Issues
that may be encountered when changing from a
Novell to a Microsoft Windows-based network
The
following items apply to the DOS and NewFRS versions
of First Resort Software.
ISSUE:
Network messaging is lost.
CAUSE: This is due to the fact that Microsoft did not include a messaging
subsystem in their network similar to the one in Novell.
AFFECTS: This will affect any First Resort users who submit credit cards
through the First Resort Credit Card Interface. They will no longer receive
the pop up messages from the CCI Server letting them know the status of transaction.
RESOLUTION: Checking the status display, listening for the printout of the
CC slip on successful transactions, looking at the CCI server screen for
the response message, checking the CCI Transaction Log (PCV) are all ways
to determine the success or failure of the transaction.
ISSUE:
TTS is lost / potential of increased incidence
of rebuild errors
CAUSE: Microsoft did not include anything to replace the functionality of
the Novell TTS
AFFECTS: If a transaction gets interrupted and is unable to fully complete
(network glitch, hiccup, twitchy NIC card (love these technical terms), etc...)
only a part of the transaction is correctly updated and we see the FIL and
IDX files no longer containing the same data.
RESOLUTION: Rebuild the affected file (users may see error 30s, error 231s,
and other more common rebuild type errors.)
** Most clients report a significant speed increase after migrating (50%
faster or better) Thus, the rebuilds tend to not take as long.
** Not all clients experience additional errors. There does seem to be a
correlation between size and errors (the larger the size of the company /
dataset - the greater the possibility that they will experience errors).
** Turning off the Change Log tends to greatly reduce the number of errors.
Sometimes keeping it on, but cleaning it up and reducing the number of records
is beneficial.
** Some clients have started a Preventative Maintenance rebuild process.
Typically, 2-3 nights a week, they will log everyone (including interfaces)
out of First Resort and rebuild all files and indexes. This seems to help
reduce the number of rebuilds occurring during business hours.
**Clients with users connectin in remotely via Citrix or Terminal Services
seem to have a higher incidence of problems. It may be connected to users
not appropriately logging out of the Citrix/Terminal Services session.
**Users not logging out of First Resort appropriately (clicking the X in
the corner as opposed to typing an X and then an Alt-F1) may also result
in more errors.
ISSUE:
Print Queues are lost
CAUSE: First Resort was only written to see Novell Print Queues or Local
Printers
AFFECTS: All printers will need to be installed on either LPT1 or LPT2 (capturing
a port to a network printer is fine). Users will only be able to print to
those 2 printers while in First Resort.
RESOLUTION: Either in Login Scripts or on a workstation by workstation basis
set the desired printer to LPT1 and the second printer to LPT2.
ISSUE:
Auto Slip printing may be affected
CAUSE: If workstations are setup to override the Slip Printer Queue to some
other Queue - then the loss of Novell Print queues will cause this functionality
to be lost. RESOLUTION: All slips will be printed on the slip printer defined
on the CC server. Any users not wanting to get slips from that location will
need to reprint the slips by Reviewing the transaction.
ISSUE:
HHS is no longer workstation specific
CAUSE: Microsoft did not enable DOS interrupt commands in Windows 2000 or
higher. This blocks the process First Resort used to set the HHS settings
for each workstation.
RESOLUTION: The settings on HHS will be set once for the whole network.
