January 8, 1996
                                
                NETWARE OPERATING SYSTEM PATCHES

Anyone that has called Novell Technical Support with a SERVER problem has been asked if they
have the patches loaded.  This document will address what the patches are and why Novell insists
they be loaded on your File Server.  There is also a Q/A of the most commonly asked questions
about the patches.

The patches fix minor bugs in the SERVER.EXE code, they do not re-architect the code.
They will fix many problems that an unpatched server may have and will keep the server up
longer.  All OS patches should be loaded for the respective OS, no exceptions.

Some Novell customers are nervous to load any OS patches unless they are assured that it fixes
their exact problem, and then they will only load that specific patch.   Since version 3.12 and
above Novell has  architected the patches to work together and therefore ALL patches should be
loaded. 

In order to get your critical server issues resolved in a timely manner, load ALL the patches before calling Novell Technical Support.

that a problem is fixed with a specific patch. 


  Who should load the OS patches?

  EVERYONE.


  Why should the OS patches be loaded?

  The OS patches contained in the "PT"  patch kits fix known problems with the
  SERVER.EXE file.  NOT loading these patches leaves the server exposed to known
  problems.


  Why should ALL OS patches be loaded?

  The OS patches for 3.12 and the 4.x versions of NetWare have been engineered to work
  together, unlike the 3.11 patches.  The 3.11 patches are being re-engineered to function the
  same way.  Without all of the patches loaded the system is exposed to known problems that
  have already been fixed.


  What is the LSWAP.NLM and LSWAP.EXE in the 4.10 patch kit?

  The LSWAP is a utility used to exchange the LOADER.EXE contained in the patch kit with
  the one contained in the SERVER.EXE.  The new LOADER fixes various problems with PCI
  machines as well as other types of machines.  It is considered a patch and needs to be loaded. 
  Read the Readme file in the patch kit for an explanation of how to exchange the LOADER. 
  Running LSWAP will update the SERVER.EXE and cause it to get the current date and have
  a slightly larger size.


  If the Server is running fine, should the OS patches still be loaded?

  Yes.  This will avoid known problems with the SERVER.EXE.  This will also place you one
  step ahead in the troubleshooting process.  If you call Novell Support with a server problem
  the first thing they are going to have you do is load the patch kits.  Having ALL the patches
  loaded will expedite the troubleshooting process.


  What are the ramifications of loading only specific OS patches?

  When only loading specific patches, you are only fixing part of the problems. This still leaves
  the server susceptible to other known problems.  When troubleshooting a server problem with
  Novell Technical Support,  you will be asked to load the remainder of the patches, including
  the IT patches.   Loading both the PT and IT files will make your server more stable and allow
  Novell Technical Support to solve your critical server problem in a timely manner.


 
  How much memory do the OS patches take when loaded?

  With the amount of memory today's servers have the patches take up an insignificant amount
  of memory. Loading the 410PT2 and 410IT5 patch kits take up 400 KB of memory.  A very
  small price to pay for server stability.


  Do the OS patches affect performance?

  Yes.  They allow your server to stay up.  Some patches are specifically designed to improve
  Server performance.


  All the patches have been loaded on the server and now it is ABENDing.  What went
  wrong?

  Troubleshoot the problem not the symptom.  The PATCHES DO NOT CAUSE
  PROBLEMS, THEY FIX THEM.  If there is a problem with a patch causing a server to
  ABEND it will be fixed long before they get into the patch files.  OS patches
  are loaded on Novell corporate server as well as Test servers throughout Novell before they
  go into the PT kits  Where are the PT and IT files located?

  The Patch Kit files can be downloaded from either CompuServe or the Internet

NOVELL REQUIRES THE PT FILES BE LOADED ON THE
SERVER BEFORE ANALYZING A CORE DUMP OR TROUBLESHOOTING
UTILIZATION OR ABENDING ISSUES.  

IN ADDITION, ON 4.X SERVERS THE
MEMORY PARAMETERS "ALLOW INVALID POINTERS", "READ FAULT
EMULATION" AND "WRITE FAULT EMULATION" NEED TO BE SET TO "OFF" 
BEFORE ANALYZING A CORE DUMP OR TROUBLESHOOTING UTILIZATION OR
ABENDING ISSUES.