2 — Installation and Basic Operation

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This chapter presents information on Commander installation and basic operation. It contains the following sections:

• Commander Prerequisites (Section 2.1)
  
• Understanding Commander Licensing (Section 2.2)
  
• Installing or Upgrading Commander (Section 2.3)
  
• Starting Commander (Section 2.4)
  
• Exiting Commander (Section 2.5)

• Gradient PC-DCE™ for Windows NT/95 Version 2.1 Runtime

  Commander requires the services of the PC-DCE™ for Windows NT/95 Runtime Kit (Version 2.1 or higher). The light-weight client configuration (no daemons configured) of the PC-DCE 2.1 runtime is sufficient to support Commander. Verify that the PC-DCE 2.1 runtime is properly configured into an existing DCE cell before attempting to use Commander.

  NOTE: If you are upgrading your Commander installation from Version 2.0.x, Gradient recommends that you install the PC-DCE Version 2.1 runtime directly over your existing PC-DCE Version 2.0.x runtime. This will make it possible for you to re-use your already installed Commander Version 2.0.x license to run Commander Version 3.1.

  For complete information on how to install and configure the PC-DCE Version 2.1 runtime, see the on-line PC-DCE for Windows NT/95 Installation and Release Notes. These are available both on the Gradient CD-ROM and the Gradient web site (http://www.gradient.com).

• The Microsoft Management Console

  Commander works within the framework of the Microsoft Management Console (MMC). You can install this console from the Gradient CD-ROM using one of the following methods:

  • Use the Gradient CD-ROM's HTML-based installation interface to run the MMC installation program. Use a java-enabled browser to open index.htm on the CD, select Extras, then select MMC.

  • Run the MMC installation program directly by launching
    <CD drive>:\extras\immc.exe.

  NOTE: MMC requires Windows NT version 4.0.

• Commander License

  You must install a Commander license before you can access Commander functionality. Read Section 2.2 for complete information on how to obtain and install a Commander license.

Gradient provides the Commander license you purchased as a file on media separate from the Gradient distribution CD. If you have not already obtained a Commander license or if you want to purchase additional licenses, contact your Gradient sales representative at (800) 525-4343 or send e-mail to info@gradient.com. Gradient will create the licenses and return them to you in a file called a license pack.

For ease of recognition, license pack files that you receive directly from Gradient are always named licpack.lic. Names of license pack files provided by third-party redistributors of NetCrusader products may differ.

NOTE: If you are upgrading to Commander Version 3.0 from Commander Version 2.0.x or Commander Version 3.x beta, you can re-use your existing Commander license.

2.2.1 Making Licenses Available on a Network

1. Copy the license pack file to a location that is accessible from all machines on which you will be installing Commander. You will be prompted for drive and pathname during the installation procedure.

2. Assign read attributes to the license pack file for all installers.

   If you install the license pack file on a Windows NT system, you can use File Manager to change file attributes. Choose the file and then select the Properties command under the File menu. Deselect the Read Only checkbox, then click OK.

2.3 Installing or Upgrading Commander

1. Shut down all Windows applications (including Windows system applications such as the Control Panel) that may currently be running on your system.

2. Insert the Gradient distribution CD into your drive.

3. Start the Commander setup program using one of the following methods:
   • Use the Gradient CD-ROM's HTML-based installation interface. Use a java-enabled browser to open index.htm on the CD, then click the NetCrusader Commander install link.

   • Run the Commander installation program directly by launching
     <CD drive>:\winnt\webccom\setup.

   Follow the on-screen prompts.

   NOTE: The Setup program prompts you to specify the location of your Commander license. If you do not want to install a license, you can cancel the licensing operation and the installation will still complete successfully. However, you will not be able to access Commander functionality until you install a license. For more information on licensing, refer to Section 2.2 on page 4

MMC lets you save console settings in a named document. You may also start Commander by launching a named document containing saved configuration settings. Consult the MMC documentation for details.

2.4.1 Logging Into NetCrusader

When you first start Commander, if you do not have login credentials Commander automatically prompts you to log in. To log in manually in order to refresh or change your credentials, select Action > Login.

Commander prompts you to enter your username and password:

2.4.2 Commander Screen Elements

Each cell contains three basic folders (Users, Groups and Objects) which represent the fundamental management components of that cell. Using these folders, administrators can modify all users and groups available in the cell, and manage access permissions for NetCrusader and CDS namespace objects.

Similar to the Windows File Explorer program, the Commander frame is a split window consisting of the following two panes:

• Scope Pane - The left pane of the Commander window containing the tree-formatted listing of all visible nodes (the node tree). Each node represents a manageable object, task, or view. As with File Explorer, the scope pane only displays objects that may be expanded. Leaf objects (and folders) are always displayed in the Results Pane.

• Results Pane - The right pane of the Commander window which displays the result of selecting a node from within the Scope Pane.

  
  

.

The buttons in the second section of this toolbar are specific to NetCrusader, as described below:

• Login - Displays the Login dialog. Although this button is always visible in the toolbar, logins are disabled when the selected object is parent to the cell folder since a NetCrusader login must be for a specified cell. Thus, you cannot log in from the NetCrusader Management snap-in level.

  See Section 2.4.1 for more information about logging into NetCrusader.

• Refresh - Refreshes the display of both the Scope and Results panes. You may also use this button to refresh your DCE credentials after logging in under a new user identity.

• New User - Displays the dialog for creating new users. Although this button is always visible in the toolbar, it may only be enabled from the cell folder and down since user accounts are created for a specific cell.

  See Chapter 3 for details on creating new user accounts.

• New Group - Displays the dialog for creating new groups. Although this button is always visible in the toolbar, it may only be enabled from the cell folder and down since groups are created for a specific cell.

  See Chapter 4 for details on creating new groups.

• Licensing' - Displays the NetCrusader License Usage screen. This button is only visible when you are at the snap-in level. Select the NetCrusader Management folder to display this button.

  See Chapter 3 regarding how to monitor NetCrusader license usage.

• Edit - Displays an edit box for entering the name of a user or group for which Commander should display properties. The edit box is a scaling feature that facilitates Commander operation in large cell environments. For more information on scaling features, refer to Chapter 5.

• About - Displays version information for NetCrusader Management.

2.5 Exiting Commander

If you click Yes, Commander records exactly where you are in the tree and saves this information to the snap-in (.MSC) file. The next time you start Commander, you will be placed in this same position.

If you click No, Commander terminates without saving your changes. The next time you start commander you will be placed at the snap-in level.

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Copyright © 1997, 1998 Gradient Technologies, Inc.

Last Modified on June 19, 1998.