The NICE team includes Alberto Di Meglio, Per Hagen, Karen Howie An Overview of NICE Alberto Pace...

The NICE team includes Alberto Di Meglio, Per Hagen, Karen Howie

An Overview of NICEAn Overview of NICE

Alberto Pace

Information Technology division, CERN

Architecture and Technologies used at CERN to support Microsoft Windows computers

Part I - ArchitecturePart I - Architecture

Part II - TechnologiesPart II - Technologies

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, Geneva

NICE is the CERN PC NetworkNICE is the CERN PC Network

Currently supporting Windows 95 and NT 4 April 1997

More 3000 registered users More than 1300 users on-line More than 100 GB of user’s files

Today (conservative figures) More 6000 registered users ( + 100 %) More than 2800 users on-line ( + 115 %) More than 250 GB of user’s files ( + 150 %)


95 / NT status95 / NT status

Feb - Apr 1997 (exact figures) 2007 different IP addresses have been seen using NICE95 141 different IP addresses have been seen using NICENT 64 have used both 95/NT (Total 2084 different computers) 2173 different accounts have used NICE95 147 different accounts have used NICENT 93 have used both 95/NT (Total 2227 different accounts)

In the last two months (exact figures) 3776 different IP addresses have been seen using NICE95 ( + 88 %) 745 different IP addresses have been seen using NICENT ( + 428 %) 235 have used both 95/NT (Total 4286 different computers) ( + 267 %) 3783 different accounts have used NICE95 ( + 73 %) 909 different accounts have used NICENT ( + 518 %) 560 have used both 95/NT (Total 4132 different accounts) ( + 502 %)


The Services for the UserThe Services for the User

Hardware purchasing Definition of standard hardware Purchasing Installation at the user’s desk. Software Configuration Support

User and Computer registration services Accounts creation / deletion / modification NT domain / Netware NDS / Msmail Password management Disk quota management (Netware only)


The Services (2)The Services (2)

Home Directories and users’ files more than 20 servers, more than 400 GB of disks Mainly using Novell Netware Cross platforms access (Windows, Macintosh, NFS) Backup services

Application software network disk Offers all the CERN-wide recommended software pre-installed More than one hundred commercial products available 5 Servers, mirrored



Print Services Global printing service to access all CERN printers LPR - LPD protocol on TCP/IP See separate presentation on this topic



Electronic Mail Microsoft Mail being migrated to the central IMAP server

Documentation French and English versions

CD ROM server Server with 28 disk drives (slow) 12 GB of fast disks on fast ethernet



Remote access using FTP or WWW From any computer world wide NICEWWW: a unique gateway to novell files Every user can have his home page on the Web

Access from Home Using Dial-up networking TCP/IP and IPX/SPX Access to the Internet and to all home directories

Portable computers See later


What the user seesWhat the user sees

You start application You start application using the Start Menuusing the Start Menu

Here you access all Here you access all network resources network resources (printers, disks, etc.)(printers, disks, etc.)

Here you access files Here you access files of of OTHEROTHER people people

Here you access Here you access YOURYOUR files files

Here you read you Here you read you electronic mailelectronic mail

Here you access the Here you access the disks of your PCdisks of your PC


The user selects what he The user selects what he wants on the Start Menuwants on the Start Menu

Using the “More Group” icon in “Applications” Using the “More Group” icon in “Applications” or “CERN Settings” in “Control Panel”or “CERN Settings” in “Control Panel”

he can he can SEARCHSEARCH the the application you wantapplication you want


User Settings and ProfilesUser Settings and Profiles

Are roaming For 95 users: stored in the home directory For NT users: stored in a dedicated profile server

HEP NT Days, 2-4 December 1998, CERN, GenevaPC in my office

NICE 95 & NTStandard PCInstallation

Any other PC at CERN

==

The NICE architectureThe NICE architecture Automated PC installation

Supports 95, NT Workstation and NT Server Allows technicians to solve ALL hardware and software related problems

in the local computer by bringing back any computer to a known state

Possible Manual PC installation all options predefined to the correct “default” values for CERN, the

installer can override *any* predefined option Useful for “special” users

PC configurations centrally maintained Centralised database of PCs at CERN


SRV0_NICEComputer Centre

NICE Architecture (2)NICE Architecture (2)

There is a reference software server in the computer centre The server (SRV0_NICE) contains the CERN wide recommended

software.


SRV0_NICE


The software server is mirrored several times All machines are connected to the CERN backbone provide

maximum network performances This duplication allows 4000 simultaneous users

SRV3_NICESRV2_NICESRV1_NICE SRV4_NICE


End User PC

SRV1_HOMER/W User Disk

SRV2_NICER/O Program Disk


The User PC attaches his Home Directory server and the nearest NICE server He sees his “User disk” and the CERN “Program disk” In addition he may sees “divisional”


Portable ComputersPortable Computers

Are supported by “mirroring” parts of NICE to the local disk The user selects only the applications he wants to be replicated

to the local disk

Minimum 1 GB hard disk required


SRV2_NICER/O Program Disk

End User PC

Portable ComputersPortable Computers

SRV1_HOMER/W User Disk

Internet


More ArchitectureMore Architecture

The Local Hard Disk is used for virtual memory (swap file) to install the operating system which is remotely managed to mirror part of the reference application server

(as a network cache) to install, on demand / on the fly, local applications.

Applications deployed to run directly from the NICE server from the local disk where applications are cached from the NICE

server from the local installation

The local installation can be Centrally maintained or maintained by the end-user


Application software Application software distributiondistribution

The Windows “Start Menu” is the SAME on all computers User can hide / unhide part of the menu he does not use The centrally maintained start menu can point to

Applications pre-installed on the server Applications pre-installed in the local disk Scripts that will make a local/remote installation on the fly

when necessary, and then start the application The user can install local software in his local disk, under

his own responsibility


The ApplicationsThe Applications

Word Processing and Desktop Publishing Drawing and Drafting

CD-ROM based clipart library (400 MBytes)

Spreadsheet, Management, Presentation Graphics Computer Aided Design (Mechanical, Electrical and

Electronic) Computer Aided Engineering Symbolic and Numerical Analysis


The Applications (2)The Applications (2)

Controls, Tests and Instrumentation Programming

C, C++, Basic, Java, Fortran

Database Communication

World wide unlimited Internet access (Telnet, FTP, Mail, X terminal, Netscape, Internet Explorer, …)


Inventory - AccountingInventory - Accounting

Everything is known: By computer, by software, by user, by time PC Inventory allows planification of hardware upgrades Software usage statistics allows negotiatiation of “cheap” licenses

based on simultaneous usage Statistics by user allow redistribution of licensing cost to end-users

(or to divisions) Time statistics just show that NICE usage is growing

We are “legally correct”


LicensesLicenses

Licensing based on simultaneous users, that are monitored

Identify CERN wide recommended software Negotiate site or network licenses


Internal organisationInternal organisation

NICEReference 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

Home Server

Home Server


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)Internal organisation (2)

Local Experts

NICE Mirror 1

End User

NICE Mirror 2

End User

Home Server

Home Server

Running technicians

End User




Tools for application Tools for application distributiondistribution

Applications deployed to run directly from the NICE server from the local disk where applications are cached from the NICE

server from the local installation

Extension of Microsoft system policies WI interpreter CERN Shortcuts Deployment Tools Accounting


System PoliciesSystem Policies Extensions to the “Microsoft Policies”

Disk Space Policies Drive Mapping Policies Registry Policies File Policies INI Policies Start Menu Policies Jobs Policies

Conditional execution attribute Periodic, Once, Always, if-undef

Policy downloaders Before the shell is started (NETCHK32) After the shell is started (NETEXE32)


ScriptingScripting

WI interpreter Interpreted language like basic File manipulation (copy / move / delete / attrib / permissions) ASCII files manipulation (edit / search / replace / sort) INI files manipulation Registry manipulation, registry synchronization Directory synchronization with or without file version check version management Windows API, Drive mapping, Network logon / logoff, SMTP

Mail, NT services mgm, Windows shortcuts, UDP/IP, FTP, HTTP ….

Probably migrate to the Windows Scripting host


CERN shortcutsCERN shortcuts

Microsoft shortcuts have some limitations Server name always hardcoded, even when using drive letters No map-on-demand possibility. All drives mapped statically

CERN shortcuts Server load balancing dynamic server attachement and drive mapping multiple context menu commands accounting


Deployment toolsDeployment tools

File Changes Extraction File Version Control (WINVERS) Registry Alphabetic Dump (REGDUMP) Registry Changes Extraction (REGCMP) Registry Policy Verification (REGMGR)


AccountingAccounting

True Client / Server model Server programme

receives all account records and writes them to the accounting database updates in real time all counters of application usage

Client Account Record Generator (AC32) used mainly by CERN Shortcuts and WI scripts

Client Resident Account Programme (NWRCSRV) writes known windows titles and appliation modules found to accounting

server

PC inventory (PC_CONF) All known hardware parameters and the last logged on username

Processor type, memory, disk size, free disk space, video card, ethernet card, sound card, …


Other presentations on NICE ServicesOther presentations on NICE Services

Web Services

Printing

HEP-NT DaysHEP-NT Days



Part III - More on NTPart III - More on NT


Services differences 95 / NTServices differences 95 / NT

For the USER point of view NICE95 = NICENT

For the Workgroup Administrators point of view NICENT gives much more than NICE95

NICENT gives the possibility to Benefit from all central services Control all software updates from central services Be independent of network and central servers Enhance the service with workgroup specific applications and data Enancements can be made available CERN-Wide


NICE / NT aimsNICE / NT aims

To look identical to the Windows 95 desktop service.

To satisfy the current high end user requirements that are not solved with Windows 95

To open the NICE architecture to workgroup administrators and give them full control in their workgroup


The choice of the NICE The choice of the NICE serverserver

The Client computer is maintained by the NICE server to which it attaches Remotely Maintained (NICE NT)

from the central NICE servers from a local workgroup resource server

Three level of Maintenance with access to home directories and print services standalone (with TCP/IP connectivity,

of course)


Home Directory\\srv1_home\usr13\home\userid

Nice Server\\srv3_nice\pgm

Workgroup server\\srv1_isolde\ctldynamic connection

transparent to the user

More ArchitectureMore Architecture

The Desktop computer connects to several servers One Home Directory server One “Standard Programs” server where he gets the “standard”

software (optionally) One or more “Workgroup Resource Servers” where he

gets workgroup-specific applications and data


\\srv0_nice\pgm

\\srv1_nice\pgm \\srv2_nice\pgm \\srv3_nice\pgm

Automated replication

\\wgsrv\pgm

controlled replication

Workgroupserver

Software replicationSoftware replication

The reference server is replicated automatically to all “public” NICE servers Fast, high performance servers

The reference server can be replicated to some Workgroup Resource Servers This replication is under the workgoup administrator control. It can

be manual or automated


Workgroup Resource Workgroup Resource ServersServers

Can be A real “server” (ex: srv1_isolde, srv1_dd, ….)

entirely managed locally by the workgroup administrator or ... … or managed (and backed up) by the central services (NYI)

available even without central network A “disk” on the central servers

the workgroup administrator has administrative rights on the whole disk and he manages the “contents” and the “access rights”.

The central services are responsible only for backups and server OS maintenance (patches, updates, ….)


Workgroupreplica of NICE

on resource server

controlled or automatedreplication

Workgroup Resource Workgroup Resource ServersServers

Can contain Workgroup-specific software and data

the “standard” software is taken form the public NICE servers The Workgroup administrator has full control on his specific software

and data and he inherits the standard software

A replica of \\srv0_nice\pgm Give 24h/day 7d/week service, fully independent from central

services Give “control” to desktop changes. The workgroup administrator

decides what to import from the central services


Nice Server\\srv3_nice\pgm

workgroup serverproviding 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 1Example 1

Desktop system in a workgroup with a local resource server with an automated nice replication *only* Access standard software from the NICE central servers In case of network failure, the desktop will access the standard

software from the local workgroup server The workgroup server is user only in emergency situations and can be

a cheap, slow machine


workgroup serverproviding a controlledreplica 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 2Example 2

Desktop system in a workgroup with a local resource server with a manual nice replication *only* Access standard software from the workgroup server 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, Genevanote: in addition, the wg PC is connected to the home server and can dynamically connect to any other wg servers on the site

workgroup serverproviding specific applications or data

workgroup serverproviding a controlledreplica of the NICE applications

controlled replication from srv0_niceTOTAL FREEDOM

Example 3Example 3

Desktop system in a workgroup with a local resource server with a manual nice replication and with WG soft and data

Access standard software from the workgroup server The workgroup administrator controls the replication and he decides when

upgrades of the standard application take place Access workgroup-specific software / data from his workgroup server

Date post:	28-Dec-2015
Category:	Documents
Upload:	beatrice-dickerson
View:	217 times
Download:	0 times

The NICE team includes Alberto Di Meglio, Per Hagen, Karen Howie An Overview of NICE Alberto Pace...

Documents