Icon ServerMagic 4.0 for NetWare Icon

by Dale Farris, President, Golden Triangle PC Club
February 2001

ServerMagic 4.0 for NetWare is a very specialized application designed to allow users to safely and easily create, resize and merge partitions on a server computer without destroying data. The focus of this specialized software is for IS managers to safely manage Novell NetWare server hard drives. With this program on a server, you can move, copy, create or delete various partition and volume types and resize these on the fly.

Note: This special program is specifically designed to run on computers set up as servers, and is NOT a desktop, client application. In addition, this version of ServerMagic 4.0 for NetWare is targeted to computers running the Novell NetWare network operating system. PowerQuest also develops and sells an alternative version of ServerMagic for Windows NT machines.

While many readers may be already familiar with PowerQuest's Partition Magic (see review) program that supports similar features for single desktop machines, Server Magic 4.0 for NetWare extends these capabilities to network machines that are supported by and maintained by information systems professionals and network administrators.

The server side of computer networks is concerned with multiple machines supporting hundreds of users and the data backup needs of these users. This means that a typical network organization has gigabytes of valuable data that is important to their external, as well as their internal customers. Deploying, upgrading and maintaining these servers thus becomes critically important.

ServerMagic 4.0 for NetWare minimizes network storage downtime due to server deployment, hardware and software upgrades, or failure. The program also provides reliable performance for network storage, and reduces the time required of IS staff to manage and maintain server storage.

With this latest release, ServerMagic 4.0 for NetWare is now backward compatible with previous versions of NetWare, including 3.2, 4.11, 4.2, and 5.x.

ServerMagic 4.0 for NetWare includes Server Image technology, a server deployment tool that is optimized for Novell NetWare to quickly deploy servers throughout the enterprise environment. Using PowerQuest's SmartSector imaging technology, IS professionals can efficiently deploy and configure Novell NetWare servers. This server deployment technology can save a significant amount of time over traditional server install methods.

Benefits to ServerMagic 4.0 for NetWare

Fast upgrade of server hard drives, expand the DOS or NetWare partitions
Copy and move NetWare NSS partitions
Move and copy entire NetWare environment, including NDS and hidden files
Move, resize, merge, rename, delete NetWare volume segments
Full scripting capabilities
Speeds up process of copying by addressing only sectors with data
Full hardware and software compatibility with back versions of NetWare
Compress sector-based images of the DOS and NetWare partitions
Fast and reliable deployment of NetWare servers
Speeds up imaging process
Image files quickly restored

New Features in 4.0

Across the Wire Functionality - copy, move, or delete volumes and partitions, to or from a remote server to a new server

Scripting Capabilities - select a NetWare volume from the user interface, or from a script, and copy or move it to another destination, with the option to exclude or include purgeable files

Resize, Copy, Move, Rename, or Create - NetWare, FAT, FAT32, HPFS, Linux EXT2, Linux SWAP, or NTFS partitions dynamically without losing data

Maintain Directory Settings - move or copy an entire NetWare system, including hidden files and Novell Directory Services settings, without losing a single byte of data

Fast and Easy File or System Restoration - server image technology allows you to create a compressed image of your entire server or individual partitions, allowing you to restore a new server in minutes, complete with the operating system, applications, and data from your original server

Disaster Recovery - server image allows you to use an image of your NetWare server, along with your backup utility, to get back to square one after a crash

Upgrading Servers - avoid the backup and restore process when upgrading your network operating system, by shrinking the NetWare partition and resizing the DOS partition

Easily Copy Data From One Disk to Another - directly copy or move all of the data from one disk device to another quickly and without risk to data, and resize any of your partitions or volumes to custom-fit the size of the new disk device

What's It All About?

All operating systems reside on a particular partition type on a storage device. These partitions are established during the initial installation of the operating system and are generally permanent in size and position. This can create a problem when the data on the disk begins to exceed the amount of space allocated to that partition.

Setting up servers is a time-consuming and costly process. This may take hours to install and configure operating systems and software on each server individually. What is needed is a fast, inexpensive solution for setting up these servers and to upgrade existing servers. ServerImage, included in this program, is designed to assist IS professionals with these issues and concerns.

With time constraints as they are, IS managers are after new programs that will speed up the process of deploying servers and to increase the flexibility of managing their server storage resources. If approximately every 15 to 18 months server hard drives are upgraded, this time issue becomes a very expensive issue that must be better managed and controlled.

With ServerMagic's across-the-wire functionality, IS professionals can more easily upgrade their NetWare servers. In addition, the program allows users to resize partitions and volume segments quickly and easily. You can now shrink one partition or volume and enlarge another one without ever having to perform a backup and restore. 

If the SYS volume on a NetWare server needs to be larger, the administrator can simply shrink one of the other volumes that has free space on it, and give that free space to the SYS volume. This process will now take you less time to perform than a backup, delete, and restore process, which could take several hours or even days to complete. The data will be kept completely intact, because of ServerMagic's SmartSector technology.

Upgrading servers can also be difficult and time consuming since the old hard drive must be backed up, the new hardware must be installed and configured, and the data restored to the new hard drive. This can be a risky process, in addition to being time consuming. This also does not address moving, copying, deleting, or resizing partitions on the server.

This program minimizes system downtime and reduces the overall cost of network ownership and administration. In addition, ServerMagic 4.0 for NetWare also allows a networking professional to deploy and reconfigure servers in a very short time.

The program is loaded on the Novell NetWare operating system. Server Image for NetWare, a DOS-based program, is also included. The program is a NetWare Loadable Module (NLM) optimized for NetWare.

You can move or copy your server's old network environment to a new hard drive without backing up and restoring your server's data. You can also copy and resize an existing server partition without losing trustee rights or your NDS settings.

If your NetWare partition is mirrored, ServerMagic will duplicate any partition modifications for the entire mirrored set. In addition to NetWare server partitions, ServerMagic 4.0 for NetWare allows you to modify FAT, FAT32, Linux EXT2, Linux SWAP, and HPFS partitions.

How it Works

ServerMagic and Server Image copy only sectors that have data allocated to them, which dramatically speeds up the copying process, saves disk space, and assures data integrity. While other backup solutions use a file-by-file method for copying data, ServerMagic reads the partition table once and then scans the device, copying only those sectors that have data allocated to them. This also reduces the slow down-time that may occur if the drive is fragmented.

Because NetWare operates with open files on the disk device, ServerMagic 4.0 for NetWare must dismount the volumes before performing any partition or volume manipulation on the server. This process prevents data corruption by isolating partition changes from activity by users on the NetWare operating system.

ServerMagic 4.0 for NetWare understands the internal structure of the various file systems supported, and uses fast SmartSector copying and partition resizing. The company recommends you use Server Image for imaging DOS and NetWare partitions on NetWare servers of like hardware.

Supported Storage Device Configurations

Disk mirroring is the replication of data between two hard drives on the same controller. When data is sent to the server, it is written simultaneously to both drives. If one drive fails, the server is able to continue to run because the other disk has identical information on it. Disk duplexing is another level of fault tolerance over a mirrored set. Rather than have both drives attached to a single disk controller, each drive is connected to a separate controller. This protects in the event of a drive failure and assures your server will continue to run if one of the controllers fails.

ServerMagic 4.0 for NetWare supports both mirroring and duplexing for NetWare. In addition, it can also create a mirror up to 3 times faster than the NetWare mirror functionality. Once the mirror is established using ServerMagic 4.0 for NetWare, the mirror is then maintained by the NetWare operating system. The program automatically detects the mirroring and most often performs the function on the entire mirrored set without requiring the mirror to be broken. On occasion, it may require the mirror to be first broken.

A RAID 5 configuration appears to NetWare as a single logical drive. When the data is sent to the server, it is written across the entire set of server disk drives. Under all versions of NetWare, standard partitions cannot be changed in size without deleting the partition on the RAID array and recreating it. If you create a partition from a RAID 5 logical device and then extend the size of that logical device, the new size will not be utilized efficiently by NetWare unless you have ServerMagic to extend the partitions and volume segments.

NetWare will see a RAID array as one large drive. ServerMagic 4.0 for NetWare views a RAID array the same way it does a stand-alone disk drive. If you have a RAID system that allows you to incorporate a new drive dynamically, you can use ServerMagic 4.0 for NetWare to quickly access the new space by resizing the existing partitions to include the added hard drives. The entire process of resizing the partition with ServerMagic will be faster than reconstructing the RAID and restoring the data using a typical backup and restore method, a process that can take hours or even days to complete.

Targeted Users

ServerMagic 4.0 for NetWare is ideal for anyone who is responsible for reconfiguring, maintaining, or upgrading hard drives on a NetWare server. The program is also a great timesaving product for deploying NetWare servers, and gives networking professionals the flexibility to manage the entire server environment by allowing them to modify all of the partition types found on the server. Also provided are flexible and efficient storage device management solutions for corporate network managers, as well as value added resellers, integrators, and service providers.

PowerQuest Corporation

The PowerQuest Corporation is a leading software developer and technology pioneer, providing solutions to simplify complex storage management issues. A privately held company located in Orem, Utah, PowerQuest was founded in 1993 by Eric J. Ruff.

The company launched its premier product, Partition Magic, in March 1995. PowerQuest won the coveted Utah 100 award two years in a row, ranking the company first in revenue growth out of 14,000 contestants. To date, PowerQuest's technology has gained more than 100 industry awards.

In addition to ServerMagic 4.0 for Netware, PowerQuest also sells these other products.

ServerMagic for Windows NT - server management and deployment for Win NT servers, Win 2000 Server and Win 2000 Advanced Server machines

Drive Image Pro - allows IS professionals to create an exact hard-disk image for fast deployment, upgrades and backups

PartitionMagic - easy solution for upgrading a computer and expanding its partitions on the fly

Easy Restore - gives resellers or corporations the ability to provide a simple, one-step system recovery solution with the computers they sell or service

Drive Copy - fast way to copy one hard drive to another

Over the past three years, PowerQuest has entered into OEM agreements with many companies, including Compaq and IBM.

 Recommendations for Use
This program is NOT for novice users, or those brand new to working with computers. In addition, the program is NOT for stand-alone, desktop computers. This is a program specifically designed to work only on server computers running Novell's network operating software program NetWare.

With the many capabilities now available in this marvelous server side program, network administrators and their harried IS staff can once again begin to look forward to free time at night and on weekends. Rather than waiting for night and weekend hours to complete the many network maintenance and upgrading processes, because these can be so laborious and need to be done with less user activity, with ServerMagic 4.0 for NetWare, these procedures can now be completed in less time, as the program will support these processes on the fly.

ServerMagic 4.0 for NetWare will also save a great deal of time associated with the traditionally slow and tedious software installation method involved in deploying NetWare servers.

Deciding whether to purchase this version of ServerMagic 4.0 for NetWare is really a no-brainer for IS professionals running Novell NetWare servers. The corresponding ServerMagic for Windows NT is equally valuable for those running NT servers, or the newer Windows 2000 Server or Windows 2000 Advanced Server machines. 

I also think students working on various types of computer certification will be very interested in this program, as it will allow them to better understand the various network operating systems they are learning to support.

 Install and Setup
You may install and run one copy of ServerMagic 4.0 for NetWare on one server machine. Additional copies must be purchased to load and run on other servers. 

At the server prompt, type the appropriate command to load ServerMagic 4.0 for NetWare, for the particular version of NetWare you are running on the server machine. For example, for NetWare 5.x, type NWCONFIG and press Enter.

The Installation Options menu appears, and you select Product Options, to then install ServerMagic. 

Note: Before you load ServerMagic 4.0 for NetWare, PowerQuest recommends you complete the following seven steps. 

Install the most recent NetWare patches.
Load the server configuration information manager.
Run VREPAIR.NLM.
Back up your data with the Server Image or another backup tool.
Connect to an UPS.
Log off all clients.
No other NLM's should be loaded.

You can load ServerMagic with command line options to modify how it performs. Dismount all volumes and then select the preferences to suit your needs. These can also later be changed.

You will be asked to select from the OS/2 EA, that enables or disables OS/2 Extended Attribute errors, and to select Bad Sector Checking. You will select a volume, select a drive and partition, partition options, and then exit the program. Some changes may require rebooting the server. Some servers, especially SMP servers, do not reboot when exiting, and if this happens, you should use the hard reset button or cycle power on the server, so the changes can take effect.

Uninstalling is similar to installing. At the server console prompt, you type the command and get into the Installation Options menu. You select Products/Options, and select the Remove Installed Products. ServerMagic is then removed and the Currently Installed Products list is updated.

You can have up to four primary partitions on a disk. If you need more than four partitions, you can create up to three primary partitions and one extended partition. The extended partition can include multiple logical partitions. Generally, a hard disk on a NetWare server contains one NetWare partition. NetWare partitions can only be primary partitions.

Volumes are another way to organize data. Volumes are made of volume segments, which can reside on multiple hard disks. Because you access all the information in a volume using a single drive letter, volumes are a good method to increase the space available for a drive. A disk can contain a single NetWare partition, and the segments can be within the partition.

NetWare partitions can contain up to eight volume segments from the same volume or different volumes. Volumes can contain up to 32 segments. The segments can be in any order and can be on any disk on the server.

The included user guide provides more information on upgrading a server, along with additional troubleshooting and workaround information.

 Price

$495 single license
$225 upgrade price
$  39 training manual

Note: PowerQuest offers three pricing plans for customers seeking multiple licensing of ServerMagic, including Open License, Forecast License, and a Site License. Also, a trial version of the program is available for download, and the trial version works with 100MB or less size hard drive partitions.

Minimum System Configuration Requirements
NetWare 5.x, 4.11, and 3.12
386SX (486 or higher recommended)
64MB RAM for NetWare 5.x
32MB RAM for NetWare 4.x, 3.12
8MB free hard disk space (64MB or more recommended)
CD ROM
Floppy disk drive

Note: These are indeed bare minimum system configuration requirements, as all software vendors must obviously have a minimum set of requirements for their program to operate. However, in the case of this very special program, I would strongly urge anyone considering the program to start with at least 64MB RAM, if not 128MB, and of the course, the faster the processor, the faster this and any program will run. This issue of fast processor speed will certainly be an issue with this program, as you await its completion of the particular processes you ask it to perform for you. However, since this program is specifically designed to run on server machines, in most cases these servers are likely already configured beyond these minimum requirements.

PowerQuest also sells a version of ServerMagic for Windows NT 4 (SP 4+), that will also run on Windows 2000 Server and Windows 2000 Advanced Server machines.

 Contact

Ms. Laura Shafer, Manager
Corporate Affairs
PowerQuest Corporation
P.O. Box 1911
Orem, Utah 84059-1911
 801-437-8498
801-437-8900
FAX 801-437-4498
laura.shafer@powerquest.com
servermagic@powerquest.com
www.powerquest.com

 Acknowledgments

Thanks are in order to the excellent supplemental material supplied with the program that was of great assistance in the preparation of this review. In addition, I want to thank the always helpful Smart Computing magazine information about partitions and how Partition Magic works, in the development of this review. Viewers are encouraged to also seek out other comments and suggestions from the reviews of this application found in the online versions of computer magazines, such as PC Magazine, PC World, and Windows Magazine.