Maintaining NetWare SMP

NetWare^® Symmetric MultiProcessing (SMP) software allows multiprocessing-enabled NetWare Loadable Module^TM (NLM^TM) programs to run on a multiprocessor computer and take advantage of the increased processing power multiprocessing provides.

NetWare SMP also improves NetWare performance because it allows LAN interrupts to be distributed across multiple processors.

When you install or upgrade to NetWare 4.11, the installation process determines whether your server contains multiple processors. If it does, the installation process gives you the option of installing NetWare SMP. If you choose not to install SMP during NetWare installation, you can install it later.

Under SMP, software desgined for a multiprocessor computer runs across all the processors in the machine. NetWare features and third-party software that are not designed for a multiprocessor computer are executed on processor 0, where they function as they do on a uniprocessor (single processor) system. When threads are executed by other processors, processor 0 is left with more bandwidth.

This provides greater system speed and performance, even for applications that are not multiprocessing-enabled.

NetWare SMP provides these benefits:

• Increased processing power.

• Better network performance.

• Support for up to 32 processors, depending on the hardware platform.

• Fault tolerance for systems with Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controllers (APICs). If any processor (except processor 0) fails, the server continues to function.

• An application programming interface (API) for software developers, explained in the NetWare SMP Software Developer Kit.

  NOTE:  For information about Novell^® software developer kits, call 1-800-RED-WORD (1-800-733-9673) or 1-801-861-5281, or E-mail devprog@novell.com.

NetWare SMP looks and functions just like native NetWare 4.11, but provides additional statistics through MONITOR.NLM, as well as additional SET parameters.