Potentially stepping into a Novell network

N2IT

This position I am potentially walking into is all Novell with client side XP. I am a little curious on how the dynamics are going to change. The current environment I am in now is 2003 2008 server. I am deskside/remote support/networking support at my current job, however if I get this new job it will be a lot more added responsibilities. Sysadmin, Netadmin, and other jobs. Of course their will be a learning curve, is their any advice that you all can provide? Any reading material that might make a difference?

I know this might come off a little neurotic, but I like to learn technologies I am going to be touching.

dales

N2IT wrote: »

This position I am potentially walking into is all Novell with client side XP. I am a little curious on how the dynamics are going to change. The current environment I am in now is 2003 2008 server. I am deskside/remote support/networking support at my current job, however if I get this new job it will be a lot more added responsibilities. Sysadmin, Netadmin, and other jobs. Of course their will be a learning curve, is their any advice that you all can provide? Any reading material that might make a difference?

I know this might come off a little neurotic, but I like to learn technologies I am going to be touching.

I've just come away from a novell environment, the best thing I can say is that with novell products there is no domain. You have network login cred's that grant you access to files/folders and zcm applications and the like and then you also have a local account on the computer (which is workgroup based). There are products that can make AD and novell talk to each other but if you are going into a strictly novell shop then a domain will not exist.

There isn't really any good manuals for novell products that I have found (not at least up to date ones), so Its just a case of googling it mostly or going through the knowledge base on novell.com

Turgon

N2IT wrote: »

This position I am potentially walking into is all Novell with client side XP. I am a little curious on how the dynamics are going to change. The current environment I am in now is 2003 2008 server. I am deskside/remote support/networking support at my current job, however if I get this new job it will be a lot more added responsibilities. Sysadmin, Netadmin, and other jobs. Of course their will be a learning curve, is their any advice that you all can provide? Any reading material that might make a difference?

I know this might come off a little neurotic, but I like to learn technologies I am going to be touching.

Going by your certifications I dont think you have held a sysadmin role down before have you? This is precisely why I advocate all systems engineers or wannabe systems engineers to seek accreditation in two tracks. In the event that a job has Novell somewhere you are much more likely to be hired if you have a CNA as well as the MCSE.

If the shop is heavily Novell based then you have a significant amount of learning to do depending on what the expectations are from your new employer. However if Netware is entrenched there will be people there you can learn a good deal from so make some friends

In terms of prep first of all get aquainted with the Novell website and the support forums there. Download some whitepapers that introduce you to Netware. If you are going to be supporting Novell then seriously consider taking on the CNA. There is a self study kit for that you can buy from Novell and this will include an evaluation of Netware 6. You should also checkout Amazon for used study guides for the CNA. You should be able to pick those up for a few dollars.

You can download a Netware evaluation from the Novell site. I recommend you do so. Some of the CNA guides i.e the one written by Clarke should come with a CD with a Netware evaluation but I recommend you see what you can get off the Novell site first. There should be enough download information on the website to give you instruction to install it on a box. Failing that a decent CNA book off Amazon will walk you through it.

With Novell you are offered powerful tools for administrating a network and its resources so you will want to get aquinted with iPrint, iManager etc and Console One.

The NOS is also quite server centric so you will want to learn how a Netware server hangs together, its volumes and NLMs, its config files etc.

In terms of the logical stuff, remember NDS and for later versions eDirectory. Novell hit the market first with what was later copied by Microsoft to become Active Directory. If the Netware environment is mature you will want to understand contexts well and be aware of logon scripts. If Zen is used for desktop management get aquainted with it.

I started with Netware 3.12 in 1997 with Windows desktops. NT server 4.0 came along a couple of years later. I found NT server to be dumb in comparison in terms of server tuning requirements of an admin. Once NDS came out with Intranetware 4.0 Novell continued to be the boss on x.400. It has taken a long time for active directory to catch up. Novell documentation was more hands on than Microsoft documentation when comparing Bindary Novell 3.x to NT Server 4.0 in terms of guidance to build a NOS from the server up and insight in terms of carving up diskspace and logon scripts for endusers. Novell printing was superior too. The CNE had a dedicated exam for Networking and one for Service and Support. It took me two goes to pass the latter test in 1999.

All in all though just do some of your own research. Get some resources and put sometime in with them. Pick up some lingo and start your new job. Pay attention to anyone who knows what they are doing, ask the right questions and be careful. There should be plenty of timeserved help there you can pull on and your responsibilities might just be on the edge of the network where the tools are intuitive anyway. You will be fine.

twodogs62

Start with CNA to get basics.
On the XP side there will be a Novell client which is used instead of the Microsoft client.

The Novell servers could be Netware or possibly Linux.

So, another thing to learn could be Linux. The servers could be pure sles Linux or sles with OES added.

You've got lots of opportunity to learn.

Managing tools will be Console One and iManager.

Novell's knowledge base and discussion forums are very good. They were very good on the Netware side and seem to be getting near that Level on the OES/Linux side now.

Main thing is setup a test environment so you can play with stuff and really find out how it works.

Kasor

You will have to deal with the eDir using Novell and install NC to the Win XP. You have to troubleshoot between IP an and server connection. Not that difficult, but will take few weeks to get use to it. Also, your co-workers and supervisor will able to assist you. Welcome to the Novell World of "missing."

N2IT

Thanks for the response guys!

I never ended up getting the position. I was squeezed out by an internal referral.

Turgon

N2IT wrote: »

Thanks for the response guys!

I never ended up getting the position. I was squeezed out by an internal referral.

Hardlines for getting passed over like that. Difficult to overturn an inside job unless you are stellar and even then it can often go the other way. But I think Novell is a new thing for you anyway. Consider boning up on it as there are other jobs are out there where having dual certification could actually tip the balance for you. The CNA is there for you if you wish to invest in the self study kit from the Novell website.

N2IT

Turgon wrote: »

Hardlines for getting passed over like that. Difficult to overturn an inside job unless you are stellar and even then it can often go the other way. But I think Novell is a new thing for you anyway. Consider boning up on it as there are other jobs are out there where having dual certification could actually tip the balance for you. The CNA is there for you if you wish to invest in the self study kit from the Novell website.

Turgon

Any books your recommend?

Not looking to bang it out right now, but maybe later on this year.

Turgon

N2IT wrote: »

Turgon

Any books your recommend?

Not looking to bang it out right now, but maybe later on this year.

Just buy the self study kit off the Novell site for the CNA. Most people pass by using that or obtaining a copy or the course notes. Self study Novell books are cheap but very hit and miss. My next door neighbors could probably pass CNA with the self study kit and they dont work in IT and the exercises will be better than any self study book you can buy.

N2IT

Turgon wrote: »

Just buy the self study kit off the Novell site for the CNA. Most people pass by using that or obtaining a copy or the course notes. Self study Novell books are cheap but very hit and miss. My next door neighbors could probably pass CNA with the self study kit and they dont work in IT and the exercises will be better than any self study book you can buy.

Thanks again Turgon

Turgon

N2IT wrote: »

Thanks again Turgon

MCSE CNE CCNP is the real trinity. I have all three

Kasor

I don't think you need to take any exam, just read the guidebook and learn how the system work. However, always good to know NCA, too.