 The New  |
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The New |
To remain competitive in the marketplace, many large-enterprise
customers continue to rely on mission-critical applications that run on OS/2 and
OS/2 Warp Server. The network computing evolution that is bringing additional e-business
opportunity is also creating new requirements on the business infrastructure. To
ensure that our customers can address the demands of an ncreasingly wired world,
reach new markets, and reduce costs, the next-generation network operating system,
code-named "Aurora," is planned for general availability during the first
quarter of 1999 with beta planned for the fourth quarter of 1998.
Below you will find a link to register your interest in participating in the Aurora
beta. Although not all registrants will be selected as official participants in
the beta program, a beta preview package will also be available on a limited basis,
to selected registrants.
Click this URL to access the IBM Aurora Beta
Page with the register link:>@@@
The Dawn of the Next OS/2 Warp Server:
Depend on it for e-business transformation
Business today is probably more complex
and more risky than ever before. Fortunately this complexity and risk bring excitement
and opportunity. From IBM's perspective, the driver of today's greatest opportunities
is computer technology.
Ironically, previous technologies,
are now creating pressure for change. It's not just the promise of the future
motivating transformation, but also the issues of the past. Current computing
environments are filled with a wide array of system types. The average large
enterprise currently supports nine to ten different operating systems. The
heterogeneous mazes that support the computing needs of today's corporations
are exceedingly complex. Not surprisingly, Information Technology (I/T) costs
are skyrocketing.
While the Internet, Java and
other new technologies are key to responding to these opportunities and challenges,
they are only the top layer. Supporting these new technologies requires a
robust and flexible infrastructure that can weld the dependability of the
existing systems, which have reliably performed billions of transactions,
to the power of the web. This, of course, is the essence of e-business.
When a business successfully
transforms into an e-business, it begins to benefit from three characteristics
-- aptly referred to as e-business values:
The measure of success
in any of these three areas directly depends on the elements comprising
the underlying e-business infrastructure. IBM has enhanced the already
dependable and flexible OS/2 Warp Server to support a successful and
cost effective e-business transformation. The next generation OS/2 Warp
Server, code-named Aurora, will be ready for e-business with planned
availability in the first quarter of 1999.
Building a Base for
Secure Universal Access
The information systems
of an enterprise that provide universal access to employees, customers
and business partners have broad visibility and exposure. When systems
supporting widely accessed applications fail, they can cause more than
just a costly disruption of operations. The failure can affect the company's
image, potentially impacting sales and revenue. For some businesses
now -- and for many in the near future the negative impact of computers
goind down can be much greater than in the past.
With this in mind, IBM
designed Aurora to make OS/2 Warp Server even more robust. To eliminate
lengthy file system recovery times after a system crash with a current
file systems, Aurora includes a Journaled File System (JFS).
Using database journaling techniques, JFS can restore a file system
to a functional state in a matter of seconds or minutes. In contrast
to a non-journaling file systems, Aurora's JFS provides a quickly-restartable,
transaction-oriented, log-based, scaleable file system. JFS is key to
improving server availability.
The performance and reliability
that JFS provides makes Aurora ideal for Web serving. Furthermore, JFS
raises the previous file size limitation of 2 GB to 2 terabytes. Partition
size is raised from 64 GB to 2 terabytes allowing a file to be the same
size as a partition.
Aurora is also enabled
to work with Vinca Co-Standby Server, an IBM Business Partner
solution that provides safeguards for companies that cannot tolerate
down time. Vinca uses a server-mirroring technique which defines clustered
resources on two nearly identical systems, creating high availability
for both servers. Vinca Co-Standby Server for OS/2 keeps the entire
network available by having the backup server take control if the primary
system experiences a hardware failure. Users experience little or no
interruption in services and are able to keep accessing the data and
applications they need.
Aurora is enabled to
take advantage of Vinca's fail over support, which allows the system
taking over for the failing system to maintain its original identity.
This Active-Active server configuration with bi-directional fail over
enables two fully functional servers to protect each other. Companies
can expand the life of older hardware, since the servers do not need
to be identical. The servers can be managed remotely, making this solution
ideal for branch offices and campuses.
The Vinca software configures
a server to respond to multiple names and sharing of those names. To
implement the Active-Active solution, the Aurora server must be enabled
to respond to multiple NETBIOS names and the associated share names.
Vinca implements the remainder of the function needed to implement the
Active-Active solution -- failure detection, access to the hard drives
of the failing system, configuration of a server to handle multiple
names, migration of the shares to the new server, and management of
access controls on the new server.
Another availability
feature offered in Aurora is Personally Safe n Sound (PSnS),
a backup and restore feature that supports automatic file back-up to
a wide range of storage devices, helps ensure against DASD malfunction
, and offers fast recovery of deleted files. Comprehensive REXX and
C application programming interfaces (APIs) and the new command-line
interface allow access to backup and restore functions through user
programs, a command line, and a graphical user interface (GUI). The
APIs and command-line interface provide the power and flexibility to
integrate backup policies with other administrative functions and manage
them centrally with homegrown programs.
Keeping systems available
and costs low involves enterprise system management. To help ensure
that OS/2 environments enjoy the benefits of Tivoli's enterprise systems
management, Aurora includes Tivoli's Lightweight Client Framework
(LCF) Endpoint Agent for OS/2. Tivoli's enterprise systems management
delivers high functionality at a low cost to customers with remote branch
environments.
LCF in the Tivoli Framework
3.2 architecture increases the number of resources that a Tivoli Management
Environment can deal with at the same time, and increases efficiency.
Tivoli Framework LCF supports OS/2 as an endpoint for TCP/IP. The LCF
endpoint agent for OS/2 makes Aurora "Tivoli Ready".
While server availability
is critical to universal access, the other half of the equation, namely
the clients, is also important. When enterprises offer universal access
to applications and data, end users become extremely dependent on their
computers. The latest level of Netfinity Manager and Client Services,
Netfinity 5.2, included in Aurora, gives network administrators
the visibility and capabilities they need to initiate and manage services
for LAN-connected clients and servers. Netfinity for OS/2 is the ideal
solution for departmental server/client management.
Another important aspect
of universal access is making all things accessible. In an age of total
accessibility, it becomes unacceptable for one system not to be able
to get to a file located on another. Enabling business data to be shared
horizontally across the enterprise helps increase its value. Aurora
delivers cost-effective ways to manage information and share intellectual
property interdepartmentally, company-wide or using the Web. With Network
File System (NFS), a feature included with Aurora, a RISC (AIX/UNIX)
drive can be mounted and made a sharable resource to OS/2 Warp Server's
clients.
In addition, Aurora's
remote connection services give users full, secure access to the LAN
from home or on the road, using the integrated Virtual Private Network
function of the TCP/IP stack and its point-to-point protocol (PPP)
server function. The IBM Enhanced Remote Access Connection Server
for OS/2 Warp Server allows point-to-point protocol (PPP) clients, including
Microsoft Windows NT, Windows 95, IBM OS/2 Internet Dialer, and IBM
8235 users, to remotely access the LAN. This Aurora feature offers OS/2
Warp Server users a wide variety of remote client access support and
offers new levels of performance and security plus low cost of ownership,
adding further value to the OS/2 Warp Server network operating system.
Preserving Past Investments
while Preparing for the Future
Many large enterprises
rely on mission-critical applications that run on OS/2 and would be
fine left alone in a world that stands still; but implementation of
a common currency across Europe and the year 2000 are looming on the
horizon. Business requirements change as we approach the 21st century.
Businesses need to move forward, but equally important is there need
to preserve investments they've made in applications, systems and hardware.
Trade press and business
publications continue to report extensively on the Year 2000 problem,
frequently focusing on extreme examples. While predictions range from
the most dire to a bothersome blip, time is running short for corporations
to stabilize mission-critical applications so that they function correctly
in the 21st century. And with the euro currency going into effect in
1999, applications need the ability to work with the new code pages.
Aurora includes Year 2000 and euro currency readiness to help safeguard
companies from the obvious, and not so obvious, ramifications of these
changes.
The Logical Volume
Manager (LVM) in Aurora will make it easier to to manage dynamic
DASD requirements. Many terabytes of data are added to the Internet
every month. This growing volume of files and databases requires expandable
system DASD. Logical drives can now span multiple physical hard drives.
With permanent or sticky drive letter assignments, hard drives can be
moved or added without changing their drive letter designation. Partitions
can grow without reformatting.
One of the ways in which
technology causes change is by constantly providing the means for engineers
to create new devices. These devices are good for business -- they make
things run faster, better, and easier. The difficulty is in integrating
this growing spectrum into the corporate network. Aurora helps to simplify
this with support of the Intelligent Input/Output Architecture Specification
(I2O).
I2O is an industry standard
architecture that defines a new interface from processor to I/O adapters.
This specification provides for movement of function from the system
CPU to the adapter card. Use of I2O, either on the motherboard or as
an adapter in servers, frees up the CPU, which helps increase throughput.
OS/2 Warp Server introduces I2O for SCSI drives and for Ethernet and
token ring LAN.
Enterprises can now be
confident that as long as their device driver supports the current I20
specification, OS/2 Warp Server will support that device driver. Existing
mission critical OS/2 applications will run with new devices that comply
with the current I2O specifications.
Responding Quickly
to Business Needs at Reasonable Cost
From an I/T perspective
responding to business needs often requires purchasing a new system
or application. Over time, purchases inspired by a specific requirement
accumulate. The result can be a difficult-to-manage heterogeneous environment
that strains resources and drives up support costs.
Aurora aims to help customers
better manage the challenges of today's and tomorrow's mixed platform
enterprises. Aurora fits within a customer's network, provides extensive
heterogeneous client support, manages non-IBM NOS platforms, and provides
powerful application, file, and print serving. The OS/2 Warp 4 interface,
with enhancements based on customer feedback, provides a graphical interface
for routine management tasks.
Aurora comfortably integrates
into heterogeneous server environments with its new ability to manage
NT 4.0 Servers, eliminating redundant maintenance tasks. Adding Windows
NT Server management capability gives administrators the ability
to create, update and delete user accounts, passwords and groups using
an easy-to-use graphical interface or a rich command line interface.
The user account and group information can be synchronized seamlessly
with Windows NT 4.0 servers in the OS/2 Warp Server domain. In addition,
end users only need to logon to one server to access all shared resources
within the domain -- files, applications, and printers -- rather than
entering multiple IDs and passwords to access information on different
server NOS platforms.
A typical scenario would
have OS/2 Warp Server as the primary domain controller where user accounts,
passwords and some applications reside. Other servers in the network
would host (or serve) applications such as databases or transaction
software. One or more servers would also host (or serve) Windows NT
for file/print and Win32 applications. End-users can now have universal
access to all servers, files, printers and applications through a single
OS/2 Warp Server domain.
The flow of user account
data is unidirectional, from the Aurora domain to the NT additional
Server. Managing User and Group accounts at the Aurora domain controller,
with dynamic updates on the NT additional Server, eases the network
administrator's workload. Where needed, administrators may configure
persistent user accounts and groups that remain unique on either the
NT or Aurora server.
With DDNS (Dynamic
Domain Name Server) for Windows 95 and NT Clients, administrators
no longer have to worry about the addresses for their Windows 95 and
Windows NT clients. These DDNS clients bring added security to network
clients and more importantly, to remote laptop users. Windows clients
now have the same DDNS support administrators have relied on for managing
OS/2 Warp, WorkSpace On-Demand and AIX clients. All the time formerly
spent in large I/T shops manually updating domain servers with an IP
address can now be used more productively. And administrators can feel
more comfortable with the added security that DDNS brings.
Dynamic Host Configuration
Protocol (DHCP) enables a user to change locations within a network
and dynamically get an IP address that works for that new location.
DHCP will even assign the user the closest printer. As a side note,
for customers that do not want to put this additional DDNS code on client
workstations, DHCP proxy support allows network administrators to get
the labor saving benefits of Dynamic IP on any industry standard DHCP
client.
Dynamic IP allows users
to just use the host name no matter how much movement there is around
the network. Users are no longer encumbered with having to remember
addresses for their colleagues or their printers. It's done automatically.
The DDNS client dynamically changes the hostname-to-IP address mappings
and provides additional security beyond the DDNS Proxy, which brings
Dynamic IP capabilities to any DHCP client in the industry.
For responding to future
business needs or retrofitting old programs for universal access, Aurora
comes with two toolkits designed for e-business. OS/2 Warp Developers
Kit for Java 1.1.6, currently available from IBM Software Choice,
delivers a full implementation of Sun's Java Development Kit. It builds
on the functionality already available with performance, scalability,
and reliability enhancements. Look for the latest version to be included
with Aurora at launch time.
Aurora supports the Light
Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), a standards-based Internet directory
protocol, and offers IBM's OS/2 LDAP Client Toolkit for C and Java
Version 1.0 for C and Java programmers who want to enable new or
existing applications to access, search, and update LDAP servers, using
LDAP V2 or LDAP V3 protocols. OS/2 LDAP Java/C Toolkit supplies the
libraries, files, documentation, and samples needed to develop C or
Java directory-enabled applications that can access a variety of LDAP-based
directory servers.
The LDAP toolkit provides
TCP/IP access to directories that support the LDAP protocol. This includes
X.500 directories that support LDAP. The OS/2 LDAP V3 Client Toolkit
includes various sample LDAP client programs and an LDAP client library
used to provide programmatic access to the LDAP protocol. The LDAP toolkit
for C programmers supports connections established using a Secure Socket
Layer (SSL) interface. This can be used to provide data encryption of
LDAP messages that flow between the LDAP client and server.
It takes more than just
good programming languages and toolkits to be responsive to the constant
demands of today's competitive environment. It requires an infrastructure
architected for quick deployment of new software. The thin client architecture
is state-of-the-art for quickly rolling out new applications or updates
to a wide range of remotely located client systems. OS/2 Warp Server
is the premiere platform for WorkSpace On-Demand, IBM's thin client
offering. The Aurora enhancements to OS/2 Warp Server, especially in
the areas of reliability and availability, only serve to strengthen
it as a strategic server-based client platform.
Many customers that have
installed WorkSpace On-Demand have found that it reduced their client
ownership costs, expedited deployment of new applications and supported
their transformation to the Java Application Model, while allowing them
to maintain and use their existing OS/2 applications. Other customers
have been pleased with WorkSpace On-Demand's ability to help them extend
their investments in client hardware. In general, WorkSpace On-Demand
is breaking new ground for companies undergoing an e-business transformation.
(For more information on WorkSpace On-Demand see http://www.software.ibm.com/os/workspace.)
Aurora's performance
improvements add value to OS/2 Warp Server as a platform for WorkSpace
On-Demand and Internet Web Serving. For example, it includes a level
of TCP/IP / MPTS with capacity and performance improvements over version
TCP/IP V4.1. Connection management upgrades contribute to the improvements.
Currently, a connection between two points requires three distinct resources
to maintain the connection. When the connection shuts down, these resources
create overhead while they wait for residual data or control information
to complete. A better use of memory and faster connections can occur
if a new incoming connection from the same host can use those existing
resources.
Better connection buffering
management also helps improve performance. Data traveling over the network
interface is held in fixed-size buffers. Aurora improves throughput
by synergistically regulating buffer size in correlation to the OS kernel.
Other enhancements allow the Aurora TCP/IP to take advantage of the
SMP kernel, reduce the amount of handshake required prior to connecting,
and improve HTTP server connection management. These improvements help
OS/2 Warp Server to handle a wider number of connections much faster
-- exactly what's needed for a server-based architecture.
Aurora - Foundation
for e-business Transformation
Aurora consolidates previous
OS/2 Warp Server V4 releases into a single, CD-media package. Current
OS/2 Warp Server V4.0 FixPaks and current OS/2 Warp Server V4.0 Software
Choice features will be rolled into Aurora, including Year 2000 and
euro currency readiness, Java and Netscape, as well as improved
TCP/IP. Aurora also includes Netfinity V5.2, LDAP Client, Dynamic IP
Client for Win95 and NT and OS/2 Warp Server Backup/Restore V6.0. And
the new high performance JFS delivers increased server reliability.
Seamless Windows NT Server Management, which allows Windows NT 4.0 servers
to be seamlessly integrated into a network, fortifies Aurora's capability
in mixed environments. Industry standard support for Intelligent Input/Output
(I2O) adapters for SCSI disks and LAN Ethernet and token ring is also
planned.
What this adds up to
is a powerful mission-critical foundation for the e-business transformation.
Aurora's features are designed to meet the more rigorous performance
and availability requirements of universal access. It can facilitate
the transition to network computing and the Java Application Model with
the Java and LDAP toolkits. Yet its support of existing OS/2 applications
and eased administration of Windows platforms can preserve existing
investments. And most definitely, it is the optimum platform for WorkSpace
On-Demand -- IBM's proven product for reducing cost of ownership, speeding
deployment of new applications and transitioning to network computing.
Aurora is the definitive Intel server in a comprehensive computing infrastructure
that meets today's and tomorrow's demanding requirements.
Appendix A - The First
Step: Installation
Aurora provides performance
and capacity enhancements for both single and multiple processor systems.
The Aurora installation process determines the processor configuration,
installs both the uni-processor and SMP kernels on the hard drive, and
utilizes the appropriate kernel. If additional processors are added,
the upgrade process is simplified by a utility that points to the already
installed SMP Kernel. Aurora is optimized for 8-way SMP systems. This
is an optimization statement, not a limitation statement. The architectural
limits for the CPUs will be 64.
Since many corporations
use the CID install process, enhancements to that process were a priority.
Aurora includes a "Top Install" shell to collect installation
data and generate a response file for input to the CID installation
of individual services. All operating system services are CID installable.
For attended installations,
there is a single installation path similar to the "Advanced Installation
Path" in OS/2 Warp 4 and OS/2 Warp Server 4. The Easy Path
provided in previous releases was seldom used and therefore not included
in Aurora, eliminating the need for an installation path decision. New
checks in the installation process detect when certain steps required
for a successful installation have not been performed. Aurora's installation
provides a utility to report the status so additional complications
and errors can be prevented during installation.
The processes to prepare
the media for installation have been updated. Aurora provides a new
version of the FDISK utility, called LVMDISK, to support LVM. LVMDISK
enables JFS volumes to be created during installation. While the base
operating cannot be installed on a JFS partition, JFS partitions can
be specified for installing other components.
New hardware which becomes
available after Aurora ships can be supported with modifications to
the kicker diskettes used to start the installation. The documentation
describes the procedures to add a device driver to the boot diskettes
or to replace a driver that shipped in the original packaging.
Migration
When upgrading from prior
OS/2 Warp Server versions, Aurora delivers the same ease of migration
utilities as OS/2 Warp Server 4. IBM Redbooks are planned to detail
the steps required for a successful migration.
More information on the
OS/2 family of products is available at http://www.software.ibm.com/os/warp.
Aurora information can be found at: http://www.software.ibm.com/os/warp/aurora.
IBM software offers the
widest range of applications, middleware and operating systems for all
types of computing platforms, allowing customers to take full advantage
of the new era of e-business. The fastest way to get the latest information
about IBM software is through the IBM software home page at http://www.software.ibm.com.
Notice
All statements regarding
IBM's future direction and intent are subject to change or withdrawal
without notice, and represent goals and objective only.
References in this publication
to IBM products, programs, or services do not imply that IBM intends
to make them available in all countries in which IBM operates. Any reference
to an IBM product, program, or service is not intended to state or imply
that only IBM's products, programs, or services may be used.
IBM may have patents
or pending patent applications covering subject matter in this document.
The furnishing of this document does not give any license to those patents.
License inquiries can be sent, in writing, to the IBM Director of Licensing,
IBM Corporation, 500 Columbus Avenue, Thornwood, NY 10594, U.S.A.
Trademarks
IBM, AIX, MVS, OS/2,
and OS/400 are Registered trademarks of International Business Machines
Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
Pentium is a registered
trademark of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.
Vinca is a registered
trademark of Vinca Corporation.
Windows and Windows NT
are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
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trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc.
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