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Re: Server RAM or Appletalk node limitations

>As I read some of the emails on the Server RAM issue I wondered if these
>schools have more than 253 nodes on an Appletalk network.
>I am a little confused about this issue and haven't found anyone yet that
>can help me with the exact rules and the ramifications of going over 253.
>If someone can fill me in or point me in the right direction for TILs, I
>would appreciate it.

Let me take a stab at this, please correct if I am wrong. Kind of long but
we ran into this problem.

Exceeding the number of nodes can cause numerous connection problems,
including the really wierd on of watching network printers come and go from
the chooser. (lets play who gets the packet)

An appletalk network can have 65,000 and change networks, each network can
have up to 256 nodes (or so). Certain networks are "reserved", and can
become part of "Zones". If you aren't using zones, each workstation should
have a random network number between about 62000(or so) and 65000, with a
node number between 1 and 253. (lower networks are reserved for the zones)
Plenty of options. However, you computer may not have one of the
randomized network numbers.

Say you clone your workstations from a bootable CD using ASR. (First
running drive setup and not using the erase option to prevent the HD
creation/alias problems, thanks JD. Of course I would still like a utility
to retrofit our 2500 existing systems). Every workstation will end up with
the network number from the boot system folder on the CD, in our case
14120. As all workstation have the same network number, you cannot have
more than 253 devices on the network, which we sometime do. The systems
will negotiate a new node number on startup, but not a new network number.

Duplicate network numbers and nodes will cause random network problems
(which of the two devices gets the packet). The solution is to randomize
the network numbers. The only way we have found to do this is to delete
the Appletalk Preferences and immediately reboot and Flash the PRAM. Seems
that the network number is stored in both places, and if it is erased from
one it will restore from the other. We make the deletion and PRAM flashing
part of our cloning procedures and it has helped with the "pick server" and
"disappearing printer" problems. (I know, connect via IP..)


****************************************************************
Matt Smith Network Analyst Arlington Public Schools
"I have found that most people are about as happy as they make up
their minds to be." - Lincoln
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