SLP Client Scope

[LawnBoy]

Running two NW 5.0 SP6a servers, pure IP, no DA configured. Another department (that we have no dealings with, on a separate tree) does have a DA that my UAs are seeing. I want to configure a DA to reduce Multicast traffic.

I've read through the various TIDs about SLP several times now and I don't have a clear view of what will happen when I implement the DA.

I plan to configure the DA with 1 global scope, then configure the SAs to use this scope, then config the UAs with static DA and scope entries.

Since my SAs and UAs are UNSCOPED, what happens to the UA when the SA is suddenly scoped? Will I lose client connectivity until the UAs are pointed to this new scope on the new DA?

Also, is there any way I can make these client config changes through the registry? Or do I have to visit each client and manually type in these changes?

Any help would be most appreciated.

 

[Jontmke]

I don't know where the registry settings are for these but if you know how to use the ACU (Automatic Client Upgrade) setups, you can make the changes and then up the minor version and have the upgrade run. It will then pass these along to the clients.
I do not believe the clients will lose connectivity. SLP is used to find a server. Since the clients have already connected once, the server setting should be saved from the previous session and no change will be needed or noticed.
The only affect it will have is that they will not look outside your scope after you get it set up.

Jon

There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge. (Bertrand Russell)

 

[LawnBoy]

Jon said:
"I do not believe the clients will lose connectivity."

That's what I wanna hear.
Thanks for the tip on ACU, I'll dig into it.

 

[Jontmke]

This is if in the client you have the save settings on. It's in the client properties\location profiles\default>properties\properties\"Save Profile after Successful Login" check box.
It usually is unless you turn it off, like on Citrix servers we turn it off.

Jon

There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge. (Bertrand Russell)

 

[Provogeek]

think of it this way, SLP is to TCP what SAP is to IPX. With out it, the workstations willnot loose connectivity, but they will loose the ability to find resources.

Creating a DA with a named scope will not affect the client dramaticly, they will continue to function the same way the function now; using multicast.

A couple of pointers from my SLP roll outs;

Make sure your SA and your scope are different names

Only need one DA and one SA for your network

Only a single server should be running SLPDA

The server running SLPDA.NLM does not need any entry in the SYS:\ETC\SLP.CFG, but your second server does.

Go in to MONITOR - SERVER PARAMETERS - SERVICE LOCATION PROTOCOL. Change the setting "SLP Scope List" to the name of the scope (not the name of your SA). Then change the DA Discovery Option to 4 (default is 15). With the setting of 4, the servers will not look for a DA and only use what you have setup in the SLP.CFG file.

If your IP addresses are static, then the ACU idea Jontmke gives you is best, but if your DHCP (and for sanity, hopefully you are), us your DHCP server and send out data on options 78 and 79. Using the Novell DHCP server, this will be easy and stright forward. Using Win2K, there is an article on MS's knowledge base on how to do it (will not work on NT4 DHCP). It can also be done using a Cisco DHCP server, but you would have to talk to a Cisco guy on that.

=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
Brent Schmidt Certified nut case
Senior Network Engineer

http://www.kiscc.com

 

[LawnBoy]

I don't recall reading where to set the SA name. Is it taken from the computer name?

Thanks for the advice, really appreciate it.