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faq:windows_networking_best_practices

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Networking Best Practices

A properly configured network will allow Windward Software products to function correctly and free from networking errors. Using high quality network infrastructure components for switches, patch cables, etc will ensure the networks success.

Who should read this

Your technical IT person that will be configuring or maintaining your network. This may be the company that you are purchasing your hardware from or the person that is going to get your workstations talking to each other and to a server if required.

Product overview

  1. Windward Software products use the Pervasive.SQL database engine.
  2. Pervasive V10 has a 64 bit engine for 64 bit Operating Systems. Windward Software does support the 64 bit engine on the file server and workstation.
NOTE: At the time of writing this article there were still OPOS device drivers that did not have 64 bit support available. An example of this was a Metrologic scale or pole display.
  1. Windward Software recommends that all client PC's at this time operate in 32 bit mode. The main reason for this is for device driver support.
  2. Pervasive.SQL will need to communicate over the network by the servers name. DNS should resolve properly on the internal network.
  3. A mapped drive letter is required to run Windward applications. UNC (Universal Naming Convention) communication to the server is not supported. ie: NET USE W: \\server\share

Networking principles

  1. A 100 MB network infrastructure is recommended using category 5e cabling. (If building a 1000MB network you will require category 6 cables.)
  2. A 100 MB switch or better and NOT a hub is recommended.
  3. A DSN driven network using the TCP/IP protocol.
Please consult your computer and network technician to ensure you have these devices configured.
Some Useful articles on Securing your Physical Location

Workstation principles

  1. A mapped drive letter to the server will need to be in place. We recommend drive W: mapped to a share on the server, generally named “WINDWARD” with full Read and Write permissions. Read and write permissions will need to be configured for all users and administrators on each workstation computer that will be accessing the “WINDWARD” share. Please consult with your computer tech for making these permissions changes if you need assistance.

Printing principles

  1. Network printing with printer queues is recommended.
  2. There are some known issues printing through terminal services. http://thinprint.com has solutions to address these.

Peer to Peer configurations

  1. A standard TCP/IP based network infrastructure is required.

Client/Server configurations

  1. A standard TCP/IP based network infrastructure is required with a server installed with a Microsoft Windows Server Family operating system. These operating systems include:
  • Microsoft SBS (Small Business Server)
  • Microsoft Standard Server
  • Microsoft Advanced Server
  • Microsoft Enterprise Server

Microsoft Active Directory (AD) is not required but will still function suitably.

Server principles

  1. Ensure your network share to be used is set to both R/W (read and write) access.
  2. Ensure a static IP address is set on server to avoid the server changing its IP address during operation.
  3. DNS should resolve properly
  4. Keep server name simple, i.e. “server” or “server2k3”
  5. If using a workgroup, user accounts used to sign into workstation should also exist on the server.
  6. If using a domain, ensure configured correctly with correct user permissions. (A Windows Domain is not required but normally a good idea for network administration)
No wireless database connections to the server. Wireless workstations are ONLY to be connected using Microsoft terminal services or remote desktop. Please see the following article on wireless networks: http://wiki.wws5.com/doku.php?id=faq:wireless_networks
Additional Microsoft server licensing may be required depending on your requirements. For more information on CAL (Client Access Licensing Windows 2003 R2 Microsoft licensing.

Are you networking multiple locations? Read the Networking multiple locations Best Practices.

faq/windows_networking_best_practices.1269276384.txt.gz · Last modified: 2010/03/22 09:46 (14 years ago) by kevin