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Managing Servers

Use the following links in the NetWare Remote Manager navigation frame to accomplish the following server management tasks:

Use this link To do these tasks

Volumes

Console Screens

Access, view, and run the server console screens

Connections

SET Parameters

  • View the SET parameter categories
  • Access each SET parameter by category to view the SET parameter current value and associated help and change the SET value
  • Save the settings to a text file on volume SYS:
  • Control whether hidden SET parameters are viewable
  • View SET parameters with settings that are different from the server default (modified)
  • View SET parameters with values that have been changed on the server but that will reset to default values when the server is restarted (non persistent)

Schedule Tasks

Schedule server console commands to run at regularly scheduled intervals

Console Commands

  • View a list of commands that can be executed at the server console and the associated help
  • Sort the list of console commands by command name or the module that registered the command
  • Access the Console Screens link to execute any of the commands

View Memory Config

  • View general information about how your server is using its memory
  • Access the Swap File Usage Information page where you can view information relating to the virtual memory page swapping system on the server, enable or disable swapping for a volume, and change the parameters for swapping virtual memory
  • Access the NetWare Loadable Modules Information page where you can view which NLM program is using the most allocated memory
  • Access the Virtual Memory Health Information page where you can view specific information about the server's virtual memory
  • Access the Server Memory Pools Summary page where you can view information about each memory pool in the server
  • Access the Traditional File System Cache Statistics page where you can view cache statistics for the traditional file system

View Statistics

Access and view statistics for the following information:

  • Network Management
  • Kernel
  • LSL
  • Media Manager

Down / Restart

Shut down, reset, or restart the server


Accessing and Managing Server Volumes and Partitions

The Volume Management page is the home page for NetWare Remote Manager.

You can access this page by clicking the Volumes link in the header frame or under Manage Server in the navigation frame.

The Volume Management page provides a list of the server's volumes, access to the server's DOS partitions, and the ability to perform partition management tasks. From this page, you can do the following:


Managing Disk Partitions

To create, change, rename, or delete a logical (NSS) or traditional NetWare Partition Pool or volume, click the Disk Partitions link on the Volume page.

The Server Disk Partition Operations page displays the disk layout according to the physical connections in your server using indentation to indicate where a volume physically resides. You can see the adapters, devices, partitions, pools, and volumes at different levels of indentation. If free space is available for creating a new partition, pool or volume, you can also view it under each device. A link for creating a volume, mirroring a volume, adding a volume, or expanding a pool is displayed next to the devices, pools, or volumes listed.

To create a partition or pool, do the following:

  1. Locate and click the Create link next to the free space on the device that you want to create the partition on.

  2. Select the type of partition you want to create by clicking the applicable link.

  3. Complete the required fields for the type of partition you are creating, and then click Create and confirming your decision by clicking OK in the resulting dialog box.

To expand a partition or pool, do the following:

  1. Locate and click the Expand link next to the pool that you want to expand.

  2. Select the Free Disk Space / Free Partition Space link with the space available that you want to use.

  3. Enter the amount of space (in megabytes) that you want to use, and then click Expand.

To mirror a partition, do the following:

  1. Locate and click the Mirror link next to the partition you to want to mirror.

  2. Locate and click a free disk space segment from the list displayed.

    The operation will begin, and when it is complete the status "100% mirrored" will be displayed.

To create a volume and mount a volume, do the following:

  1. Locate and click the Create link next to the free space on the device that you want to create the volume on or the Add a Volume link next to the pool or partition you want to create the volume in.

  2. Select the type of volume to create. This step is assumed if you have click the Add a Volume link.

  3. Complete the required fields for the type of pool and volume, or partition and volume you want to create and checking the checkboxes for the volume attributes that you want to set.

    IMPORTANT:  Deciding which attributes you want to assign to your volume now is important because they cannot be changed after the volume is created.

  4. Click Create and confirm your decision by clicking OK in the resulting dialog box.

  5. After creating a volume, you need to mount it in order to use it. You can do this by clicking the Mount Volume link next to the volume name you just created or clicking the No link next to the volume name on the Volume Management page.

From the Server Disk Partition Operations page, you access the links to rename an NSS pool or volume.

To rename an NSS pool, do the following:

  1. Locate and click the Pool name link next to the pool you to want to rename.

  2. Enter the new name in the Enter the new pool name field and click Rename.

To rename an NSS volume, do the following:

  1. Locate and click the Volume name link next to the volume you to want to rename.

  2. Click the Rename Volume link on the Volume Information page.

  3. Enter the new name in the Enter the new volume name field and click Rename.

From the Server Disk Partition Operations page, you can view and set the space quota set on each volume.

To change a space quota for a volume, do the following:

  1. Locate and click the Space Quota link next to the volume you to want to change.

  2. Click the Volume Space Quota link.

  3. Enter the value (in megabytes) of the space size you want to specify, and then click Apply.

  4. Confirm your decision by clicking OK.

From the Server Disk Partition Operations page, you can access links to delete an NSS pool or volume. Before deleting a pool, you must delete any volumes contained in the pool.

To delete an NSS volume, do the following:

  1. Dismount the volume by clicking the Dismount Volume link next to the volume you to want to delete.

  2. Click the Delete Volume link next to the volume you to want to delete and confirm your decision by clicking OK in the resulting dialog box.

To delete an NSS pool, do the following:

  1. Delete any volumes contained in the pool.

  2. Click the Delete Pool link next to the pool name you to want to delete and confirm your decision by clicking OK in the resulting dialog box.

    A Delete link is displayed next to the NSS partition that was automatically created when you created the volume or pool. This partition must be deleted to make the space completely free or you can create a new pool and volume as desired in this partition.

  3. To make the space completely free for reuse, delete the partition by clicking the Delete link next to the NSS partition you want to delete and clicking OK in the resulting dialog box.


Mounting and Dismounting Volumes

You can mount and dismount volumes by clicking the link in the Mounted status column for a given volume on the Volume Management page. You will be asked to confirm your choice before the volume dismounts.

You can also click the Mount Volume or Dismount Volume link displayed next to the volume on the Server Disk Partition Operations page.

If you choose to dismount volume SYS:, the icons used by NetWare Remote Manager (which reside in SYS:\LOGIN) might not display correctly. When you remount volume SYS: and reload the page, the icons will display correctly again.


Browsing the Server's File System

Using NetWare Remote Manager, you can view the file system on volumes or DOS partitions; browse directories and files; view and change attributes of volumes, directories, and files; delete, create, or rename directories; and delete or rename files.

NOTE:  Viewing or changing attributes on an NSS volume is not supported. However, you can view or change attributes of directories or files on an NSS volume.

To browse a volume or partition, click the link for the volume or DOS partition under the Name column.

To move down the tree, click the directory name.

To move up the tree, click the double dots.

To view or download a file, click the filename.

NOTE:  The file size column for a directory lists the size of all files in that directory and any subdirectories.


Changing File Access Rights Attributes

Your eDirectoryTM rights govern your access to directories and files on NetWare partitions. These rights also regulate your ability to copy files to and from any given directory. To access the server's DOS partition, change, or upload files to the server, you must have Supervisor right to the Server object.

When you browse through files and directories on the server's DOS partition, be aware that setting the Shareable attribute on a DOS file does not have any effect unless SHARE is loaded in DOS.

To view or change attributes of a directory or file from the Volume Management page, do the following:

  1. Click the volume name link.

  2. Browse to the directory or file you want to view or change the attributes of. View the attributes in the Attribute column.

  3. To change the attributes, click the directory or file link under the Attributes column.

  4. Check or uncheck the check box for the attribute you want to set and then click OK.


Viewing and Changing Trustee Assignments and Inherited Rights Filters

Your eDirectoryTM rights govern your access to directories and files on NetWare partitions. For more information on trustee assignments and Inherited Right Filters, see "Trustee Assignments and Targets" in the Novell eDirectory 8.6 Administration Guide.

To view or change the trustee assignment of a directory or file from the Volume Management page, do the following:

  1. Click the applicable volume name link.

  2. Browse to the directory or file you want to view or change the assignment of.

  3. Click the folder icon to the left of the directory or file you want to view or change. Then do one of the following:

    1. To change the Inherited Rights Filter, click the Inherited Rights Filter link in the directory or file information table.

      Check or uncheck the check box for the rights you want to set or change and then click OK.

      NOTE:  Changing the Inherited Rights Filter does not grant rights; it only removes rights previously assigned at a higher level in the tree.

    1. To add a trustee, type the full distinguished name or bindery name of the User object you want to add in the User Name field of the Trustee Information, and then click Add Trustee.

    2. To change a trustee's rights, locate the User object name in the list of User objects under the Trustee Information and click the Trustee Rights link next to the username.

      Check or uncheck the check box for the trustee right you want to change, and then click OK.

    3. To delete a trustee, locate the User object name in the list of User objects under the Trustee Information and click the Delete link next to the username.


Viewing Details of Directories or Files and Creating, Renaming, or Deleting Them

To view the details about a directory, delete a directory and its contents, rename the directory, or create a subdirectory, do the following:

  1. From the Volume Management page, click the volume name link, browse to the directory, and then click the folder (?) icon to left of the directory name.

  2. From the information page that is displayed, view the information or enter the information required for the applicable task (if required), and then click the applicable button for the task you want to perform.

To view the details about a file or to delete or rename a file, do the following:

  1. From the Volume Management page, click the volume, browse the directories to the file, and then click the file (?) icon to the left of the filename.

  2. From the information page that is displayed, view the information or enter the information required for the applicable task, and then click the applicable button for the task you want to perform.


Monitoring Disk Space Usage

If your server is constantly running out of disk space or getting close to it, you might want to view the disk space usage to find out which users are using the most space and the files that they have rights to.

To view the disk space usage by each user for a volume, do the following:

  1. From the Volume Management page, click the info (?) icon to left of the volume name you want to check.

  2. From the Volume Information page, click the Disk Space Usage button.

    A list of users and the space that they have in use is shown. The disk space restriction is also shown. The size will be the same for all users unless a disk space restriction for a user has been set.

    To view the files that a user has rights to on this volume, click the link for the specific username link on the same page.

To view the space in use in a directory, do the following:

  1. From the Volume Management page, click the volume name link that the directory resides on.

  2. From the directory listing, click the folder (?) icon to the left of the directory or subdirectory you want to view.

  3. Under the Directory Entry Information, view the information in the File Space in Use field.


Viewing, Setting, Changing, or Removing Directory Space Restrictions

In environments such as a university, where you have set up a common work area and you want to limit the space that users or files in a directory or subdirectory can use, setting a Directory Space Quota can be useful. In order to set or change this restriction, you must check the User Space Restrictions and Directory Quotas attributes when you create it. If this is not done when you create it, you cannot set or change these attributes later.

To set or change a Directory Space Quota for a directory or subdirectory, do the following:

  1. From the Volume Management page, click the volume name link that the directory resides on.

  2. From the directory listing, click the folder (?) icon to the left of the directory or subdirectory you want to change.

  3. Under the Directory Entry Information, click the link for the File Space Limit setting.

  4. In the field next to the Set Space Restriction button, enter the value for the size (in kilobytes) that you want to set the restriction to, and then click the Set Space Restriction button.

    The maximum space available will be shown.

To remove the restriction, do the following:

  1. From the Volume Management page, click the volume name link that the directory resides on.

  2. From the directory listing, click the folder (?) icon to the left of the directory or subdirectory you want to change.

  3. Under the Directory Entry Information, click the link for the File Space Limit setting.

  4. Click the No Quota button.


Viewing Individual Files

If your browser is set up to recognize a certain file extension (for example, .TXT), you can browse to and click a file of that type to view it directly in NetWare Remote Manager. Otherwise, you can download any file to your local machine by clicking the filename and then saving it to a local workstation and opening it there. (This also applies to the files on the server's DOS partition.)


Uploading a File to the Server

If you have rights to write to the current directory that you are viewing via NetWare Remote Manager, you can use the Upload button to copy a file from your local machine or any other mapped drive to that directory. You can upload only one file at a time.


Downloading a File from the Server to a Local Workstation

When you are browsing the server's file system via NetWare Remote Manager, you can download any file to your local machine by clicking the filename and then saving it to your local workstation. (This also applies to the files on the server's DOS partition.)


Performing Text Searches

To do a GREP-type search (accepts GREP wildcard characters) through the files in the current directory, browse to the directory you would like to search in. Click the Text Search link. Specify the content, filename, or extension you would like to search for and check whether you would like to match the case. Then click Search.

If the search instructions are valid, the results are display on a page with the search instructions.You can click the filename in the results list to view or download it. If nothing is found, no files will be listed under the search instructions.

If the search instructions are not valid, the page showing the directory you wanted to search is returned.


Accessing and Running the Server Console Screens

From the Current Screens page, you can access any of the server console screens with the exception of the X Server - Graphical Console.

For example, if you wanted to install a support pack update from a remote location, you could access the NWCONFIG using the Console Screen link and then run it as though you were at the server console.

To access the Current Screens page, click the Console Screens link in the navigation frame.


Running the Server Console Screens from the Java Applet

To run any of the text-based console screens through the browser as though you were at the server console keyboard and view the results, click the Console Screens link on the Current Screens page. Clicking this link runs a Java applet that opens a secondary browser window.

From this secondary browser window you can do the following:


Viewing and Running the Console Screen from HTML Pages

Under the HTML Based Screen Pages heading on the Current Screen page, you can see a list of screens that are currently running on the server console.

When you click the link associated with each of these screens, you can view the screen and control the refresh rate only with the Page Refresh Rate drop-down list at the top of the window. The HTML page for the System Console screen also allows you to enter console commands to be executed at the server console.

You can control the refresh rate of the different server pages. Refresh on the System Console page is suspended when you click Execute Command Line.


Viewing Console Activity

You can now view on the Logger screen much of the information that used to be displayed on the System Console screen. This screen is scrollable and can be saved to a file. To access a list of commands for scrolling and saving to a file, press F1 while viewing the Logger screen.


Monitoring Connections to the Server

From the Connection Information page, you can do the following:

To access the Connection Information page, click the Connections link in the navigation frame.


Viewing Connection Information

The table in the Connection Manager on the Connection Information page displays the following information about connections:

The table under the Connections heading on the Connection Information page displays the following information about connections:


Clearing All Not-Logged-In Connections

To clear all user connections that are open but not currently authenticated to the server, click the Clear All "Not Logged In" Connections link on the Connection Information page. The connections cleared can be NLM- or user-based.

You should be careful in clearing NLM-based connections because some backup NLM programs establish a connection during the server initialization process and maintain a Not Logged In connection to the server until it is time to log in and run the backup process. These types of NLM connections will not be able to re-establish a connection to the server unless the NLM is manually unloaded and reloaded at the server console, which might prevent it from functioning properly at the designated time of execution.

If a user reboots a workstation without properly logging out, the server sends a watchdog packet to that workstation to see if it is still communicating with the server. The server continues to send watchdog packets until the workstation logs in again and re-establishes its connection with the server, or until the watchdog drops the connection because of the lack of response from the workstation.


Clearing Specific Connections

If a user's workstation quits working, it usually leaves its connection to the server open and files open. To clear a specific connection like this and others, do the following:

  1. Click the Connections link in the navigation frame to open the Connection Information page.

  2. On the Connection Information page, locate the specific connection listed in the Connections table and then click the Clear Connection link next to the connection.


Viewing a List of Files in Use by Any Specific Connection

To view which files a specific connection has open, do the following:

  1. Click the Connections link in the navigation frame to open the Connection Information page.

  2. On the Connection Information page, locate the specific connection listed in the Connections table and then click the username link.


Sending Messages to Users

Before you shut down, reset, or restart your server for any reason, you might want to send a message to everyone connected to it.

To send a message to all of the users who are currently logged in to the server through Novell ClientTM software, enter the message in the Broadcast Message to Everyone field on the Connection Information page and click Send.

You can enter up to 252 characters and spaces in the message. On Windows-based workstations, the message will appear in a pop-up dialog box at the workstation. Broken connections and users that are not logged in through Novell Client software will not receive the message.

To send a message to a specific user who is currently logged in to the server through Novell Client software, enter the message in the Send Message field on the Connection Information page for that user and click Send.


Viewing or Changing SET Parameters

From the Set Parameter Categories page, you can do the following:


Scheduling Tasks to Run at the Server

Rather than making a batch file to run specific console commands on the server at a certain time, you can use the links and the form on the Scheduled Console Commands page to schedule console commands to run.

To access the Scheduled Console Commands page, click the Schedule Task link in the navigation frame.

To schedule a console command, complete the information in the form and click Submit.

After scheduling a command, you can view and change the scheduled task until you delete the schedule. Any console command is valid and you can enter commands that execute NCF files, load NLM programs, send messages, etc.

To see a list of console commands and the associated help, click the Console Commands link.

To change an already scheduled console command, select it from the list of Currently Scheduled Console Commands, change the schedule, and then click Submit.

To delete a task, select the task from the list of Currently Scheduled Console Commands and click Delete.

Scheduled task lists are stored in the NetWare Registry, so they will be preserved when the server is rebooted.


Viewing Server Console Commands

To view a list of commands that can be executed at the server console, click the Console Commands link in the navigation frame.

To access the server console in order to execute any of these commands from NetWare Remote Manger, click the Console Screens link.

To view specific syntax or help for each command, click the Info icon next to the command. Several of the hidden console commands do not have any help associated with the command.

The default sorting method for this list of commands is by the command name. If you want the list to be sorted by the module that registered it, click the list heading Owner.


Viewing Memory Configurations

Viewing the general information can help you understand how your server is using memory and which programs are using it. Knowing how memory is used can help you determine whether to add more memory to your server to increase server performance or unload specific NLM programs that might be causing memory problems, or change other settings that might allow the server to use memory more proficiently.

To view general memory information, access the System Memory Information page by clicking the View Memory Config link in the navigation frame.

The following table describes each statistic shown on the System Memory Information page.

Statistics Description

Total System Memory

Total amount of server memory.

Original Cache Memory

Amount of server memory after the NetWare operating system loads and allocates the memory it needs for its resources. The rest of the memory in the system is used for caching purposes.

Current Cache Memory

Amount of server memory after memory from the server cache pool is used by kernel NLM programs and virtual memory allocations.

File System Memory

Amount of server memory in use by the directory cache buffers in the traditional NetWare file system.

Reserved Swap Memory

The small footprint of reserved memory that allows the NetWare operating system to point to the physical location of the actual swap file.

Swap File Size

The amount of hard disk space that has been allocated as a virtual memory swap file.

If you find that your server is swapping to virtual memory and its performance is suffering because of it, add more memory to the server.

To view the swap file usage information, click the Swap File Size link.

NLM Memory

The total amount of memory allocated by the operating system to the NLM programs that are loaded on the server.

To view the details of how each NLM program is using memory, click the NLM Memory link.

Virtual Memory Pages

Amount of virtual memory the operating system is using.

To view the health information and other statistics for virtual memory, click the Virtual Memory Pages link.

Server Memory Pools Summary link

Accesses the Server Memory Pools page that shows information for all the memory pools on the server.

Traditional File System Cache Statistics link

Accesses the Traditional File System Cache Statistics page that shows cache statistics for the traditional file system.

NSS cache statistics are not included in these statistics.

Current Memory Usage chart

Shows how NetWare server memory usage is divided between the NetWare server's cache, the virtual memory system, and kernel NLM programs.


Viewing System Statistics

Viewing statistics on your server can help you become familiar with how your server is running at the various levels listed. This information can also help you to know when to turn system alerts on or off. The following links on the Server Statistical Information page allow you to view this information:

To access the Server Statistical Information page and view these statistics, click the View Statistics link in the navigation frame, and then click the applicable link for the statistic you want to view.


Shutting Down, Resetting, or Restarting the Server

Options for shutting down, resetting, or restarting your server are on the Down Server Options page.

To access the Down Servers Options page, click the Down / Restart link in the navigation frame.

To shut down, restart, or reset (warm boot) the server, click the applicable action on the Down Servers Options page, and then confirm your choice.

Using any of these options makes the server shut down normally by writing all cache buffers to disk, closing all files, updating the appropriate Directory Entry and File Allocation Tables, exiting the network, and dismounting all volumes.

WARNING:  If volumes are not dismounted normally, data loss could occur.

Resetting the server makes the server shut down normally and then warm boots the computer. To make the server load automatically after a RESET command and allow access to the server from NetWare Remote Manager, enter a line to run SERVER.EXE in the DOS AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

When the browser loses communication with NetWare Remote Manager, the overall health status indicator will display black with an X through it. When communication is re-established with the server, the normal health status will again display the server's status unless the accessibility options for manually refreshing the server are enabled.

If this page is displayed after a DOWN, RESTART, or RESET command has been issued to the server, you will be given the option to immediately restart or reset the server. This will bypass the normal shutting down of the server and allow you to immediately perform the selected operation.



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