA architecture.
This can be summarised as follows:
NetWare Version
Driver Architecture
NetWare 3.12
DDFS (+ NWPA with Patches)
NetWare 3.2
DDFS and NWPA
NetWare 4.11
DDFS (+ NWPA with Patches)
NetWare 4.2
DDFS and NWPA
NetWare 5.0
NWPA only
For further details, refer to the question
"What is the difference between NWPA
and the old DDFS ".dsk" architecture, and which architecture is supported by
which versions of NetWare?"
It is clear that, irrespective of the operating system version or tape drive vendor,
problems are sometimes experienced by users attempting to set up NetWare
systems (particularly using NWPA architecture) to perform tape backups. This
"NetWare Tape Backup Frequently Asked Questions" document attempts to
highlight and resolve many of these issues.
It is recommended that you read the whole of the FAQ document rather than just
specific questions.
native backup applications
Novell ships a built-in backup application with it NetWare operating systems.
For NetWare versions prior to NetWare 5.0, the backup applet is called SBackup.
It supports scheduling, full / differential / incremental backup strategies and
monitoring of "jobs". It does not support Autoloaders.
The NetWare 5.0 backup applet is SBCON. It supports scheduling, full /
differential / incremental backup strategies and mid-flow monitoring of "jobs". It
also allows backups and restores to be administered from a remote client using
the application NWBACK32.EXE. SBCON has Autoloader support built-in.
For further details, refer to the answer to the question
"How do I use the built-in
Tape Backup applets provided by Novell?"
Note - Ultrium high performance tape drives:
As a general rule, native backup
applications do not provide the required data streaming rate to get the full
performance of your Ultrium drive. We recommend using a backup application,
which provides better memory management as well as other useful features, such
as TapeAlert. HP, Computer Associates, Veritas, Legato and Yosemite all provide
suitable products that have been tested with your Ultrium drives. For the latest list
of backup packages that support your Ultrium drives, please contact your tape
drive or library manufacturer.
first question
Go to the first question
"What is the difference between NWPA (NetWare
Peripheral Architecture) and the old DDFS (Device Driver Functional
Specification) ".dsk" architecture, and which is supported by which versions of
NetWare?"
© 1999-2001, Hewlett-Packard Company
file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/topher.COL-SPRINGS/Desktop/dltvs80%20manual/document/common/drivers_faqs/eng/nw_home.htm [11/29/2001 8:34:42 AM]
