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Introducing Hewlett-Packard Netstations

This chapter introduces the Hewlett-Packard family of Netstations. It describes how you can use HP Netstations to take full advantage of all of your network's computing capabilities. Topics in this chapter include:

What Exactly Is a Netstation?

A Netstation is a networked desktop graphics device that provides you with access to virtually all applications on your network. From a Netstation, you can access legacy programs on your mainframe computer, use your favorite PC applications (if your network includes the NTRIGUE Windows Application Server), access the Internet, and work with a variety of UNIX applications.

One of the benefits of using a Netstation is that you can take advantage of all the resources on your network including CPU, disk space, and backup storage units. Some HP Netstations also include advanced workstation features such as audio, a local floppy drive, and high-speed networking.

The HP Family of Netstations

The Hewlett-Packard Family of Netstations includes: HP Netstation Software provides all models of HP Netstations with the functionality to operate effectively and seamlessly on the network. You can install this software on HP, Sun, or IBM systems according to your particular host environment.

What Applications Can I Run?

Since your HP Netstation is a fully networked device, you can run any application on any host on your network. For example, if your network includes the NTRIGUE Windows Application Server, you can run PC-based applications from your Netstation.

You can also access legacy applications from your corporate mainframe computer. HP Netstation Software includes a number of local terminal emulators that make it easy to work in your favorite terminal emulation mode.

In addition, since your Netstation is a high-performance graphics station, it is ideal for Internet or Intranet applications, and both host-based and local UNIX clients.


Applications You Can Run on an HP Netstation

Local and Remote Applications

A Netstation can display host-based applications that run on one of your host computers (for example, you may choose to run the Common Desktop Environment (CDE) window manager from your HP, Sun, or IBM host). You can also run local applications directly on your Netstation. Local applications (also called local clients) are programs that are downloaded from the host server and run on the Netstation itself. For example, to save host resources, you may wish to run a local version of the CDE window manager (CDE Lite).

HP Netstation Software includes the following types of local clients:

How Does a Netstation Operate on the Network?

When you network your HP Netstations together with the host servers on your network, you give all users access to all of the devices and processing power on the network.

Users of HP Netstations can access any application on any host that is compliant with the X Window System.

A typical network environment consists of the following components:


Netstations In a Network

Using Your Network Most Effectively

Depending upon your processing requirements, you can have any number of host servers on your network. HP Netstations may use several different servers. For example:
Server
Function
File Server
The file server is the computer that provides the Netstation with the files it requires (for example, the fonts and the X server file).
Name Server
The name server (or "domain name server") is the computer that resolves host names into their corresponding IP (Internet Protocol) addresses.
Boot Server
The boot server is the computer that responds to the Netstation's DHCP or BOOTP request and sends the Netstation its configuration information. By default, the boot server is also the file server.
Login Server
The login server is a computer that runs an X session manager such as XDM, HP VUE, or dtlogin. By default, the file server is also the login server.
Font Server
A font server is not a computer, but is a program running on the host computer. It creates fonts as needed, rather than having the Netstation store the various font styles, sizes, and weights in separate bitmap files.
One host server can provide one, a few, or all of the above services.

What Hardware Accessories Can I Add to My Netstation?

With Hewlett-Packard Netstations, you can add various accessories to your base unit as you need them.

Floppy Drive

If you have an HP ENVIZEX II Netstation, you may already have an optional floppy drive installed, or you can order the floppy kit and install one later. With the floppy drive, you can transfer files quickly and easily between the DOS and UNIX environments. For more information, see Using the Floppy Drive.

Audio

You can also install an audio kit that allows you to use the audio components available in many applications. For HP ENVIZEX II Netstations, the audio kit supports telephone input and output. For more information, see Using Audio.

Flash DIMM Cards

The flash DIMM card allows you to use an HP Netstation remotely (over a serial line) without having to download files from the host. The flash DIMM card contains a subset of HP Netstation Software, sufficient to support basic Netstation operations.

You can install additional flash DIMM cards in the DIMM slots just as easily as you would install additional memory. For more information, see Using a Flash DIMM.

HP Netstation Software includes a Flash File Manager (ffm) local client that you can use to reprogram the flash DIMM cards with additional software or updates as required. For more information, see Using Flash File Manager.

Network Cards

Your Netstation comes with a 10BaseT Ethernet port. You can also install:

If you do not install a 100VG card or a ThinLAN/AUI card, you can install a second 100BaseT card.

Additional Memory

As your requirements grow, you can add additional memory modules in the available DIMM slots (up to 96 MB in total). For details, refer to Adding More Memory.

Additional Devices

You can also attach some devices directly to your Netstation, including serial or parallel printers or plotters. For details, refer to Using a Local Printer or Plotter. For information about serial devices, refer to Setting Up Other Input Devices.

What's New in HP Netstation Software 9.0?

HP Netstation Software release 9.0 contains:

New Software Features

The following advanced software features apply to HP ENVIZEX II and HP ENTRIA II Netstations only.

Java Runtime Environment

HP Netstation Software 9.0 includes a Java Runtime Environment (JRE) that lets you run any Java program from your HP Netstation. You can run Java applications and applets from the command line, or launch them from the Java console screen. With the HP Netstation Software JRE, you can run any Java program that conforms to the 100% Pure Java specification. For more information about Java support in HP Netstation Software 9.0, refer to Using Java Applications.

Local Browser Support

HP Netstation Software 9.0 supports the optional Navio Navigator for HP Netstations product. This is a local-client web browser that has been specifically designed for the Netstation environment. The Navio Navigator for HP Netstations product is based upon Netscape Navigator 3.0 and provides the look and feel of other popular web browsers. For more information about the Navio Navigator for HP Netstations product, refer to the following HTML document: 
/opt/hpxt/enware2/Navio_3.0/doc/html/hpnav.html

Windows NT Support

Starting with HP Netstation Software 9.0, HP Netstations can boot from Microsoft Windows NT servers as well as UNIX servers. The HP Netstation Software family now consists of two separately orderable products:

Local Printing

HP Netstation Software 9.0 contains enhanced local printing support. The Netstation now supports standardized Berkeley LPD/LPR printing. This allows you to print to a local Netstation printer from a wider range of hosts.

New Hardware Support

100BaseT Support

The HP Netstation Software 9.0 software supports the optional 100BaseT card for HP ENVIZEX II Netstations. This card provides access to the latest high-speed networks. For more information about the 100BaseT card, refer to Using Hardware Accessories.

Continued Support For Previous Generation Hardware

HP ENTRIA, ENTRIA Plus, and ENVIZEX Support

HP Netstation Software 9.0 includes legacy support for HP ENTRIA, ENTRIA Plus, and ENVIZEX users. These users will continue uninterrupted at an HP Netstation Software 7.1 or ENWARE 7.0 level (ENWARE 7.0 was formerly known as ENWARE X Station Software 7.0).

For HP ENTRIA, ENTRIA Plus, and ENVIZEX users, the only change from the previous release concerns Netstation administration. When you install HP Netstation Software 9.0, it replaces the previous version of the Netstation administration script (xtadm). By working with the new (9.0) version of xtadm, you can manage both newer and older Netstations with one centralized administration tool.

The HP Netstation Software 7.1 Technical Reference manual is shipped with HP Netstation Software 9.0, in both PCL and PostScript formats and installed in the /opt/hpxt/enware2/share/doc directory. The file name for the 7.1 manual is TECHREF7; the file name for the 9.0 manual is TECHREF.

HP 700/RX Support

HP Netstation Software 9.0 includes legacy support for HP 700/RX users. HP 700/RX users will continue uninterrupted at an ENWARE 6.0 level.

Where Should I Go from Here?

If you have not yet installed HP Netstation Software 9.0 on your host system, review the installation guide that came with the CD-ROM or tape media.

If you have new Netstations to add to your network and you have already installed the software, refer directly to Adding HP Netstations to Your Network.

If you want to customize existing Netstations, refer directly to Customizing Your Netstations. 

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