Introduction

Welcome to AUGSOFT'S ODBC ROUTER. This service runs transparently in the background on Windows NT/2K/XP to provide network access to the ODBC data sources on your server. Client applications running on Macintosh, Windows and Linux transparently connect with these data sources using AUGSOFT'S ODBC OverDRIVER, Application Plugins or ODBCSDK. This document will take you on a quick tour of your new system and how to use it.

About Windows NT/2000

To use ODBC ROUTER in your existing environment, you must run Windows NT 4.0 (with Service Pack 6a and the latest SRP) or Windows 2000 (Service Pack 2 recommended). Your machine will also need Microsoft's 32-bit ODBC Driver Manager (found in the Control Panel on NT or in the Administrator's Control Panel on 2000) as well as your database vendor's ODBC driver.

For customers setting up their first Windows NT/2000 system, AUGSOFT recommends purchasing a pre-configured machine such as the Dell PowerEdge. Those unfamiliar with Windows database software should also consider teaming with a consultant to perform the installation of your database system's client libraries and ODBC drivers on the Windows NT/2000 system. Once your system is online and can connect to your database, installation of the ODBC ROUTER (which extends the connection to networks of Macs and PCs) should require less than 15 minutes with virtually no ongoing maintenance.

Quick Installation

Installation and configuration of your ODBC ROUTER is accomplished by running the provided ORSETUP.EXE application from an MS-DOS command shell or from the Windows Start Menu. Other than providing an installation password and selecting the directory where you would like to store the ODBC ROUTER, operation of ORSETUP.EXE is completely automated.

After ORSETUP.EXE completes, only a simple product registration procedure is necessary to complete the final installation of your server (see License Management Facility).

In certain specific circumstances, such as when you need to install more than one ODBC ROUTER in the same AppleTalk zone or when the TCP/IP ports used by the ODBC ROUTER are already in use by another NT service, some adjustments must be made to your configuration after the ORSETUP.EXE application completes. These network customizations are described in the section Customizing For Your Network.

License Management Facility

The licensing of your ODBC ROUTER system is based on the number of CPU chips (Pentium, AMD, etc..) in your server and the maximum number of simultaneous users of your server's data sources. If your motherboard has more CPU chips than have been authorized in your agreement with AUGSOFT, the ODBC ROUTER may log a warning to the NT Event-Log and shutdown. Likewise, the ODBC ROUTER may refuse to accept additional connections beyond the count which has been previously authorized. When ODBC ROUTER denies service in this manner, end users are informed of a general network-error (not a license violation); however, a detailed explanation of the problem is written to the NT Event-Log.

Network Data Sources

With an ODBC ROUTER installed in the background on Windows NT, all of your server's system-wide data sources become network-wide data sources. Maintenance of these data sources is accomplished using the standard ODBC Applet accessed from the system's Control Panel or by entering the CONTROL ODBC command. (The ODBC Applet is installed as part of most major applications (such as Microsoft Office) and is always present in BackOffice based Windows NT servers.)

The System DSN panel of the ODBC 3.0 Data Source Administrator on Windows NT. When an ODBC ROUTER is present on your system, the data sources you maintain using the SystemDSN property-tab of this panel are accessible to your entire network.

After clicking Add you are presented with the actual list of available ODBC drivers which you can use when creating your new network data source. Consult the documentation supplied with your database management system for information on how to add its ODBC driver to this list and configure your System-Wide data sources to use it.

Client/Server Control

In general, ODBC ROUTER operates completely automatically, requiring no intervention on the part of your system administrators. However, full operational control of the ODBC ROUTER network server can be achieved through the standard Windows NT Services applet. This applet is normally invoked via the Windows NT Control Panel or by entering the CONTROL SERVICES command. ODBC ROUTER itself is built on the robust August Enterprise Services Hub platform which is automatically instegrated into your Windows NT environment during the initial one-step installation process.

System Control Panel

Windows NT Services Applet showing the August Enterprise Services Hub platform upon which ODBC ROUTER runs.

• Clicking Pause inhibits the system from accepting new user sessions.
• Clicking Stop terminates all user sessions at the end of their current transaction.
• Clicking Startup enables you to adjust system startup and security parameters.

Establishing Startup and Security Parameters

Windows NT Services Applet showing the startup and security parameters for the August Enterprise Services Hub.

Windows NT gives us these startup options:

• Automatically starting the ODBC ROUTER at system startup time. [default]
• Manually starting and stopping the ODBC ROUTER.
• Disabling all operation of the ODBC ROUTER.

Customizing For Your Network

New! ODBC Router now features the ability to disconnect inactive client sessions, thus freeing-up your concurrent usage licenses faster. This feature is enabled, by default, to allow for 15 minutes of inactivity. To adjust or disable this feature, please open an MS-DOS window and enter the new AUGWATCH command.

Under certain circumstances, it may be necessary or desireable to customize certain aspects of the ODBC ROUTER configuration for your network. This is accomplished by altering a few basic operational parameters in your System Registry.

CAUTION: If you are not comfortable with editing your system registry, or have not backed up your system registry lately, DO NOT attempt to adjust these (or any other application's) parameters. Corruption of your system registry can render your system non-bootable and require complete reinstallation of the operating system and all applications as well as reconfiguration of your system security, directory services and application/database settings. All customers running NT/2K in production should acquire and use the Microsoft Windows NT Resource Kit or Windows 2000 Resource Kit to periodically backup their system registry using REGBACK.EXE as well as keep a spare set of Emergency Repair Diskettes updated after every major system upgrade. (Note that this Microsoft procedure is 10X more important on NT4 than Windows 2000!)

The following ODBC ROUTER networking options may be changed using your server's REGEDT32.EXE (NT) or REGEDIT.EXE (W2K) facility. After making any changes to these parameters, you must RESTART (STOP and then START) your August Enterprise Services Hub service using the procedure described in the section entitled Client/Server Control.

• The default Internet (TCP/IP) port-number of 6110 (and 6111).
  If port number 6110 (and 6111) are in use by any other software on your server, you must adjust this parameter to a value between 2,000 and 9,999. Note that both the port you select and the port following it must be unique.
  Controlled by key: SOFTWARE->augsoft.com->AUGNET->INTERNET_PORT (hexadecimal).
• The default Internet (TCP/IP) connection-queue length.
  If you have many hundreds of users rapidly connecting and disconnecting from your August Enterprise Services Hub you may need to increase this parameter which controls the maximum number of connection-requests which can be pending on your hub at one time.
  Controlled by key: SOFTWARE->augsoft.com->AUGNET->INTERNET_CNXQLEN (hexadecimal).
• The default Internet (TCP/IP) buffer-size.
  If your users will transfer exceptionally large amounts of data in a single request and you are using a highly-reliable network technology (Ethernet, ATM, etc..), you may improve the performance of your hub by increasing this parameter. This parameter controls the number of bytes of memory allocated to the task of transfering a single request from the client to the server. Think of it as the "size of the bucket" used to transfer water between two pools. Using too small a bucket will cause your network to work harder. Using too large a bucket causes your server to work harder to lift that much water.
  Controlled by key: SOFTWARE->augsoft.com->AUGNET->INTERNET_BUFSIZE (hexadecimal).
• AppleTalk Parameters (for Microsoft BackOffice or Windows NT/2K Server Edition users)
  • The default AppleTalk node-name of "GEOHUB".
    If you have more than one August Enterprise Services Hub installed in the same AppleTalk Zone, you must change the AppleTalk node-name of each hub to remain unique.
    Controlled by key: SOFTWARE->augsoft.com->AUGNET->APPLETALK_NAME.
  • The default AppleTalk connection-queue length.
    If you have many hundreds of users rapidly connecting and disconnecting from your August Enterprise Services Hub you may need to increase this parameter which controls the maximum number of connection-requests which can be pending on your hub at one time.
    Controlled by key: SOFTWARE->augsoft.com->AUGNET->APPLETALK_CNXQLEN (hexadecimal).
  • The default AppleTalk buffer-size.
    If your users will transfer exceptionally large amounts of data in a single request and you are using a highly-reliable network technology (Ethernet, ATM, etc..), you may improve the performance of your hub by increasing this parameter. This parameter controls the number of bytes of memory allocated to the task of transfering a single request from the client to the server. Think of it as the "size of the bucket" used to transfer water between two pools. Using too small a bucket will cause your network to work harder. Using too large a bucket causes your server to work harder to lift that much water.
    Controlled by key: SOFTWARE->augsoft.com->AUGNET->APPLETALK_BUFSIZE (hexadecimal).

NT Event-Log Messages

The ODBC ROUTER software installed on your server is actually composed of three distinct components. The foundation layer is our cross-platform network transport system which we call AUGNET. Atop of this rides our incredibly powerful GEOHUB transaction management platform. The final layer is an ODBC adapter called ORLIB.

ODBC ROUTER layers work together seamlessly, transparent to users and administrators. However, for the purposes of logging status messages to your server's Event-Log, each individual platform has its own distinct base of event-codes, messages, and recommended corrective actions, presented below.

To view your server's application event-log, enter the EVENTVWR.EXE command and select Application from the Log menu.

By utilizing the standard Windows NT Event-Logging facilities, server administors are able to effectively manage multiple ODBC ROUTER systems from a single workstation on their network. This inherent capability of Windows NT/2K is further enhanced when combined with products such as Timbuktu for Windows by Netopia, Inc. or VNC.

Contacting Technical Support

Prior to contacting technical support, it is important to first obtain your GEOKEY number, if possible. This can be accomplished by looking at the bottom of your GEOKEY, your Packing Slip (for software-GEOKEYs) or, on some revisions, by entering the command AUGREG in an MS-DOS command-shell after your ODBC ROUTER has been installed and your GEOKEY has been attached.

• Via the WWW at http://www.augsoft.com/support
• Via e-mail to support-at-augsoft.com

Registering ODBC ROUTER

Note: The following applies to users of ODBC ROUTER systems that have hardware GEOKEYs. AUGSOFT is now shipping a software-GEOKEY system as well (featuring WindowsXP-like Product Activation) that is described at time of purchase (via automatic e-mail).

After you have sucessfully completed the installation of your ODBC ROUTER system and attached your server's GEOKEY device, you're ready to activate the system by entering your registration password. To obtain this password, locate your GEOKEY Number (printed on the GEOKEY itself). Next, connect to AUGSOFT's WWW site (from any computer) at www.augsoft.com/registration.shtml, and enter your GEOKEY Number when prompted. When you have retrieved your registration password, invoke the AUGREG command in an MS-DOS window on your ODBC ROUTER and enter it where prompted. Your ODBC ROUTER will now become fully operational.

ODBC ROUTER will continue to function for a factory preset number of days (typically 21) or until you repeat the above registration procedure to enter the permanent activation password for product number 1 using the AUGREG utility. ODBC ROUTER does not count any day on which it is not being used against your preset allocation. So, for example, if your ODBC ROUTER sits idle over the weekends, it will not impact your preset allocation. If the product is used beyond the number of days set at the factory without entering your permanent activation password, a warning message will be written to the NT Event-Log and the product will shutdown. It is not possible to extend your factory preset allocation without exchanging your GEOKEY device; however, after you have registered your ODBC ROUTER, you can determine the number of days remaining in your evaluation by re-invoking the AUGREG command and entering 1 when prompted for the product identification.

Permanent Authorization

AUGSOFT's internal automated billing system will generate your server's permanent activation password after processing the payment of your license fees. In general, this password will be available to you on-line (in the Registration section of our website) within 24 hours. Have your GEOKEY Number ready, as when you first registered your installation. Once you have obtained the Gateway 1 Permanent Activation Password on-line, you may enter it into your server by invoking the AUGREG command and entering 1 when prompted for the product identification. When permanent activation of your ODBC ROUTER has been completed, operation of the software product will be perpetual on any machine with the attached GEOKEY device. (There is no need to ever repeat the registration or permanent activation procedure if you re-install all of the software or move the GEOKEY to another server.)

Before your newly installed ODBC ROUTER can become operational, a GEOKEY must be installed on your server computer. GEOKEY's are very small devices manufactured in strict compliance with the ISO 9002 quality standards. The devices easily attach to the DB25F connector of any available parallel (printer) or USB port and hold critical information in between reboots and power failures of your server hardware.

• AUGSOFT recommends powering-off your server before attaching or detaching any cabling or peripherals.
• The GEOKEY device has a 25-pin connector. Attach the end of the key labeled ^COMPUTER^ to a parallel printer port of an IBM PC/XT/AT, PS/2, or true IBM-compatible computer. Tighten the screws to connect the key securely to the port.
• If a printer is connected to the computer, attach a shielded printer cable to the outside connector of the key.
• If the computer is close to a wall or another obstacle, you can attach an extension cable to the port, then attach the GEOKEY to the cable. Use a straight-through DB-25-male-to-DB-25-female cable.
• The GEOKEY device can be attached to any parallel port on the server.
• Multiple GEOKEY type devices can be connected to the same parallel port. Make sure the GEOKEY device supplied by AUGSOFT is the last key in the chain (farthest from the computer).
• After attaching the GEOKEY hardware and installing the ODBC ROUTER software, you must reboot your NT server at least one time or ODBC ROUTER will fail to operate properly.
• Your GEOKEY must remain attached to your NT server while ODBC ROUTER is in use. You may install ODBC ROUTER on many computers (as backups, for example), however, execution will only take place on a given computer in the presence of a properly attached GEOKEY.

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