Service packs are a way of life, but installing a service pack on numerous machines in various sites is tough. Here's how to run an unattended install of the Windows NT Service Pack on a remote machine.
Since Windows NT 3.51 Service Pack 4, you can run update.exe with a /U option, and it will run without asking questions. You will need to run with an administrative account because the service pack needs access to the system32 subdirectory and needs to update the Registry. To run the service pack on a remote machine with an administrative account, you can do one of the following:
- Set up the scheduler service to run with an administrative account on the workstation or server.
- Schedule a job within SMS to run the service pack update, ensuring that an administrative account is logged on at the remote machine.
- Use remote control, either within SMS or a third-party product, to log on to the remote machine as an administrator, and then launch the update.exe with the /U.
For a list of available options with update.exe, type update/? at the command prompt. Figure 1 lists service pack files for NT 4.0. This list is available on Microsoft's Web site, www.microsoft.com.
| FIGURE 1: Service Pack Files for NT 4.0 |
|
Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 1 for PowerPC Symbols Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 1 for MIPS Symbols Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 1 for Intel (x86) Symbols Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 1 for ALPHA Symbols Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 1 for PowerPC Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 1 for MIPS
Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 1 for Intel (x86) Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 1 for ALPHA |
More NT Fixes
Just two months after
Microsoft shipped Windows NT 4.0, the company released the first service
pack to fix bugs. NT 4.0 Service Pack 1.0 fixes let NT 4.0 work correctly with
Microsoft's Internet Proxy Server (code named Catapult), which will ship by the
end of the year, and let NT 4.0 correctly support the Normandy beta.
By the time you read this, Microsoft will have released a second service pack to correct problems with NT 4.0 running on notebook computers.
NT 4.0 Upgrade Path for Octopus 1.6
Planning to upgrade from Windows NT 3.51 Server to NT 4.0 Server and take your Octopus mirroring
software with you? Before you make the leap, check your current version of
Octopus. You must have Octopus 1.6 Build 147n to upgrade safely. Installing
version 1.6 Build 147f on your NT 4.0 system will damage the installation and
cause the system to lock up. The only way to fix it is to reinstall NT 4.0.
A Reporter's View of UNIX Expo
UNIX
Expo took place from October 7 through 11 in New York City's Jacob Javits
Center. The Blenheim Group sponsored this show and advertised it as more than a
UNIX-only affair--Blenheim attempted to bring Internet/intranet and Windows NT
technology under the show's broad tent. Best intentions notwithstanding, UNIX
Expo remained predominately UNIX-oriented, and the satellite subjects were
overshadowed by mainstream UNIX vendors and products.
From my NT-centric perspective, the most interesting aspect of UNIX Expo was the strong showing of NT products in the vendor booths. The message was clear: Like it or not, NT is crossing into the UNIX market. And much to my amazement, this crossover was not hotly contested--most vendors and attendees had realized that NT is real and has something to offer enterprise applications. This attitude, by the way, is a big change from the usual 101-reasons-why-UNIX-is-way-better-than-NT arguments I'm used to hearing at UNIX shows.
Another strong indication that NT crossover has become acceptable was the booking of Bill Gates as a keynote speaker. A year ago, this audience would have perceived Gates and NT as the prime perpetrators of crimes against UNIX. This year, the UNIX audience openly applauded and admired him. And what did Gates say? Certainly any NT-experienced professional heard nothing new or provocative in his speech. But remember, the audience was packed with UNIX professionals, many of whom were just new to the whole "Windows experience." (That's right, my friends, some people managed to miss the whole DOS/Windows evolution and still lead happy, productive lives.)
In brief, Gates had two themes in his speech. First, Microsoft is serious about pushing NT technology into enterprise accounts. Second, Microsoft is serious about taking a commanding position in the Internet/intranet market (the crowd was even treated to a brief--but flawed--demonstration of Microsoft's Internet Explorer Web browser running on a UNIX system). Both points are old news to the NT community, but remember, Gates was well out of his natural element here. All things considered, the crowd warmly received the speech--even the occasional jabs at the reluctance of Sun Microsystems to enter the NT market.
Despite the keynote speech by Gates, Microsoft did not have a booth in the exhibit hall (except for a small recruiting booth in the Career pavilion). The absence of a Microsoft booth was rather strange--and perplexing to the Windows NT Magazine booth staff. The parade of people asking, "Where is the Microsoft booth?" seemed endless at times. Where were you Microsoft? You missed an excellent opportunity to promote NT to an enterprise-oriented audience.
And what was Windows NT Magazine doing at UNIX Expo? Well, several things. First, we sponsored the Windows NT Pavilion, a group of 13 companies with strong NT products. For a list of these companies, see the sidebar, "Under the Pavilion."
Second, we awarded the Windows NT Magazine UNIX/Windows NT Technology Awards. These awards recognize companies and products that not only prove that UNIX/NT crossover is upon us, but also demonstrate that this is an exciting time for anyone interested in powerful products. For the full report on the award winners, see the sidebar, "And the Winner Is..."
And of course, we were selling magazine subscriptions and Duke Press Windows NT books, and promoting NT technology. Quite successfully, I might add.
All things considered, UNIX Expo did not fully up to its billing as a be-all and see-all technology show (How could it, considering Microsoft's absence?), but there was no damper on NT interest. You couldn't walk past more than three booths without seeing a reference to an NT product, and you just couldn't miss all the attendee conversations centered on NT technology. The bottom line for UNIX Expo is that although the Blenheim Group could have better promoted the NT facet of the show, NT managed to achieve a position of importance all on its own.
Microsoft Tells MIPS to Rest In Peace
The next version of Windows NT will not support
MIPS microprocessors. Microsoft's commitment to MIPS as a Windows NT platform
began to fade in September, when NEC, the world's leading supplier of MIPS
systems, discontinued sales of MIPS/NT servers and workstations in North
America. Since then, NEC has dropped MIPS support worldwide. Phil Holden, a
Windows NT product manager, acknowledges that NEC was Microsoft's primary MIPS
OEM. Without NEC's MIPS machines to pave the road, Microsoft is hard-pressed to
justify continued development of NT for MIPS.
With Intel-based systems driving an estimated 90 percent of NT sales, NT will continue to be available for Intel and for Digital Alpha and PowerPC hardware. Alpha systems remain popular as NT servers, and NT on the PowerPC is gaining momentum in the wake of Motorola's introduction of a new line of NT-based PowerPC workstations and servers. Sources also say Apple is considering licensing NT to sell on its PowerPC hardware.
Meanwhile, Microsoft and NEC will continue to service and support customers running NT on MIPS machines, and NT 4.0 will continue to support MIPS hardware.
Radical Changes for NT 5.0
| FIGURE 2: What's in Store for NT 5.0 |
|
Preview version of NT 5.0 Directory Service
Final version of NT 5.0 Directory Service, due out the second half of 1997
|
For years, users have been clamoring for an NT directory service to let them set up enterprisewide networks and to ease the burden of NT's domain-based security, which has been called overly complex and difficult to maintain. NT 5.0, slated for release in 1997, addresses these issues with its Directory Service, and security and administration model.
The introduction of the Directory Service causes concern at many corporate sites that view the changes in NT 5.0 as being as radical as the changes Novell shops experienced in making the transition from NetWare 3.x to 4.x. However, Microsoft plans to provide an easy migration path and flexibility in the way a site can implement NT 5.0. According to Microsoft, NT 5.0 will let users add software components as users need them. NT 5.0 will have several different modes, and most security and administration features will be add-ons. Figure 2 describes some of the Directory Service components Microsoft plans to add in NT 5.0.
Modems Hesitate While Communicating
US
Robotics (USR) confirmed that the company knows of problems with its
Sportster internal modems, especially in terminal mode. The Sportster 28,800
internal modem is popular in NT sites, because it has jumpers to support IRQs 2
through 7 and can be used in a non-plug-and-play mode. The problem symptoms are
a sudden cessation of all communications, which usually resume with no user
intervention in 20 to 60 seconds. In addition to being annoying, this hesitation
can cause dropped connections.
This problem results from a bug in the modem's programming. Although USR claims that only a certain version of the firmware has this problem, dating back to mid-1994, the symptoms have been observed on voice- and non-voice modems with firmware. The easiest solution is to update to the latest firmware EPROM, dated May 17, 1996 or later. You can obtain this EPROM by contacting USR (when you call, you must have your serial number, a long number beginning with 000). On older versions of this modem, the EPROM is socketed; you can call USR and request an update chip.
Unfortunately, newer versions of the modem do not have sockets. The PROM is surface-mounted and can be changed only at the factory. Worse, as recently as early October, USR was shipping new modems with microcode dated 1/11/96, and these models have the problem. USR will replace the firmware at no cost, but you must send it in for replacement and be without the modem for some time. USR has an advance-replacement program that costs $25.00, but this solution seems unfair if the modem is new.
You can determine the date code of your modem by using Windows Terminal or a similar program connected to the modem's serial port. Type the command ATI7, and then press Enter. The modem will return a long line of information, including the supervisor date. You can also examine the date code label on the PROM chip.
This problem has not been traced to Remote Access Service (RAS) communication, although it occurs in pcANYWHERE, which, like RAS, uses a streaming protocol instead of terminal mode. If you are planning critical RAS installations, you can consider a different modem, such as the USR Courier line, which supports downloadable software-only updates. As of this writing, little or no information on the problem has appeared on the USR Web site.
| CONTACT INFO |
|
USR * 847-982-5151 Web: www.usr.com |
Dun & Bradstreet Software Makes the Smart Move to BackOffice
The transition to client/server computing hasn't been kind to Dun &
Bradstreet Software (DBS). Once the king of mainframe accounting and business
management applications, DBS is now a distant second in software revenues behind
SAP AG, according to Software Magazine's 1996 Software 100 rankings. DBS
faces tough competition from the likes of J.D. Edwards (JDE), System Software
Associates (SSA), Oracle's application business, and fast-growing up-and-comers
such as PeopleSoft and Baan Company.
In the early days, DBS's need to provide a migration path for its existing M and E series mainframe application users influenced its fledgling client/server line. Consequently, the company's new SmartStream series of software suffered from confused marketing messages. Even the competition initially viewed SmartStream as just a data-staging, decision support-oriented solution for DBS mainframe accounting users. Of course, now that SmartStream is a complete suite of accounting, distribution, manufacturing, HR, and payroll modules, that allegation isn't valid.
Dun & Bradstreet Corporation, the parent of DBS, agreed earlier this year to sell DBS to Bain Capital. The reaction to this news from DBS staffers, the market, and DBS customers appeared to be positive. The analysts believed that this move was part of a strategy to prep DBS for life as an independent company. This analysis was short-lived, however, because Bain Capital never acquired DBS. Instead, Geac Computer bought DBS at the end of October 1996 for the knockdown price of $191.25 million. Geac, which is listed on the Toronto exchange, has a portfolio of vertical-market software applications. The company also markets the Geac VisionShift suite of NT-based financial software. Geac will most likely run DBS as an autonomous business unit and possibly use SmartStream to revamp some of Geac's legacy software such as its newspaper management applications. For the accounting software industry, the DBS acquisition represents the end of an era and the first major consolidation in the client/server accounting sector.
DBS claimed that 1995 was a banner year--its first year of revenue growth for a while and the year in which its client/server application revenues jumped from about $40 million to more than $100 million. In a bulletin dated August 6, 1996, outgoing DBS president and CEO Doug MacIntyre announced that revenues in the first half of 1996 were ahead of plan and were bolstered by about 100 new SmartStream customers. SmartStream for the Distributed Enterprise 4.1 is now available with new HR and payroll modules and full support for the Sybase 11 relational database management system (RDBMS) with symmetrical multiprocessing (SMP) capabilities.
| TABLE 1: SmartStream Integration with BackOffice | ||
| Product | Shipping | Shipping First Quarter 1997 |
| NT Server | X | |
| SNA Server | X | |
| MS Mail/Exchange | X | |
| SQL Server | X | |
| SMS Server | X | |
| Internet Information Server | X | |
| TABLE 2: SmartStream BackOffice Logo Certification Status | ||
| Client Product | Shipping | Shipping First Quarter 1997 |
| Installs with SMS | X | |
| Supports 16-bit minimum client | X | |
| Uses NT Server APIs | X | |
| Meets SNA client requirements | X | |
| Uses MAPI for Send & Post | X | |
| Uses SMS APIs | Not applicable | |
| Server Product | Shipping | Shipping First Quarter 1997 |
| Network independent | X | |
| Runs as NT Service | X | |
| Supports Unified Logon | X | |
| Installs using SMS | X | |
The Microsoft Connection
Everyone is signing up to ride on the Microsoft BackOffice bus, and DBS is
no exception. Getting on board the Microsoft bandwagon has probably been harder
for DBS than for others. First, DBS carries a mainframe mantle (or millstone,
depending on how you look at it). DBS must also contend with compatibility
issues. DBS built much of SmartStream using Powersoft's PowerBuilder, rather
than popular Microsoft tools such as Visual C++ or Visual Basic, and up to now,
SmartStream applications have run only on the Sybase database engine. However,
as DBS recognizes the market potential of BackOffice and reacts to the
pull-through demand of its customers, the company is addressing these issues. In
fact, the BackOffice connection looks very attractive to DBS, for various
pragmatic reasons.
First, DBS will find the transition from the Sybase RDBMS to Microsoft SQL Server easier than a similar transition to the Oracle or Informix database because of the shared code base of the two systems. Also, the built-in SmartStream workflow engine is an ideal feature to take advantage of the universal inbox concept touted as the future for the Microsoft Exchange messaging infrastructure. Finally, DBS wants to move from its traditional direct sales model toward developing a US channel that operates like its reseller channels in overseas markets do. In fact, DBS already has about 19 resellers and service providers in the US, including some SmartStream practices, developing either within large systems integrators such as Electronic Data Systems (EDS) and the Business Systems Group (BSG), or within accounting firms such as Coopers & Lybrand and Grant Thornton.
According to Katerina Bonde, director of NT channel development, DBS wants to recruit up to 40 resellers in the US market alone. DBS expects to use existing vertical-market Value Added Resellers (VARs) that once specialized in IBM AS/400 or Digital Equipment VAX-based application solutions. DBS hopes SmartStream will attract this type of VAR because the suite includes sophisticated customization tools and a complete, built-in workflow-management engine for reassembling the software around the client's business processes. DBS also hopes that its status as one of only 100 Solution Provider Partners Microsoft has authorized worldwide and its seat on the NT Development Advisory Board will help it round up a few top-end Microsoft Solution Providers.
SmartStream on NT
DBS claims that 15 percent of its SmartStream
user base has licensed the product for use on NT. As of June 1996, this 15
percent represented 100 customers, of which 60 percent were US based. The NT
sites cover all types of industry classifications, including healthcare,
financial services, and the public sector, but most use the SmartStream
Financials suite. This financial focus demonstrates that the NT/SQL Server
double whammy has not yet penetrated the IBM AS/400 heartland of supply-chain
and manufacturing applications. The DBS NT sites run SmartStream on the NT
version of the Sybase RDBMS. To support the NT push, DBS claims to have trained
50 percent of its customer service reps on NT and expects to have trained all of
them by early 1997.
SmartStream and BackOffice Integration
You can see the status
of both SmartStream's integration with BackOffice and its logo certification
progress in Tables 1 and 2. DBS expects that SmartStream will be
BackOffice-certified by early 1997. In summary, the integration of SmartStream
with BackOffice includes
- using SNA Server as the transport protocol for the SmartStream Connect and CoHost products that allow data transfer and access between SmartStream and DBS mainframe applications
- using SQL Server's stored procedures and triggers fully for faster performance, secure data integrity, and generation of workflow events
- installing SmartStream client software across a network using the Systems Management Server (SMS) to manage the installation process
- integrating with Microsoft Mail and Exchange by interfacing with the Messaging API (MAPI)
- using Internet Information Server (IIS) as a gateway to publish HTML data to Web browsers and receiving data from Web applets in browsers
In the future, DBS expects to leverage the BackOffice components even further to include using SMS for upgrading SmartStream server and client software, SQL Server's distributed transaction coordinator (DTC), and more just-in-time delivery of Web applets via IIS.
SmartStream is already delivering transaction-strength workflow capabilities within Microsoft Exchange and Web applets to access SmartStream data. You can route workflow to-do items to an Exchange inbox and then double-click them to activate a SmartStream Activity form that lets you participate in a workflow, query the SmartStream database, or run a SmartStream report, as you see in Screen 1. This approach lets you extend the reach of the application to any corporate email user. Another way is to provide access to the SmartStream procurement and HR modules through Web browsers that run SmartStream Web Series Requisition and Employee Java applets to take advantage of the Internet's anytime, anywhere data access.
SmartStream on NT: Trickle or Torrent?
DBS is doing all it can
to ensure that SmartStream will succeed on NT, but the competition will be
tough. SAP AG is tightly aligned with Microsoft on several initiatives and is
already a formidable presence in the NT applications marketplace. But DBS is at
least as far along with its NT strategy as competitors JDE, Oracle, PeopleSoft,
and SSA.
Yet another problem is the large number of middle-market competitors whose software pricing models can be an order of magnitude lower than that of SmartStream. These competitors include Platinum Software, Solomon Software, and State Of The Art, each of which focuses primarily on the NT/SQL Server platform and on target customers in a choice market for NT servers--businesses with between $50 million and $250 million in annual revenues.
DBS can't ignore NT and must focus on the features that count in large distributed enterprises, such as tying together heterogenous computing platforms, leveraging the Internet for cross-enterprise applications, managing transaction workflows through existing messaging infrastructures, making software upgrades and maintenance as trouble-free as possible, and delivering high-level support worldwide. If DBS can deliver this combination on NT, then SmartStream can carve out a significant niche in the NT applications space.
| CONTACT INFO |
|
Dun & Bradstreet Software 404-239-4636, Ext. 625 or 800-290-7374, Ext. 625 Web: www.dbsoftware.com |
Under the Pavilion
As part of the effort to bring Windows NT technology into UNIX Expo, Windows
NT Magazine sponsored a Windows NT Pavilion that included 12 companies and
Windows NT Magazine. All these companies offer products or services with
an NT focus. Here's a list of the companies present:
Applied Information Systems (AIS) offers a unique UNIX/NT integration tool, XESS. It presents a businesslike spreadsheet interface to the user while enabling the spreadsheet to have live links to UNIX-based applications via remote procedure calls (RPCs). The users see a single solution; they are unaware that some spreadsheet data is being generated or manipulated on a different system. This product was one of the Windows NT Magazine UNIX/Windows NT Technology Award winners.
BASIS International develops and markets language and database tools built around the Business BASIC language (BBx). BASIS's entry into the Windows NT market is its Visual Pro5 product, a development environment for BBx applications on NT. BASIS also offers an Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) driver for NT that lets NT-based applications access BBx data structures maintained on non-NT platforms.
BDO Seidman, LLP is an accounting and consulting firm that provides turnkey solutions for manufacturing, consumer goods, food and beverage, electronics, and automotive industries. Many of BDO Seidman's turnkey solutions use Windows NT technology.
Connect Tech manufactures and markets intelligent, ISA-based multiport serial adapters. One adapter can handle two, four, or eight serial ports; each port uses either the RS-232 or RS-485/422 interface standard. A daughterboard handles the interface logic, so changing from one interface to another is easy, and the main adapter is isolated from a hard failure in the interface circuit (such as damage caused by a power surge on a serial line).
FacetCorp offers FacetWin, a UNIX-based product that implements the Microsoft NetBIOS/Server Message Block (SMB) networking architecture under UNIX. With FacetWin installed, UNIX systems appear to Windows 95 and Windows NT clients as native Microsoft file-and-print servers. FacetWin is available for a variety of UNIX implementations, including AIX, SunOS/Solaris, HP/UX, SCO, Unixware, and DG/UX.
Instruction Set is a training company that offers Windows NT courses (in addition to UNIX and other course tracks). Instruction Set can provide either onsite or public training sessions. Instruction Set's seven Windows NT courses cover subjects ranging from installation/configuration to API programming.
Intergraph develops and markets UNIX integration products. The main focus at the pavilion was Intergraph's NFS access products: DiskShare, which lets UNIX systems access NT file-and-print resources via NFS, and DiskAccess, which lets NT systems access UNIX file-and-print resources via NFS. DiskAccess is noteworthy as a new implementation of NT-to-NFS access. Intergraph formerly used PC NFS technology that it had codeveloped with Sun. Intergraph is a winner of a Windows NT Magazine UNIX/Windows NT Technology Award.
Interstar Technology offers Lighting Fax, a high-end fax solution that runs on either NT or IBM AIX platforms. The NT implementation uses GammaLink dedicated fax boards to ensure high-quality, reliable fax reception and transmission. Lighting Fax is a highly scaleable solution that can drive up to 720 fax lines. Lighting Fax features least-cost routing, redundancy with automatic switchover, and the ability to run the fax queue management functions on servers different from the servers housing the fax adapters.
Server Technology manufactures remote power management devices that interface to the NT UPS service. Server Technology's products let you remotely re-start an NT system or use a hard power cycle. An intelligent management interface lets you access Server Technology devices via Telnet or remote dial-in. An optional Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) interface is available.
Software Research develops and markets testing tools for software developers. The primary NT product in Software Research's lineup is TCAT C/C++ for Windows, a testing tool that instruments and exercises programs written in C or C++. The results of the code tests are presented in graphical format for easy comprehension.
Technology Advancement Group (TAG) manufactures fault-resistant, Intel-based computer systems. TAG systems are for serious, mission-critical environments and include features such as hardware-level mirroring, automatic failover, multiple processors, three-channel SCSI-3 RAID technology with a hot-standby SCSI-3 hard drive, triple blowers, and dual UPS units.
True Software develops and markets NT-based software configuration-management products. Organizations that develop software for either internal or external consumption use these products to help manage the development effort on an ongoing basis. True Software products can, for example, provide version tracking and team-based change-management control.
| CONTACT INFO |
|
Applied Information Systems * 919-942-7801 Web: www.ais.com BASIS International * 505-345-5232 Web: www.basis.com BDO Seidman, LLP * 212-885-8000 Web: www.bdo.com Connect Tech * 519-836-1291 Web: www.connecttech.com FacetCorp * 214-985-9901 Web: www.facetcorp.com Instruction Set * 800-874-6738 Web: www.instructionset.com Intergraph * 205-730-2000 Web: www.intergraph.com Interstar Technologies * 514-766-1668 Web: www.faxserver.com Server Technology * 408-745-0300 or 800-835-1515 Web: www.servertech.com Software Research * 415-957-1441 Web: www.soft.com Technology Advancement Group * 703-631-1111 Web: www.tagpower.com True Software * 508-369-7398 Web: www.truesoft.com |
And the Winner Is
The Windows NT Magazine UNIX/Windows NT Technology Award recognizes
companies and products that are making a difference in the UNIX/Windows NT
market. The magazine presented 12 awards at UNIX Expo to address three
categories of companies and products: (1) integration products, (2) migration
products, and (3) overall technical excellence.
The three senior Windows NT Magazine staff members who attended UNIX Expo determined the award winners. Mark Smith, Dennis Martin, and John Enck swept across the UNIX Expo floor in search of candidates. Through an evaluation of the relative pros and cons of each of the 35 candidates, we narrowed the field to the 12 winners.
In the category of integration products, awards went to the following companies:
Applied Information Technology (AIS) won for XESS, a unique spreadsheet-based NT/UNIX integration product. As I noted in the sidebar, "Under the Pavilion," XESS provides an NT spreadsheet interface with RPC behind-the-scenes access to UNIX-based programs.
Exodus Technologies won for NTerprise, an X-terminal-to-NT access solution. Unlike other X-to-NT access products, which are built on top of Citrix WinFrame technology, NTerprise is implemented as an NT service. This factor makes NTerprise far less intrusive and more suitable for use in a wider variety of environments.
TriTeal won with NTED, which greatly increases the functionality of X-terminal-to-NT access. In addition to providing standard X/Intelligent Console Architecture (ICA) client access to NT-based applications (as described in "Think Thin and Win with Intelligent Console Architecture," October 1996), NTED provides cross-platform drag-and-drop capabilities that rival the capabilities of Object Linking and Embedding (OLE).
WRQ won for its latest version of its X-terminal emulation software, Reflection X. The latest enhancements to Reflection X simplify the installation and administration process of deploying X-based clients.
In the category of migration products, awards went to the following companies:
Bristol Technology was recognized for Wind/U. Wind/U provides a means to port NT-based applications to the UNIX environment. The resulting applications have a UNIX (Motif) interface but have the general look and feel of a Windows application.
DataFocus won for NuTCRACKER. NuTCRACKER provides a relatively painless means to port C software from the UNIX environment to NT. You can implement the NT side of the port as either an X-style or native Windows-style application.
Finally, overall technical excellence awards went to the following companies:
ADIC won for the Scalar 218 Tape Library. This desktop tape library unit can hold up to 1.26TB of information. Storage is automatically distributed across up to 18 DLT cartridges, and each cartridge can handle 70GB of data.
Hummingbird Communications won for Exceed 5.1. Hummingbird's latest release of its X-terminal emulation software has a new twist: support for 3D animation. This new capability brings NT to a market that specialized (and expensive) graphics workstations have traditionally dominated.
Intergraph won for its corporate-wide commitment to NT. A few years ago, Intergraph made the strategic decision to migrate its software and hardware products from UNIX to NT. The result has been a long line of powerful NT hardware platforms and first-class software products such as DiskShare and DiskAccess.
McAfee won for NetCrypto. Implementing encryption often means relying on users to run a separate encryption or decryption program or to activate a special menu item. McAfee addresses this limitation by automatically implementing encryption and decryption at the network level.
Security Dynamics won for ACE Server for NT. Security Dynamics is a leader in token-based security, but until recently the company's validation software ran only on UNIX. With ACE Server for NT, you can now construct a highly secure client/server network around an NT server.
Trend Micro won for InterScan VirusWall. A great challenge to virus detection is finding viruses before they can do damage. Trend Micro's product addresses this problem by scanning data streams as they are delivered over the network.
Look for more detailed coverage on all these products in future issues of Windows NT Magazine.
| CONTACT INFO |
|
ADIC * 206-881-8004 Web: www.adic.com Applied Information Systems * 919-942-7801 Web: www.ais.com Bristol Technology * 203-438-6969 Web: www.bristol.com DataFocus * 703-803-3343 or 800-637-8034 Web: www.datafocus.com Exodus Technologies * 206-803-5780 Web: www.exodustech.com Hummingbird Communications * 416-496-2200 Web: www.hummingbird.com Intergraph * 205-730-2000 Web: www.intergraph.com McAfee * 408-988-3832 or 800-332-9966 Web: www.mcafee.com Security Dynamics * 800-732-8743 Web: www.securid.com Trend Micro * 408-257-1500 or 800-228-5651 Web: www.trendmicro.com TriTeal * 619-930-2077 or 800-874-8325 Web: www.triteal.com WRQ * 206-217-7100 or 800-872-2829 Web: www.wrq.com |
