Ninfo 0.9A
Network Information

Margaret Johnson, 3/91

Summary
-------
Ninfo is a Windows 3.0 application that gets network information from
up to 15 servers using Lan Manager 2.0 APIs and passes this information
at defined intervals onto an Excel worksheet via DDE. It also allows
viewing of NetServerGetInfo and NetServerDiskEnum info for each server.

* WARNING: This is an alpha release, I have had no debugging input.

Features
--------
o Up to 15 servers can be sampled at the same time. Servers are chosen
in one of two ways:
1. if the Settings/Use Defaults... option is checked
(ie: use_serverlist = 1 under [settings] in Ninfo.ini), Ninfo
will use the servers listed under the [settings] servers= line in
Ninfo.ini
2. if the Settings/Use Defaults... option is not checked, Ninfo will
use NetServerEnum2() to determine available servers.
o Information is surveyed by Ninfo at sampling intervals defined
by the user.
o The user can choose to sample at an interval the following server
statistics (which statististics is set via the Settings/Which Stats
options):
o Bytes Received
o Bytes Sent
o Sessions Timed Out
o Dropped Sessions
o Sessions Started
o Access Permission Errors
o Password Violations
o System Errors
o Time Since Stats Were Cleared
o # of Opened Files
o # of Named Pipes
o # of SQL User Connections
o # Times Big Buffer Unavailable
o # Failed Request Buffers
o # of Character Device Opens
o # of Spooled Print Jobs
o Jump to server location on worksheet by hitting the CTRL+J keys
when in Ninfo.xls.
o Results can optionally be saved to a worksheet. The user can choose
to save just the sampling information, or sampling information plus
information from NetServerGetInfo() plus NetServerDiskEnum().
(Option: File/Capture to a worksheet).
o Information can be accumulated cumulatively or cleared after
each sampling (Option: Settings/Cumulative, NOTE: This is a toggle item).
o The number of rows used on the worksheet to record the sampling
intervals can be set by the user (Option: Settings/Number of Intervals).
o The user can select which servers to gather statistics from
(Option: Settings/Which Servers).
o The user can choose to get the servers list from NetServerEnum2() or
from directly typing them in (Option: Settings/Use Default NOTE: This
is a toggle item).
o The user can request display of a dialog box that contains server
information gathered from NetServerDiskEnum() and NetServerGetInfo(),
to include:
o version
o type (SQL, primary DC, backup DC, time, Apple, Novell)
o comment
o max number of users
o time until a session will be autodisconnected
o security level (share or user)
o whether auditing is enabled
o number of admins
o net announce rate
o guest account name
o pathname to the users directories
o max comm queues
o max comm jobs
o max connections to a share
o max shares
o max opened files
o max comm devices that can be shared
o max files per session
o number of VCs per client
o max simultaneous requests
o max open searches
o number of 64k server buffers
o number of server file tasks
o number of invalid logon attempts
o alert interval
o number of KB assigned for disk alert
o number of invalid file accesses
o network I/O error rate
o max audit file size
o server heuristics bits
o available disk drives
o Uses functions supplied by the DDELib DLL to access DDE. DDELib
makes DDE access from Windows apps written in C a snap. It takes
care of the smell and the mess, ie: flag settings, memory management,
and the DDE event loop (both client and server). DDELib was written
by Horizon. Horizon is a group of Windows and OS/2 consultants.
To get more information on their services (eg: DDE over the net,
Windows and TCP/IP, etc.) call John Hauch at (517) 347-0800.

Example session:
----------------
>>>>>>Installation:
1. Copy the files:
o Ninfo.exe
o Ninfo.xls
o Ninfo.xlm
o Ninfo.ini (PLEASE COPY THIS FILE TO YOUR WINDOWS SUBDIRECTORY)
2. Log onto a network where you have server operator or admin rights to
one or more servers.
3. Execute Ninfo.exe from within Windows.
4. Ninfo displays an ugly little Window that allows you to:
o File/Capture to a Worksheet:
o save the profiles to a worksheet
o enter the directory path where worksheet should be saved to
o enter a worksheet name to save results to
o save the entered directory and worksheet name to the Ninfo.ini
file as defaults.
o Settings/Which Stats:
o Choose which server statistics to gather.
o Set the settings as the default in the Ninfo.ini file.
o Settings/Use Default:
o Allows the user to set the names of the servers that Ninfo
should get information on.
o Settings/Which Servers:
o Displays a list of Servers from which the user can
choose to gather stats on.
o Settings/Time Between Sampling:
o Choose the interval time between sampling.
o Save the interval time as the default in the Ninfo.ini file.
o Settings/Number of Intervals
o Choose the number of intervals until the results recycle on
top of the cells in the Ninfo.xls worksheet.
o Settings/Cumulative:
o Calculate cumulative statistics or clear stats
after each sampling.
o Server Profiles:
NOTE: This is a dynamic menu item based on the server names
chosen under Settings/Which server and Settings/Use Default.
5. Set options, Punch Start. If this is the first time you have run Ninfo,
Ninfo needs to know:
o Where Ninfo.xlm is located
o Where Ninfo.xls is located
o Where Excel.exe is located
6. Ninfo will launch Excel and load Ninfo.xlm, the worksheet to save results
to (if File /Worksheet... is toggled), and Ninfo.xls. NOTE: Ninfo.xlm
and worksheet are hidden.
7. Results will be written to Ninfo.xls. NOTE: To hop to the start of a
server's result, hit the CTRL+J keys.

8. To close Ninfo:
a. Minimize Excel
b. Double Click on the Ninfo icon.
c. Punch Stop
1. If the user has chosen to save results to a file, the Excel
icon will start flashing. Double click on the Excel icon.
Excel will then ask the user if he wishes to save any opened
worksheets or charts.


WARNING * WARNING * WARNING * WARNING * WARNING * WARNING *

This is really an alpha release, I have had absolutely no time to debug.

Please, please, please report bugs, comments for performance or feature
improvements to:

Margaret Johnson
CIS: 74706,2325

Let me know!!!


Margaret
Margaret JohnsonNinfo{DATE|2/1/91}