SoftNet Utilities is the NetWare SERVER emulation member of the SoftNet product family. It is a MUCH higher performance (and significantly less costly) alternative to NetWare for UNIX (formerly known as Portable NetWare) and is designed to be complementary to existing Intel-based NetWare environments.
SoftNet Utilities provides three types of services all of which use the IPX protocol: 1) without inhibiting existing TCP/IP or other native capabilities, SGI workstations can also emulate Novell 2.2 and 3.11 NetWare servers to PC clients, 2) DOS terminal emulation to SGI hosts and 3) bi-directional printer sharing between NetWare and SGI users. PC's need only load one protocol (IPX) to access NetWare resources as well as conduct terminal sessions to the SGI hosts. The need to also have TCP/IP on the PC's is eliminated. SoftNet Utilities administrative tasks are performed using existing PC-based NetWare admin utilities (i.e. syscon, pconsole, etc.)
SoftNet Client is the second member of the SoftNet product family. Whereas SoftNet Utilities enables a UNIX platform to emulate a NetWare server, SoftNet Client allows the reverse in that the UNIX workstation can access and mount NetWare servers as a NetWare-compatible CLIENT.
UNIX files placed on the Novell servers maintain all UNIX file permissions and attributes; NFS support is not required on the target NetWare servers. Like SoftNet Utilities, SoftNet Client requires no disk partitioning or kernel reconfiguration. In addition to full file access, print jobs can also be sent to NetWare printers.
For more information regarding the SoftNet products or for purchasing information contact Deri Collins, SGI ExpressWare Product Manager, at 415-390-5005 or e-mail deri@corp.sgi.com.
