Re:

[Vern Hamberg <hambergv@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 02:12 PM 9/19/97 +0100, you wrote:
>Network Config for MS Office97 & AS/400. What is the best way to setup a
network where the user would be using a client copy of Office97 to connect
to a server running an Office97 sever copy. At the same time to use the
AS/400 for document storage(Central Backup) This net work would have to
support about 250 clients. I currently have NT Sever 4.0 running on a
Pentium 166 with 32 meg. All clients are running either NT, WIN95, or
Workgroups with Client Access. Can I run the "File System" connect from the
server? How do you handle no availability of the AS400? Would Net Stations
fit into this setup? The idea is to stop loading Office on the individual
PC's and then consequently end up with different versions of the software. 
>
>Lots of questions! Where do I start? What are the Pros & Cons and Pit Falls

Michael,

I would recommend the Client Access product for connection to the AS/400.
For the pure connectivity there is no additional cost over the cost of the
OS/400 Client Access licensed product, if you are on v3r7 or later (on
v3r2, say, you need only one Client Access client license, at 300$).

You can use native TCP/IP to establish the connection. (This way, you don't
need a software router, like NetSoft, say.) Win95/NT both have it already,
and you'd have to get something like Trumpet Winsock (or some other) for
the W4WG machines. Both the Win95/NT and Win3.x versions of Client Access
now have pure TCP/IP connectivity.

If you're on at least v3r7, you can use native IPX connectivity to the
AS/400, also without the need for the software router. I guess with this
you'd not need to set up all the IP addresses. Note that you need an IOP
with advanced features for this.

The integrated file system (IFS) is available to all Client Access clients,
and you can store your documents there. The file system will look just like
any PC directory structure.

If you're using the AS/400 for mixed work types (interactive, batch, and
server) it probably won't work so well, IMO, as an application server. For
that I recommend the NT Server.

The newer model 600's may be better in this regard—especially the server
models. I've no experience here yet. Regardless, serving the software from
either server would take care of your software update issues. Consider also
that the AS/400 has a pretty nice Web server in it, too, that can server up
Java applets, with the same upgradability benefits. The Net Stations fit
into this picture, too, quite nicely, it seems. Then all you need is the
configuration files, either on the individual PC's or on some central
server, identified by user ID. I think NT can do this?

Good luck

Vernon Hamberg
Systems Software Programmer
Old Republic National Title Insurance Company
400 Second Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55401
(612) 371-1111 x480
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