ReadMe File for NetSqueeze "Data Compression for NetWare 3.x"
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March 28, 1995

Welcome to NetSqueeze! NetSqueeze is an NLM-based data compression product
for Novell NetWare 3.11 and 3.12 file server. Using only an NLM (no TSRs)
NetSqueeze will transparently compress and decompress files as they are
opened and closed on the file server. All files are compressed and
decompressed individually as required for complete safety.

Using NetSqueeze's configuration utilities, the administrator may choose
which existing files and directories are to be compressed, as well as setting
global rules for directory names (such as "BACKUP*" for any directory
beginning with the word "BACKUP") or file names (such as *.OLD, *.DOC,
*.BAK, *.BK?, or *.PCX).

Compression is enabled via two separate modes: Continuous and Sweeper mode.
Continuous mode will compress each eligible file as soon as it is written to
disk, while sweeper mode will sweep the file server during specified off-hour
times (default is between 10:00PM and 5:00AM) and compress any files that
have been marked for compression files via one of the several methods
available.

This ZIP file contains Beta# 12 of NetSqueeze. This product has been in beta
test for over six months, and this is the next to last beta to be released.
The product has been extremely well tested and is extremely reliable, but as
with any beta product, should be used with caution. The results of any final
user comments based on this beta will be implemented in the final beta.

The "Top 20" beta testers (based on comments received by April 17, 1995) will
receive free copies of NetSqueeze when the product ships. All other beta
testers who report any confirmed bugs in the product by April 17th will
be entitled to purchase NetSqueeze for $199 per file server.

Once NetSqueeze becomes a shipping product, your license to use this beta
release will continue until May 31, 1995. After this date you must obtain
a valid NetSqueeze server license to continue using NetSqueeze.


The limitations of this beta are as follows:

1. This beta copy will stop compressing files on May 31, 1995. It will
continue to decompress files after this date, but will no longer compress
files.

2. This beta copy will not work on volumes with any name spaces other than
DOS and OS/2 loaded. Specifically, this beta release will not compress
files on any volumes with the Macintosh or Unix name spaces loaded.

3. On-Line help is not available in this beta release. On-Line help will
be available in the final beta release, which will be placed on
CompuServe to replace this beta release. This will happen sometime
during the week of April 3rd.

4. This beta release does not automatically put the NETSQZ command in your
AUTOEXEC.NCF file. You must manually perform this step if you want
NetSqueeze to automatically load whenever you re-boot your file server.
If you do not do this, NetSqueeze will not be able to automatically
decompress files as users open them.

NOTE: We recommend that you put the NETSQZ command at the end (bottom)
of your AUTOEXEC.NCF file. NetSqueeze should be the last NLM loaded
to ensure maximum compatibility with other NLMs. This is required
for many anti-virus, software metering, and tape backup NLMs which
"dirty hook" NetWare. NETSQZ must run after any NLM's that dirty-hook
the NetWare file system. NetSqueeze is fully compatible with the
Novell FSHooks available in CLIB version 3.12f or higher; however,
NetSqueeze should work with all CLIB versions on NetWare 3.11 & 3.12.

5. NetSqueeze requires that the Btrieve NLM be loaded. If you don't have
the Btrieve NLM loaded on your server, you can download it from the
BTRIEVE forum on CompuServe: Library section#3 (Current Upgrades),
file name BTR610.EXE. This is a self-extracting archive.



Installation


NetSqueeze has a very quick and simple installation program. Simply run
the INSTALL.EXE included in this ZIP file and follow the on screen
instructions. Total installation time should be about two minutes.

The installation program consists of three major parts:

1) Four NLMs, which are copied to the SYS:SYSTEM directory on your
file server;

2) a series of command line utilities which are copied to SYS:PUBLIC
for easy access; and

3) the program files for the NetSqueeze interface which are installed
to a directory of your choice.

The NetSqueeze NLMs (NETSQZ.NLM, NETSQZX.OVL, YFSMON.OVL, NFSMON.OVL) are
loaded at the file server console (or by RCONSOLE) by typing "NETSQZ"
which runs the NETSQZ.NCF file created by the installation program.
The NCF file also automatically loads Btrieve (by calling the BSTART.NCF)
if it is not already loaded. If the file server gives you a note that "BSTART"
is an invalid command, please see the "Btrieve Notes" section at the end of
this README file.

NOTE: Before running NETSQZ at the server console, you must configure and
install the NetWare Btrieve NLM.



Configuration and Setup


After installing NetSqueeze, the NetSqueeze NLM will be configured with
some default parameters. If you wish to change the configuration of
NetSqueeze, it can be done quite easily.

All NetSqueeze configuration is performed through the NetSqueeze menu
interface. To run NetSqueeze, change to the program directory where you
chose to install the application files, and run NS.BAT.

For this beta release, by default NetSqueeze will not compress ANY files.
You must go into the NetSqueeze console and configure which files you want
to compress. We recommend that you first go to the "Mark for Compression"
menu and then go to "Server-Wide Rules". From there you can specify rules
for file and directories, such as files named like "*.BAK" or "*.DOC" or "*.PCX".

In addition to setting-up server-wide rules, you may also want to create some
test directories and manually flag them for compression with NSFLAG. Then copy
some files into that directory and see how much they get compressed (after the delay
time you specify at install time for continuous mode) by running NSDIR. Try to
open the files with your favorite applications (or just use the DOS "type" command
to view them on the screen) to see how fast NetSqueeze automatically decompresses
the file.

Here is some basic documentation for the NetSqueeze DOS-based Console, which
you run by typing NS from the DOS prompt. The Main Menu options are:

1. Setup

Setup is used to configure the default operating parameters for the
operation of NetSqueeze. The most commonly used option is
"Compression Mode" (for choosing Continuous and/or Sweeper mode for
compression). This option also allows the administrator to set the
minimum "compression gain" that is deemed useful to bother using
compression on a file.

2. Mark for Compression

Mark for Compression is the common "day-to-day" utility used by the
administrator to choose which files and directories are to be
compressed. It consists of two sub-options: "Explicit File/Dir Flags"
and "Server-Wide Rules". Explicit File/Dir Flags is used to actively mark
existing files and directories for compression. This function is very
similar to using the NetWare flag command for assigning file
attributes.

Global Rules are "wildcards" used to select for compression all files
and directories (currently existing or to be created later) that match
certain "rules". There is only one default rule for this test version,
and that is "*.*". This rule means all files will be compressed when
written to disk or detected during Sweeper mode.


3. Volume Statistics

Volume statistics is used by the administrator to analyze the benefits
of NetSqueeze's data compression. Activating a volume scan will direct
the NLM to gather and update the statistics chart to reflect the current
status of the volume in question.



Special Notes


NetSqueeze is only designed for DOS and OS/2 name spaces. Future releases
of NetSqueeze will be compatible with other name spaces. When you load
NetSqueeze, it will refuse to compress files on any volume where it detects
that name spaces other than DOS and OS/2 are be loaded. If only some of the
volumes on your server contain other name spaces, NetSqueeze will not compress
files on those volumes, but will still work on the volumes which only have
the DOS and OS/2 name spaces loaded.

NetSqueeze will not compressed/decompress Btrieve Files. Due to the way
that NetSqueeze uses Btrieve, there would be a conflict when NetSqueeze
tried to decompress Btrieve files.

NOTE: If the requirements or installation of Btrieve prevents you from
deploying NetSqueeze, please let us know. We are considering a future
release of NetSqueeze which will not use Btrieve and will be able to
compress Btrieve files.


Command Line Utilities


These command line utilities are copied to the SYS:PUBLIC directory by
the installation program. To discover their exact syntax, type
/? at the DOS prompt.

NSFLAG.EXE - Utility for flagging files and directories for compression
by the NetSqueeze NLM. Flagging a file will make only that
file eligible for compression. Flagging a directory will make
all files within that directory eligible unless it is
superseded by a file flag.


NSDIR.EXE - Utility for doing a "directory" of compressed file to find
their compressed, and "natural" size.

NSEXPAND.EXE - Utility for uncompressing files from the command line.

NSRDRAW.EXE - Utility for reading files in their "raw", or uncompressed,
format. This is useful for copying compressed files to
floppy, local hard disks, or other servers.



Btrieve Installation Notes


NetSqueeze uses Btrieve as it's database layer for both the Console and
NLM. For this reason, it is necessary to run the Btrieve NLM at the file
server, and load the Btrieve Requester at the workstation when running the
NetSqueeze menu interface (NS). Since Btrieve is shipped with NetWare and is
required by many applications, this should cause no inconvenience.

If you don't have the Btrieve NLM loaded on your server, you can download
it from the BTRIEVE forum on CompuServe: Library section#3 (Current Upgrades),
file name BTR610.EXE. This is a self-extracting archive.

If Btrieve is already running on your file server, running the NETSQZ.NCF
to load the NetSqueeze NLM. There should be no need to reconfigure Btrieve
to support NetSqueeze as its needs are very minimal.

If Btrieve has never been loaded on your file server, it may be necessary
to create the BSTART.NCF file for Btrieve before loading NetSqueeze. This
can be done by loading the Btrieve Setup NLM at the file server ("LOAD
BSETUP"). Accepting the default configuration and exiting will create the
BSTART.NCF file and will allow the loading of Btrieve automatically by
NetSqueeze.



Technical Support Information

This general release beta is not supported through our standard technical
support channels. For technical support, please contact The LAN Support
Group, Inc. via our CompuServe forum, CompuServe Mail, Internet Mail, or
Fax at:

1. FAX: (713) 977-9111
2. Internet Mail: [email protected] or [email protected]
3. CompuServe Mail: 74171,246

If you need to download Btrieve for use with NetSqueeze, download the file
named BTR610.EXE from the BTRIEVE forum on CompuServe.

Thank you very much for contributing to the NetSqueeze Beta program! To
help make this product the best it can possibly be, please forward your
comments and suggestions back to the LAN Support Group (attn: Bill Kellogg).
We welcome all comments and suggestions whether positive or negative.

Your feedback is crucial to us!

Sincerely,

Eric Pulaski
President
The LAN Support Group, Inc.