NT Workstation - Number of Connections

[modorney]

I understand NT (4) Workstation limits the number of connections to ten (so it won't get used as a webserver, etc.) But, in detail what does this mean? I assume that the number of http, ftp, etc connections is limited to ten.
But can eleven other servers/workstations map a shared drive from the WS running NT Workstation?
On this side of the router (NetBEUI) or on the other side (TCP/IP)?
Can the NT Workstation listen to eleven services (daemons) talking on IP port 2345?
I seem to recall that some interprocess communications "multiplex" IP connections, so that talking to another device on IP and port 2345 uses just one "connection", even though multiple instances of the same code talks to that port?

thanks, mike [sig][/sig]

 

[beria]

Bizzare...

I'm fighting exactly the same problem at the moment. we have software running on NT Workstation which has a persistent connection to another box. Then we have 6 connections 'reserved' for ftp transfers to the machine, and a shared drive. That makes 8 connections we have to have.

We need to be able to check the software is running correctly, so we use VNC to monitor what is happening from time to time, so connections are tight, but under the 10 connections limit.

However, bit by bit, the ftp connections drop from 6 to 5 to 4 to 3 to 2... and I'm trying to work out why.

Sorry I can't help with your problem (I'm a Unix Administrator by trade) - but I'll keep close tabs on this thread. [sig][/sig]

 

[Albion]

First off, if you are going to use NT as a Server of any kind buy a copy of NT Server. Workstation only allows 10 _network_ connections, and one _RAS_ connection.

-cm
[sig][/sig]

 

[Pritch5000]

Hey.
Workstation connections are intended for peer-to-peer networks, for which Microsoft expect no more than 10 workstations to participate before a server is required.
Although in practice we all use hybrid networks and the Microsoft models fall over!
An NT Wkstn cannot function as a workstation if it devotes it's limited resources to being a server. Buy NT Server 4.0 as Albion recommended, and use it for the best gain. [sig][/sig]

 

[modorney]

Actually, I'm not worried about the cost of NT server, I'm trying to clarify the functionality of the "connections" in NT Workstation. As I see it, (and please correct me if I am wrong) there are three types of connections to a box running NT Workstation:
1. Actual connections - ftp, http, etc. (Obviously, I can see why Microsoft limits this).
2. Shared directories - (on a domain) - both this side of router and "other" side
3. Services (daemons) that transmit on a particular port number - like 2345 (not a "well-known port" like ftp, http, etc.
I can see that ftp, http, etc. connections are limited, but I see the other types (shares, services) as somewhat different? Especially since you can map a drive for each letter - D thru Z (total of 23). [sig][/sig]

 

[beria]

Our problem is that we're running 3rd party software, and they say they only support it on Workstation - but we need the ftp conections to feed data to the application - which again is 3rd party software.

It looks like we're going to have to break the support agreement purely to get the software to run. Ho hum.

I'm still not sure if the 10 connection limit is the cause of the ftp connections dropping off - Anyone any ideas? My best bet is that it's something to do with this:

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q225/0/37.asp

- but we can't load service pack 5 because the application won't install unless the machine has service pack 4 on it.

A bit of a can of worms, this one. [sig][/sig]

 

[Pritch5000]

Hey.
Beria, you may be able to install under sp4 and then apply sp5. I have known this, in fact Proxy Server 2 is an example.
Modorney, I think you're going to find that clarifying the 'connections' thingy will be vague at best. Wkstn is NT tweaked for use as a client rather than a host. If you make a wrkstn host to many resources it will be less able to function as a client.
pritch. [sig][/sig]