Help with Win2003 Server access to Netware server

[gillis]

Hello,

I feel a bit foolish for not knowing this but have been living in a very narrow Novell environment for many years. One of our departments is physically separating from the LAN by adding a Win2003 server that will hold their data and serve as their new LAN server. Wiring is in place so their PC's will soon be plugged into the switch for their new server home. However, the wrinkle is they still require direct file access to a few folders on our Novell server.

This is very basic network stuff but having trouble getting my head around it. How (physically & logically) do I give their server access to our LAN so their users see those specific Novell files/folders - and in such a way that it doesn't jeapordize security on the Novell box?

Thank you in advance for any enlightenment you can offer!

JGiles

 

[Provogeek]

hmm, now when you say "physically separating from the LAN", do mean there will be no physical wire that links this department to the rest of the network? Or do you mean they will just be logging into a WIn2k3 box instead of a NetWare box?

Is this department over a WAN?

Some products that come to mind are:

Native File Access
iFolder
NetStorage / Remote Access

Elaborate more on what is happening so we may guide you to the best solution



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Brent Schmidt Certified nut case
Senior Network Engineer
Keep IT Simple

http://www.kiscc.com

 

[brichr]

There are many different ways to do this. If you are not adding Active Directory into the mix then it should be very easy to have files on both servers. The two switches can be connected by network cable. The users can still authenticate to the Novell servers for security and file access. Then create local accounts for the users on the Windows server to administor that departments access to that file server. Recommended for small groups of users.

If it is a very large departments moving to Windows then that will take much more planning, such as removing the clients, installing Active Directory and installing some sort of conduit between the two directories such as MSDSS. MSDSS is workable but not recommended for prolonged use between directories. It is more of a way to fully migrate from Novell to AD.

Yet another option is to install Edir your windows machine. I have never done this but might be a solution.

Just build them a Netware 6.5 server and tell them it is a windows 2003 box for fun and see if they notice a difference.

Also, yet another solution is to turn on CIFS and the Netware Native File access packs to give the users without clients access to your Novell server.

 

[gillis]

First, just to clear up a possible thought on everyone's part - WHY are we doing things this way? We are a gaming establishment and the State has mandated that the "regulatory" department separate itself from the Operations network (my world). To maintain the separation they even hired outside folks to create/configure their new network. Therefore, please avoid the natural question as to why we're going through this exercise.

I may have misled you by "physically separating". Up until yesterday that was my understanding of their plan. They wired new wallplates from offices to their new switch - simply unplug their PC's from the Novell plates and then I was going to disconnect from Novell server at the telcomm patch panel. Thus, complete physical separation. Only 6 PC's on a new independent Win2003 Server LAN. However, yesterday I was informed they all needed direct file access to one of the folders on the Novell LAN they were disconnecting from.

So these 6 folks are soon to be sitting at their Win2K PC's on a Win2003Server LAN and need to have access to a folder on our Netware 6.5 server that is maintained by an Operations department. They want the assurance that Operations can't see their stuff; but I want the same - except for this one folder.

Thanks again - hope this sheds a little more light.

JGiles
That's where I

 

[Provogeek]

If you don't have the option to just move this folder fromt he NetWare server to the Windows box, I would look into products like iFolder. The most current version supports groups, so multipul people can access the data. Yea, it requires you to install new software on your servers and get it all configured, then moveing said data into the iFolder service. But this gives you what you want as far as security is concerned.

iFolder encrypts the file on the server, so only the users can see teh data, admins can not. Granted, you hose your SSL certificates, the data is basicly lost since it's encrypted.

=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
Brent Schmidt Certified nut case
Senior Network Engineer
Keep IT Simple

http://www.kiscc.com

 

[LawnBoy]

With only 6 clients to worry about, I would simply create a Netware account for each of them and restrict their rights to the folder(s) they need. Netware security is of the highest order.

I would then tell the consultants that their security (from you) is their problem.

 

[gillis]

LawnBoy - thanks for your response. To clarify...these 6 folks already exist as Netware users, the State has mandated they move their data off our network and onto their own. I could leave their Netware accounts intact; however, how would the topology be put together? Obviously there must be a physical connection between the new Windows LAN and our Novell LAN in order for them to see/use the folder in question. How best to do that? Simply connect switches? Firewall? This is all a first for us.

Thanks again,

Jerry

 

[LawnBoy]

You can simply connect the switches. This will join the two networks into one. If you want to maintain isolation between the two networks, a firewall is the answer. Configure it to block all traffic in both directions except for exactly what you know needs to cross.

 

[LawnBoy]

Err, put that firewall between the two switches.

 

[lgarner]

It's been a while, but does Windows 2003 still come with Gateway Services for NetWare?

 

[terry712]

yep but it's only ipx a real limitation
cifs would be better

 

[gillis]

Thanks to ALL for your input - looks like I have some studying to do.

JGiles