NetWare Client for DOS and MS Windows User Guide

2-5
Understanding the NetWare Client Software
The NetWare DOS Requester Architecture
The NetWare DOS Requester Architecture
The NetWare DOS Requester consists of a group of files that provide
NetWare support for DOS and MS Windows client workstations. These files
consist of a number of Virtual Loadable Module™ (VLM) files and a single
executable file (VLM.EXE) which manages operation of the .VLM files.
Full understanding of the NetWare DOS Requester architecture requires you
to understand these components, as discussed in the following sections:
• Three-Layer Structure
• VLM Manager
• Connection Table Manager
• Backwards Compatibility with NETX Applications
• File and Print Services
• Memory Usage
See “NetWare DOS Requester Option” in Chapter 2, “NET.CFG Options
Reference,” in NetWare Client for DOS and MS Windows Technical
Reference for information on configuring this option for optimizing your
client workstations.
Three-Layer Structure
The .VLM files are grouped into the following three layers:
• DOS Redirection Layer
• Service Protocol Layer
• Transport Protocol Layer
The following figure shows how these layers and modules fit together.
Individual pieces are discussed in further detail in the sections that follow.