DiscPort Executive for IntranetWare

Adding CD-ROMs to a Network or Intranet

Chad Sexton

Networking CD-ROMs has several advantages: Users can access CD-ROMs from anywhere on the network, you can centrally manage these CD-ROMs, and your company can purchase fewer CD-ROM drives and CD-ROM­based applications. However, many users want more than network-wide access to CD-ROMs: Many users want access to CD-ROMs over an intranet or Internet using their current World-Wide Web browser.

DiscPort Executive for IntranetWare from Microtest Inc. provides users with intranet and Internet access to CD-ROMs and intranet access to CD-ROM­based applications. This article explains how you can use DiscPort Executive for IntranetWare to manage users' access to CD-ROMs and outlines the product's installation process.

PRODUCT OVERVIEW

DiscPort Executive for IntranetWare is CD-ROM networking software that enables users to access CD-ROMs over your company's network or intranet or over the Internet. In addition, users can launch CD-ROM­based applications from anywhere on your company's network or intranet.

DiscPort Executive for IntranetWare consists of the following:

DiscView includes the following applications:

Microtest offers DiscPort Executive for IntranetWare in several hardware-software packages, but DiscPort Executive works with most SCSI CD-ROM drives and CD-ROM devices such as CD-ROM changers, CD-ROM towers, and CD-ROM jukeboxes. You can view a list of supported CD-ROM drives at http://www.microtest.com/html/cdrom_supported_drives.html.

DiscPort Executive for IntranetWare runs on an IntranetWare or NetWare 4.11 server that has one or more SCSI CD-ROM drives attached. Microtest also sells DiscPort Executive for NetWare, which runs on a NetWare 4.1, NetWare 3.12, or NetWare 3.11 server. DiscPort Executive for NetWare, however, does not include CDBrowser or WebLaunch.

When you install the DiscPort Executive NLMs, users can access networked CD-ROMs from any workstation. You do not need to install additional workstation software. However, if you want to provide users with a folder of shortcuts for launching CD-ROM­based applications, you can install SmartLaunch Update on users' workstations.

To manage networked CD-ROMs, you must install the workstation components of DiscView PRO and SmartLaunch on your workstation. Microtest recommends using the DiscView management applications from a workstation running Windows NT Workstation 4.0, Windows 95, or Windows 3.1.

DISCVIEW PRO

DiscView PRO is a simple, yet powerful application for managing the DiscPort Executive NLMs, networked CD-ROMs, and SmartLaunch items (icons that represent CD-ROM­based applications). To use DiscView PRO to manage this hardware and software, you must be a DiscView PRO manager.

Because DiscPort Executive for IntranetWare is integrated with the IntranetWare file system, CD-ROMs appear as NetWare volumes. DiscPort Executive is also integrated with Novell Directory Services (NDS), so you can use DiscView PRO to grant users to CD-ROMs and CD-ROM­based applications.

When you install the DiscPort Executive NLMs, DiscPort Executive for IntranetWare makes the ADMIN User object a DiscView PRO manager. If you have ADMIN-equivalent rights to the server, you can also create other DiscView PRO managers. You can make any user a DiscView PRO manager, even if you have not granted the user ADMIN-equivalent rights. However, you must grant this user Read, Write, and Create file system rights to the DISCVIEW directory on the server.

When you install the DiscPort Executive NLMs, DiscPort Executive for IntranetWare creates the CDROMS volume on the server. Then each time you insert a CD-ROM into a CD-ROM drive attached to this server, DiscPort Executive for IntranetWare lists the CD-ROM as a directory in the CDROMS volume. (You can disable this default configuration if you want to create smaller groups of CD-ROMs.)

By default, the EVERYONE group has rights to the CDROMS volume and to all CD-ROMs in this volume. If you want to limit a user's or a group's access to a particular CD-ROM or to the CDROMS volume, you can use one of DiscView PRO's management views: DiscView PRO Selector or DiscView PRO Map.

DiscView PRO Selector displays a list of every CD-ROM that has been mounted on the servers running DiscPort Executive for IntranetWare to which you are authenticated. With DiscView PRO Selector, you can customize this list: You can view the CD-ROMs that are attached to a server, that reside in a volume, or that are part of a CD-ROM group (a folder of CD-ROMs that you create). (See Figure 1.)

DiscView PRO Map, as the name implies, displays the physical layout of networked CD-ROM drives: This map shows the servers that are running DiscPort Executive for IntranetWare, the CD-ROM drives that are attached to these servers, the SCSI ID of each networked CD-ROM drive, available networked CD-ROM drives, and currently mounted CD-ROMs. (See Figure 2.)

You can perform a variety of management tasks using either DiscView PRO Selector or DiscView PRO Map. For example, you can view and change configuration information for the DiscPort Executive NLMs, the CDROMS volume, and individual CD-ROMs.

You can also rename CD-ROMs. The first time you mount and configure a CD-ROM, DiscView PRO uses the manufacturer's title on the CD-ROM to create a directory in the CDROMS volume. Because CD-ROM titles are sometimes meaningless, you may want to assign the directory a name that more clearly describes the CD-ROM's contents.

In addition, you can enable and disable automatic locking for CD-ROMs and for networked CD-ROM drives attached to a CD-ROM device. (Of course, these CD-ROM drives must support automatic locking.) If you enable automatic locking for a CD-ROM and then insert it into any CD-ROM drive attached to a server running DiscPort Executive for IntranetWare, the drive automatically locks. To eject the CD-ROM, you must first use DiscView PRO Selector or DiscView PRO Map to unlock this CD-ROM.

You can also enable and disable automatic mounting for CD-ROMs or for the CDROMS volume. If you enable automatic mounting, a CD-ROM is available to users as soon as the CD-ROM is inserted into a CD-ROM drive.

If you disable automatic mounting, you can use DiscView PRO to mount the CD-ROM manually, or users can mount the CD-ROM manually. To mount a CD-ROM, a user selects the CD-ROM's icon in WebLaunch or the CD-ROM­based application's shortcut (located in the Microtest CD-ROM Programs folder created by SmartLaunch Update).

Finally, you can view information about mounted CD-ROMs. For example, you can see which users have opened files on a particular CD-ROM, the number of files these users have opened, and the network address of the users' workstations. DiscView PRO also records statistics about each CD-ROM, such as the date and time the CD-ROM was initially configured, each time the CD-ROM was mounted, the duration of each mounting, and the number of kilobytes read from the CD-ROM each time it was mounted.

Both DiscView PRO Selector and DiscView PRO Map also offer unique features.

DiscView PRO Selector

The toolbar for DiscView PRO Selector includes a set of buttons for the workstation's network drives. (See Figure 2.) When you select a drive letter's button, a window appears, displaying the drive letter's current mapping and a pull-down list of the drive letter's five previous mappings. You can use this window to remap the drive letter to any of the mappings in the list. You can also map a network drive to a CD-ROM by dragging the CD-ROM's icon to a drive letter.

With DiscView PRO Selector, you can create CD-ROM groups, which are folders that contain icons for corresponding CD-ROMs. For example, you can subdivide the CDROMS volume into smaller, easier-to-manage CD-ROM groups. The rights you have granted users to the CDROMS volume still apply to the CD-ROM groups.

In addition, users can create their own CD-ROM groups. However, only the user who created the group can view it.

You can also use DiscView PRO Selector to write manager's notes about CD-ROMs, CD-ROM groups, CD-ROM volumes, and servers that are running DiscPort Executive for IntranetWare. All users can view these notes.

Users can even write personal notes about CD-ROMs, CD-ROM groups, CD-ROM volumes, and servers. However, only the user who wrote the note can view it.

DiscView PRO Map

With DiscView PRO Map, you can select a CD-ROM and view its format, such as Hierarchical File System (HFS) or International Standardization Organization (ISO) 9660. You can also select any server that is running DiscPort Executive for IntranetWare and configure this server to support a new CD-ROM device.

If you are a DiscView PRO manager, you can use DiscView PRO Map to modify RAM settings for the DiscView Executive NLMs. These settings specify how much RAM the DiscView Executive NLMs should use on the server.

You can also use DiscView PRO Map to specify a maximum cache size that the DiscPort Executive NLMs can use. Increasing the maximum cache size can speed up users' access to frequently requested CD-ROM files.

SMARTLAUNCH

SmartLaunch allows users to run applications from networked CD-ROMs that you have configured as SmartLaunch items. These items appear as icons in the Microtest CD-ROM Programs folder.

When you configure a SmartLaunch item, you can assign this item a name and add notes, such as tips about how to use the application the item represents. If several applications reside on the same CD-ROM, you can create a SmartLaunch item for each application.

A SmartLaunch item describes the tasks that SmartLaunch should perform before and after launching the application. You can configure the following:

For example, when a user selects a SmartLaunch item, SmartLaunch can mount the CD-ROM, map a drive letter to this CD-ROM, and launch the application's executable file. Then when the user exits the application, SmartLaunch can automatically unmap the drive letter and dismount the CD-ROM. If your company's network or intranet has a specific drive letter that every workstation can assign to each CD-ROM, you don't need to configure SmartLaunch to automatically map and unmap drive letters.

Many CD-ROM­based applications install components, which usually include an .INI file, on a user's workstation. Because CD-ROMs are read only, you cannot rewrite lines in the CD-ROMs' files. With SmartLaunch, you can change lines in an .INI file to accommodate a network or intranet environment.

For example, a CD-ROM­based application might assume that a user is running an application from a workstation's CD-ROM drive, such as drive D:. As a result, the application's .INI file might include references to this drive letter. With SmartLaunch, you could change lines in the .INI file to ensure that the application accessed the workstation's first available drive letter, rather than the drive letter referenced in the original .INI file stored on the CD-ROM.

Finally, some CD-ROM­based applications need to access more than one CD-ROM. With SmartLaunch's MultiMap feature, you can configure a SmartLaunch item to launch an application from one CD-ROM, map drive letters to as many as 12 other CD-ROMs, and unmap these drive letters when a user exits the application.

SMARTLAUNCH UPDATE

SmartLaunch Update creates or updates the Microtest CD-ROM Programs folder, which includes shortcuts for SmartLaunch items. By default, the installation program for the DiscView workstation components adds SmartLaunch Update to each user's Windows Startup folder. When SmartLaunch Update runs, it adds any new SmartLaunch items to the Microtest CD-ROM Programs folder. If users want to run SmartLaunch Update manually instead of each time their workstation is booted, these users can remove the SmartLaunch Update shortcut from the Windows Startup folder.

Unfortunately, if a CD-ROM is not inserted into a CD-ROM drive, SmartLaunch Update does not remove this CD-ROM's shortcut from the Microtest CD-ROM Programs folder. SmartLaunch Update removes the shortcut from this folder only if you delete the corresponding SmartLaunch item.

To help users who are trying to access a CD-ROM that is not inserted in a CD-ROM drive, you can store your contact information with each SmartLaunch item. Then if a user selects a SmartLaunch item and the corresponding CD-ROM is not inserted in a CD-ROM drive, the user can contact you.

CDBROWSER

With CDBrowser, users simply point their web browser to CDBrowser's Common Gateway Interface (CGI) program on your company's web server (for example, www.sitename.com/discport). This CGI program then generates an HTML document that shows all of the CD-ROMs mounted on a network or intranet and includes hypertext links to the files and directories on these CD-ROMs. CDBrowser displays a rocket icon next to executable files; users can click the rocket to launch these files over a network or intranet.

When a user clicks a hypertext link to a directory, CDBrowser generates a new HTML document for that directory, and as the user browses the subdirectories, CDBrowser generates a new HTML document for each subdirectory. When a user clicks a hypertext link to a file, CDBrowser enables the user to view this file (if the user's web browser supports the necessary file format) and to download files that cannot be viewed.

You can also configure CDBrowser to automatically load a file from a CD-ROM instead of loading the CD-ROM's root directory. This feature is especially convenient if you want to publish an entire web site stored on one CD-ROM: Rather than having users browse the CD-ROM's directory, you can include hypertext links on the first HTML document to other HTML documents on the CD-ROM.

WEBLAUNCH

When you configure a SmartLaunch item for an application, SmartLaunch automatically creates a WebLaunch item that can launch the application through a user's web browser. SmartLaunch also creates a WebLaunch home page (for example, www.sitename.com/wlaunch.htm) that lists each WebLaunch item. (See Figure 3.) Every time you create a new SmartLaunch item, SmartLaunch updates the WebLaunch home page. If you want to prevent users from launching a particular application through their web browser, you can deselect that SmartLaunch item's Configure for WebLaunch option, which is selected by default.

Like SmartLaunch Update, WebLaunch does not remove icons for CD-ROMs that are not inserted in a CD-ROM drive. Instead, WebLaunch can report your contact information, and users can ask you to insert the CD-ROM.

THE INSTALLATION PROCESS

One of DiscPort Executive for IntranetWare's best features is its easy installation process, which includes four steps:

Hardware and Software Installation

To install DiscPort Executive for IntranetWare, you must log in to the network as the ADMIN user. You then run the DiscPort Executive installation program from diskettes or from a CD-ROM.

This installation program prompts you to select the directory path to the server on which you want to install the DiscPort Executive NLMs. The installation program then creates a DISCVIEW directory on the SYS volume, copies the DiscPort Executive NLMs to this directory, and creates a Microtest DiscView Programs folder in your workstation's Programs menu.

Next, the installation program detects whether DiscPort Executive for IntranetWare is being installed for the first time. If so, the DiscView installation program runs: This installation program installs the DiscView NLMs on the server you select, reminds you to ensure that the SCSI boards on this server's CD-ROM drives are configured properly, and prompts you to load the DiscPort Executive and DiscView NLMs by typing DISCPORT at the server console.

After you load the DiscPort Executive and DiscView NLMs, DiscPort Executive for IntranetWare automatically discovers the SCSI boards and SCSI CD-ROM drives attached to the server, creates a map of available CD-ROM drives, and creates the CDROMS volume.

Configuring Users' Desktops

If you want users to use DiscView PRO, SmartLaunch, or SmartLaunch Update, you must run the SETUP.EXE file from each user's workstation. (This file is located in the SYS:DISCVIEW directory.) The SETUP.EXE file allows you to install DiscView PRO, SmartLaunch, and SmartLaunch Update.

As mentioned earlier, you must install DiscView PRO and SmartLaunch on the workstations of DiscView PRO managers. However, other users may find features of DiscView PRO and SmartLaunch useful. For example, DiscView PRO has a drag-and-drop feature for mapping a network drive to a CD-ROM. You can give users access to these features without giving users access to management capabilities.

If users do not need the DiscView PRO or Smart Launch features, you can install only SmartLaunch Update. Because installing the workstation components of DiscView PRO, SmartLaunch, and SmartLaunch Update requires only a few files and shortcuts to the applications on the server, the installation process takes only a minute. These components consume less than 50 KB on a user's hard drive.

Configuring CDBrowser

You need to configure CDBrowser to work with your company's web server only if you want users to access CD-ROMs through their web browser. Of course, the configuration process varies, depending on your company's web server. For example, you would complete the following steps for Novell Web Server 2.5 or higher:

1. Add the following line to Novell Web Server's SRM.CFG file:

LoadableModule/DISCPORT
sys:system/discport.cd/dpcgi.nlm

This line loads the Discport Executive CGI NLM when a user accesses the CDBrowser home page.

2. Add the following line to Novell Web Server's MIME.TYP file:

application/x-weblaunch sli

This line identifies the SmartLaunch file extension (.SLI) with WebLaunch.

3. Restart Novell Web Server.

Then when a user accesses the CDBrowser home page, CDBrowser dynamically generates an HTML document that displays icons for mounted CD-ROMs.

Configuring WebLaunch

If you want users to launch CD-ROM­based applications through their web browser, you must configure WebLaunch to work with your company's web server. To enable WebLaunch, you run SmartLaunch from any workstation, select the Setup option from the Options menu, and specify the directory path to the SYS\WEB\DOCS directory (if your company is using Novell Web Server 2.5 or higher). SmartLaunch then dynamically generates an HTML document with icons for all of the WebLaunch items. (See Figure 3.) Finally, SmartLaunch stores this HTML document in the folder you specify.

Every time you add, delete, or modify SmartLaunch items, SmartLaunch makes these changes to the corresponding WebLaunch items and generates a new HTML document. The WebLaunch home page includes each WebLaunch item that is created, rather than including only available WebLaunch items.

The installation program for the DiscView workstation components adds the WebLaunch executable file as a plug-in helper application for each user's web browser. If a web browser is installed on a user's workstation, this installation automatically program adds the MIME type (application/x-weblaunch), file extension (.SLI), and directory path to the WebLaunch executable file (directory path to DISCVIEW\discsl.exe -W) to the web browser's Plug-in Helper window. If a web browser is not installed, you must install a web browser and either add these configurations manually or reinstall the DiscView workstation components.

You can direct users from your company's web site to CD-ROM­based applications by creating hypertext links to the CDBrowser and WebLaunch home pages. If you need help creating these links, you can read DiscView User Guide, which is part of the DiscPort Executive for IntranetWare documentation.

CONCLUSION

I tested all of the features described in this article from a Windows 95 workstation and a Windows 3.1 workstation on my company's intranet, and every feature worked well. However, if SmartLaunch is running on your workstation, you have to exit SmartLaunch before launching CD-ROM­based applications through shortcuts in the Microtest CD-ROM Programs folder, CDBrowser, or WebLaunch.

I also tested CDBrowser over the Internet from a Windows 95 workstation and a Windows 3.1 workstation. I was able to view the directories of and open files on all of the mounted CD-ROMs on my company's test server, and I was able to download the executable files I selected.

Advanced management tasks such as changing an application's .INI file can be complicated, but DiscView User Guide and the online documentation for DiscView PRO and SmartLaunch provide examples of how to perform these tasks.

You can purchase DiscPort Executive for IntranetWare in licenses for 25, 50, 100, 250, 500, or 1,000 concurrent users. For more information about DiscPort Executive, visit Microtest's web site (http://www.microtest.com). You can also call 1-800-LAN-WORK or 1-602-952-6400.

Chad Sexton works for Niche Associates, which specializes in technical writing.

NetWare Connection, November 1997, pp. 40-44