The NICE team includes Alberto Di Meglio, Per Hagen, Karen Howie An Overview of NICE Alberto Pace Information Technology division, CERN Architecture and Technologies used at CERN to support Microsoft Windows computers

Part I - Architecture Part II - Technologies

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva NICE is the CERN PC Network u Currently supporting Windows 95 and NT 4 u April 1997 u More 3000 registered users u More than 1300 users on-line u More than 100 GB of user’s files u Today (conservative figures) u More 6000 registered users ( %) u More than 2800 users on-line ( %) u More than 250 GB of user’s files ( %)

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva 95 / NT status u Feb - Apr 1997 (exact figures) u 2007 different IP addresses have been seen using NICE95 u 141 different IP addresses have been seen using NICENT u 64 have used both 95/NT (Total 2084 different computers) u 2173 different accounts have used NICE95 u 147 different accounts have used NICENT u 93 have used both 95/NT (Total 2227 different accounts) u In the last two months (exact figures) u 3776 different IP addresses have been seen using NICE95 ( + 88 %) u 745 different IP addresses have been seen using NICENT ( %) u 235 have used both 95/NT (Total 4286 different computers) ( %) u 3783 different accounts have used NICE95 ( + 73 %) u 909 different accounts have used NICENT ( %) u 560 have used both 95/NT (Total 4132 different accounts) ( %)

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva The Services for the User u Hardware purchasing u Definition of standard hardware u Purchasing u Installation at the user’s desk. u Software Configuration u Support u User and Computer registration services u Accounts creation / deletion / modification u NT domain / Netware NDS / Msmail u Password management u Disk quota management (Netware only)

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva The Services (2) u Home Directories and users’ files u more than 20 servers, more than 400 GB of disks u Mainly using Novell Netware u Cross platforms access (Windows, Macintosh, NFS) u Backup services u Application software network disk u Offers all the CERN-wide recommended software pre-installed u More than one hundred commercial products available u 5 Servers, mirrored

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva The Services (3) u Print Services u Global printing service to access all CERN printers u LPR - LPD protocol on TCP/IP u See separate presentation on this topic

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva The Services (4) u Electronic Mail u Microsoft Mail being migrated to the central IMAP server u Documentation u French and English versions u CD ROM server u Server with 28 disk drives (slow) u 12 GB of fast disks on fast ethernet

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva The Services (5) u Remote access using FTP or WWW u From any computer world wide u NICEWWW: a unique gateway to novell files u Every user can have his home page on the Web u Access from Home u Using Dial-up networking u TCP/IP and IPX/SPX u Access to the Internet and to all home directories u Portable computers u See later

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva What the user sees You start application using the Start Menu Here you access all network resources (printers, disks, etc.) Here you access files of OTHER people Here you access YOUR files Here you read you electronic mail Here you access the disks of your PC

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva The user selects what he wants on the Start Menu Using the “More Group” icon in “Applications” or “CERN Settings” in “Control Panel” he can SEARCH the application you want

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva User Settings and Profiles u Are roaming u For 95 users: stored in the home directory u For NT users: stored in a dedicated profile server

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva PC in my office NICE 95 & NT Standard PC Installation Any other PC at CERN = The NICE architecture u Automated PC installation u Supports 95, NT Workstation and NT Server u Allows technicians to solve ALL hardware and software related problems in the local computer by bringing back any computer to a known state u Possible Manual PC installation u all options predefined to the correct “default” values for CERN, the installer can override *any* predefined option u Useful for “special” users u PC configurations centrally maintained u Centralised database of PCs at CERN

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva SRV0_NICE Computer Centre NICE Architecture (2) u There is a reference software server in the computer centre u The server (SRV0_NICE) contains the CERN wide recommended software.

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva SRV0_NICE NICE Architecture (3) u The software server is mirrored several times u All machines are connected to the CERN backbone provide maximum network performances u This duplication allows 4000 simultaneous users SRV3_NICE SRV2_NICESRV1_NICE SRV4_NICE

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva End User PC SRV1_HOME R/W User Disk SRV2_NICE R/O Program Disk NICE Architecture (4) u The User PC attaches his Home Directory server and the nearest NICE server u He sees his “User disk” and the CERN “Program disk” u In addition he may sees “divisional”

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva Portable Computers u Are supported by “mirroring” parts of NICE to the local disk u The user selects only the applications he wants to be replicated to the local disk u Minimum 1 GB hard disk required

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva SRV2_NICE R/O Program Disk End User PC Portable Computers SRV1_HOME R/W User Disk Internet

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva More Architecture u The Local Hard Disk is used u for virtual memory (swap file) u to install the operating system which is remotely managed u to mirror part of the reference application server (as a network cache) u to install, on demand / on the fly, local applications. u Applications deployed to run u directly from the NICE server u from the local disk where applications are cached from the NICE server u from the local installation u The local installation can be u Centrally maintained or maintained by the end-user

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva Application software distribution u The Windows “Start Menu” is the SAME on all computers u User can hide / unhide part of the menu he does not use u The centrally maintained start menu can point to u Applications pre-installed on the server u Applications pre-installed in the local disk u Scripts that will make a local/remote installation on the fly when necessary, and then start the application u The user can install local software in his local disk, under his own responsibility

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva The Applications u Word Processing and Desktop Publishing u Drawing and Drafting u CD-ROM based clipart library (400 MBytes) u Spreadsheet, Management, Presentation Graphics u Computer Aided Design (Mechanical, Electrical and Electronic) u Computer Aided Engineering u Symbolic and Numerical Analysis

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva The Applications (2) u Controls, Tests and Instrumentation u Programming u C, C++, Basic, Java, Fortran u Database u Communication u World wide unlimited Internet access (Telnet, FTP, Mail, X terminal, Netscape, Internet Explorer, …)

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva Inventory - Accounting u Everything is known: u By computer, by software, by user, by time u PC Inventory allows planification of hardware upgrades u Software usage statistics allows negotiatiation of “cheap” licenses based on simultaneous usage u Statistics by user allow redistribution of licensing cost to end-users (or to divisions) u Time statistics just show that NICE usage is growing u We are “legally correct”

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva Licenses u Licensing based on simultaneous users, that are monitored u Identify CERN wide recommended software u Negotiate site or network licenses

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva Internal organisation NICE Reference Server NICE Mirror 1 End User NICE Mirror 2 End User NICE Mirror 3 End User Area Specialists Windows 3.1 / 95 / NT Networking CAD MIS Applications PC Configuration and Installation Electronic Mail Software Licensing Home Server

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva Area Specialists Central User and Disk Administration Central Backup, Servers maintenance Help Desk Fax Gateway, CD ROM Server Hardware Maintenance & Installation Printers Internal organisation (2) Local Experts NICE Mirror 1 End User NICE Mirror 2 End User Home Server Running technicians End User

Part I - Architecture Part II - Technologies

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva Tools for application distribution u Applications deployed to run u directly from the NICE server u from the local disk where applications are cached from the NICE server u from the local installation u Extension of Microsoft system policies u WI interpreter u CERN Shortcuts u Deployment Tools u Accounting

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva System Policies u Extensions to the “Microsoft Policies” u Disk Space Policies u Drive Mapping Policies u Registry Policies u File Policies u INI Policies u Start Menu Policies u Jobs Policies u Conditional execution attribute u Periodic, Once, Always, if-undef u Policy downloaders u Before the shell is started (NETCHK32) u After the shell is started (NETEXE32)

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva Scripting u WI interpreter u Interpreted language like basic u File manipulation (copy / move / delete / attrib / permissions) u ASCII files manipulation (edit / search / replace / sort) u INI files manipulation u Registry manipulation, registry synchronization u Directory synchronization with or without file version check u version management u Windows API, Drive mapping, Network logon / logoff, SMTP Mail, NT services mgm, Windows shortcuts, UDP/IP, FTP, HTTP …. u Probably migrate to the Windows Scripting host

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva CERN shortcuts u Microsoft shortcuts have some limitations u Server name always hardcoded, even when using drive letters u No map-on-demand possibility. All drives mapped statically u CERN shortcuts u Server load balancing u dynamic server attachement and drive mapping u multiple context menu commands u accounting

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva Deployment tools u File Changes Extraction u File Version Control (WINVERS) u Registry Alphabetic Dump (REGDUMP) u Registry Changes Extraction (REGCMP) u Registry Policy Verification (REGMGR)

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva Accounting u True Client / Server model u Server programme u receives all account records and writes them to the accounting database u updates in real time all counters of application usage u Client Account Record Generator (AC32) u used mainly by CERN Shortcuts and WI scripts u Client Resident Account Programme (NWRCSRV) u writes known windows titles and appliation modules found to accounting server u PC inventory (PC_CONF) u All known hardware parameters and the last logged on username u Processor type, memory, disk size, free disk space, video card, ethernet card, sound card, …

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva Other presentations on NICE Services u Web Services u Printing HEP-NT Days

Part I - Architecture Part II - Technologies Part III - More on NT

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva Services differences 95 / NT u For the USER point of view u NICE95 = NICENT u For the Workgroup Administrators point of view u NICENT gives much more than NICE95 u NICENT gives the possibility to u Benefit from all central services u Control all software updates from central services u Be independent of network and central servers u Enhance the service with workgroup specific applications and data u Enancements can be made available CERN-Wide

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva NICE / NT aims u To look identical to the Windows 95 desktop service. u To satisfy the current high end user requirements that are not solved with Windows 95 u To open the NICE architecture to workgroup administrators and give them full control in their workgroup

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva The choice of the NICE server u The Client computer is maintained by the NICE server to which it attaches u Remotely Maintained (NICE NT) u from the central NICE servers u from a local workgroup resource server u Three level of Maintenance u with access to home directories and print services u standalone (with TCP/IP connectivity, of course)

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva Home Directory \\srv1_home\usr13\home\userid Nice Server \\srv3_nice\pgm Workgroup server \\srv1_isolde\ctl dynamic connection transparent to the user More Architecture u The Desktop computer connects to several servers u One Home Directory server u One “Standard Programs” server where he gets the “standard” software u (optionally) One or more “Workgroup Resource Servers” where he gets workgroup-specific applications and data

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva \\srv0_nice\pgm \\srv1_nice\pgm \\srv2_nice\pgm \\srv3_nice\pgm Automated replication \\wgsrv\pgm controlled replication Workgroup server Software replication u The reference server is replicated automatically to all “public” NICE servers u Fast, high performance servers u The reference server can be replicated to some Workgroup Resource Servers u This replication is under the workgoup administrator control. It can be manual or automated

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva Workgroup Resource Servers u Can be u A real “server” (ex: srv1_isolde, srv1_dd, ….) u entirely managed locally by the workgroup administrator or... u … or managed (and backed up) by the central services (NYI) u available even without central network u A “disk” on the central servers u the workgroup administrator has administrative rights on the whole disk and he manages the “contents” and the “access rights”. u The central services are responsible only for backups and server OS maintenance (patches, updates, ….)

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva Workgroup replica of NICE on resource server controlled or automated replication Workgroup Resource Servers u Can contain u Workgroup-specific software and data u the “standard” software is taken form the public NICE servers u The Workgroup administrator has full control on his specific software and data and he inherits the standard software u A replica of \\srv0_nice\pgm u Give 24h/day 7d/week service, fully independent from central services u Give “control” to desktop changes. The workgroup administrator decides what to import from the central services

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva Nice Server \\srv3_nice\pgm workgroup server providing an emergency replica of the NICE applications note: in addition, the wg PC is connected to the home server and can dynamically connect to any other wg servers on the site Example 1 u Desktop system in a workgroup with a local resource server with an automated nice replication *only* u Access standard software from the NICE central servers u In case of network failure, the desktop will access the standard software from the local workgroup server u The workgroup server is user only in emergency situations and can be a cheap, slow machine

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva workgroup server providing a controlled replica of the NICE applications note: in addition, the wg PC is connected to the home server and can dynamically connect to any other wg servers on the site controlled replication from srv0_nice Example 2 u Desktop system in a workgroup with a local resource server with a manual nice replication *only* u Access standard software from the workgroup server u The workgroup administrator controls the replication and he decides when upgrades of the standard application take place

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva note: in addition, the wg PC is connected to the home server and can dynamically connect to any other wg servers on the site workgroup server providing specific applications or data workgroup server providing a controlled replica of the NICE applications controlled replication from srv0_nice TOTAL FREEDOM Example 3 u Desktop system in a workgroup with a local resource server with a manual nice replication and with WG soft and data u Access standard software from the workgroup server u The workgroup administrator controls the replication and he decides when upgrades of the standard application take place u Access workgroup-specific software / data from his workgroup server