User Guide

Managing the NetWare Server 87
Server Operating System Administration Guide
103-000148-001
August 30, 2001
Novell Confidential
Manual 99a38 July 17, 2001
 Wait time limits control how rapidly the operating system can allocate a
new resource.
If resources become available, no new resources are allocated. If they
don’t become available within the time limit, new resources are allocated.
The time limit ensures that sudden, infrequent peaks of server activity
don’t permanently allocate unneeded resources.
Consider, for example, the allocation of directory cache buffers. If the
minimum number of directory cache buffers is set to 20, the system allocates
another buffer resource as soon as a request is made—until 20 cache buffers
have been allocated.
When 20 directory cache buffers are allocated, the system waits 2.2 seconds
(default) when a request comes in, and then allocates another buffer if the
request is still active.
However, if the minimum number of directory cache buffers is set to 40, the
system allocates 40 directory cache buffers before it starts slowing the growth
by waiting 2.2 seconds after each request.
Other Information and Statistics to Monitor
Common maintenance tasks also include the following:
 Checking Server Error Logs (page 97)
 Checking Disk Drives (page 97)
 Reviewing Server Cache Statistics (page 97)
 Checking Free Space on Server Disks and Volumes (page 98)
 Reviewing User Accounts (page 98)
 Testing the Uninterruptible Power Supply (page 98)
Displaying Server Alerts
You can enable the server to display alert messages under various conditions,
such as when NLM programs fail to relinquish control of a processor. Many
alerts are controlled by server parameters that set a threshold when the alert
will be generated. By default, whenever an alert is received, a bell also sounds.
To turn the bell sound off, set the following server parameter in the
Miscellaneous category: