DTA: Using DSA with NetWare - Tech Notes
Using DSA With NetWare
Native Mode Driver
Features
Installation
Duplexing Under NetWare
Using the Native Mode Driver
Native Mode Driver
NetWare is a nonpreemptive, multitasking operating system that runs in protected mode. The native mode driver is a NetWare device driver (dsk) that links directly with the operating system and loads (or unloads) while the system is running.
Features
The native mode driver supports the following NetWare features:
 Direct access to all of system memory, up to a theoretical maximum of 4 GB
Support for up to 4 DSA controller cards for a maximum of 56 drives
A single image of the native mode driver residing in memory
Installation
To install the native mode driver, copy the file from the DSA Software Support Diskette to the drive on which the operating system files reside, and then load the native mode driver into memory.
1. Make sure the system hard-disk drive has been partitioned with an MS-DOS partition and has been logically formatted.
2. Copy the native mode driver from the backup copy of the DSA Software Support Diskette to a subdirectory on the system hard-disk drive. Copy the files from the novell subdirectory on the diskette by entering the following command line at the prompt and pressing <ENTER>:
copy a:\novell\c:\
For , specify the name of the root directory of the system hard-disk drive.
3. Run server and load the native mode driver into memory for either 1 or 2 DSA controller cards.
To load native mode for 1 DSA controller:
1. To load the native mode driver to run with NetWare 386 version 3.11 or 3.12, type this load command:
:load c:\novell\dsa311.dsk
WriteVerify=x
2. To load the native mode driver to run with NetWare version 4.0, type this load command:
:load c:\novell\dsa400.dsk
WriteVerify=x
3. Add the following statement to the autoexec.ncf file in order to improve server performance during periods of peak activity:
set maximum concurrent disk cache writes=100
To load native mode for 2 DSA controllers:
The native mode driver must be loaded once for each DSA controller card installed in the file server.
NOTE: The following procedure deals with loading NetWare 384 version 3.11 or 3.12 or NetWare 4.0 for a file server configured with 2 DSA controllers that are installed in expansion slots 5 and 6.
1. From the novell subdirectory, type this command line at the prompt and press <ENTER> to load the native mode driver for the first DSA controller:
:load dsaxxx.dsk slot=6 WriteVerify=y
An initialization message similar to this one appears on the screen:
LoadingModuleDSAXXX.DSK
Dell SCSI Drive Array
Version XX.XX August 31, 1993
Copyright 1991-93 Dell Computer
Corporation. All rights reserved.
Supported slot values are 6, 5
Slot: x
2. For the second DSA controller, type this command line at the prompt and press <ENTER> to load the native mode driver:
:load dsaxxx.dsk slot=5 WriteVerify=y
An initialization message similar to this one appears on the screen:
Loading module DSAXXX.DSK
Installing adapter: slot=5
Previously loaded module was used re-
entrantly
3. After loading the native mode driver, add the following statement to the autoexec.ncf file in order to improve server performance during periods of peak activity:
set maximum concurrent disk cache writes=100
Duplexing Under NetWare
NetWare supports disk duplexing, which provides a high degree of fault tolerance for systems that require uninterrupted processing or continual access. With disk duplexing, 2 DSA controllers, each with its own composite drive, are installed in the computer. Identical read/write operations occur simultaneously on both drives. If 1 card or composite drive fails, the other DSA controller or drive continues to function.
Duplexing Installation
1. Load the native mode driver.
2. Load the install.nlm module from the console.
3. Select DISK OPTIONS to configure the native mode driver to match the hardware configuration.
4. Select PARTITION TABLES to display the installed drives.
5. Partition the drives.
6. Mirror the drives by selecting MIRRORING.
7. Select NOT MIRRORED: LOGICAL PARTITION #0 to add a partition to the set.
8. Select the drive to be mirrored, and press <ENTER>, then <ESC>.
A Drive Mirroring Status box appears stating that the hard-disk drives are mirrored.
9. Exit install.nlm by pressing <ESC> several times. At the Exit Install menu, choose YES and press <ENTER> to save the configuration.
See Appendix B of the Dell SCSI Array User's Guide for more information.
Using the Native Mode Driver
To boot from a drive that is connected to the DSA controller:
1. Use the MS-DOS fdisk utility to create a small partition (3 to 6 MB) on the hard-disk drive, and format the drive using the format /s command.
2. Boot from the hard-disk drive and copy the native mode driver from the appropriate subdirectory on the DSA diskette to the root directory of the system hard-disk drive.
3. Copy the server.exe and install.nlm files from the NetWare system diskette to the root directory of the system hard-disk drive.
4. Modify the MS-DOS autoexec.bat file to run the server program.
5. Reboot the file server. Enter the file server name and IPX number.
6. Load the native mode driver for each DSA controller installed in the file server if it hasn't already been done.
7. To automatically load the native mode driver and mount the hard-disk drives when the user boots the file server, create a startup.ncf file and an autoexec.ncf file.
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