Which components I should update?

[200063]

I'd like to give the Scenario to you.
It's a simple tree with only one server.
The Versions of some components are following:
Novell 6+sp3
eDirectory 8.6.2 SMP
ZENwork 3.2
No groupwise(not yet)
DNS/DHCP Management Console (on workstation)
Network Client 4.83

1.May I ask which components should I upgrad?
2.Are those safe to upgrad?
3.Will these upgrad bring unexpectable problem to me?
4.What's the latest verison of those components?
5.How to upgrad GW6SP5?
I loaded GW6SP5.exe from Novell website. and Run it.
The Dos windows came up and asked me to extract that file.
I entered "Y" then it began to verify ARJ envelope....
and the windows clost itself after a while. No new folder was found in that same folder. I don't know that that file did. Where are those new files?( I extracted the file from a compuer with WINXP and no NOVELL at all. I just want get files and burn them on CD)

 

[ITsmyfault]

1 - What do you want to accomplish with the upgrades? If everything is working great, leave it be. JM2C. There are no big security holes or anything to worry about, it's all just functionality upgrades and some abend fixes for the most part. If it's in and working great, just enjoy it.

GW6SP5.exe ?? Groupwise 6 only has SP4 available as far as I know. Not sure what you DL'd. You need the Groupwise 6 install disks and then once that is installed you can patch it. The SP disks do not have a fully functional install on them.
For ARJ archives - You should run the exe *from* DOS, and run it from the root of a drive ideally (or 1 folder up). It has some very long file paths which can cause issues. Also you may get a corrupt file from time to time which will cause the thing to error out. Running it from DOS lets you see the error.

Latest stuff AFAIK is:
Client 4.9 SP2
Netware 6.5 SP2
eDir 8.7.3.3
Zen 6.5
DNS/DHCP changes a little in Netware 6.5
Groupwise 6.5.3

 

[200063]

1. If you don't upgrad your system following the MS steps, you will be hit on head sooner. That's what I have learned from MS. Considering there are so many inconvenient bugs in Novell, I wonder I may should upgrad and follow with Novell so that I can avoid the bugs. I also doubt the success of new patch and they may bring new problems to me.

2. I am deeply sorry on my mistake. It's NWSP5 instead of GWSP5. I am also confused that it says it's not been tested by offical Novell company, but how can I get it from Novell website if it's not authorized by Novell? You can find it via searching. Should I install it from server or client?

 

[ITsmyfault]

Yes, following steps to upgrade is important.. I agree. My question was more towards the *why* of the upgrade. The "why" should be a business reason - eg: you need this new feature or something like that.. unlike MSFT you will almost never be confronted with a patch that *has* to go in due to critical security flaws etc. If you have a network of Netware 5.1 servers that are running great, I'd leave it alone unless you need some features that 5.1 does not have. (just an example). I agree with you 100% that new servers, new OS, new patches etc can cause all kinds of pain. These are complicated systems running software written by human beings and that they ever run well is a bit of a miracle when you think about it. That said I wish all software firms would spend more $$ on QA and testing. I don't like being anyone's beta tester unless I've volunteered!

I am assuming from NWSP5 that you are running Netware 6 and want to install support pack 5. I'm not trying to be nit-picky.. it's just that there are several versions of Netware which have SP5 available (4.1, 5.0, 5.1 & 6) and it's important to know which. If you are building a new server/network I would build with Netware 6.5 instead of 6. For one it has a longer support life, has many very nice features included, newer versions of apache, tomcat, as well as mysql, php, ssh (for console sessions) and more. It is arguably a better platform for moving forwards and if you purchase upgrade assurance you will get OES for free when it is released. (what would be Netware 7.. with both netware and linux kernels)