One of the best features of this software is it can receive and share
NT-foreign media. Because DiscPort supports International Standards Organization
(ISO) 9660, High Sierra, Rockridge, and Macintosh HFS CD-ROM formats, and has an
NFS mount point available, it can support Microsoft, File and Print Services for
NetWare (FPNW), NFS, and Macintosh networks simultaneously. This ability is
ideal for multiplatform distributed environments. The software can also manage
multisession discs (e.g., Macintosh and Windows applications on one disc)
without difficulty.
As with most applications, one program contains most of the functionality,
while the others support it. In DiscPort Executive, CDexplorer, shown in
Screen 1, is the management utility. The Control Panel applet, DiscPort
Executive Configuration, configures hardware (including jukeboxes), queues
performance parameters, and tracks event log filtering. The Media Manager and
CDstatus utilities deal directly with the media.
CDstatus provides a tree view of all servers available to DiscPort
Executive, the media within, and their respective share properties and
availability. This utility is where you can add or remove servers from
DiscPort's jurisdiction. The Media Manager lets administrators create or build
FastCDs, search for titles, and lock or unlock standalone drives so that users
cannot physically remove CD-ROMs from a drive without Administrator permission.
After using the software for a while, you will appreciate its effectiveness
in sharing CD-ROMs across a network (and with other networks), the well
thought-out folder structures, and the integrated security. But there's more.
The recent addition of DiscPort Launch makes the package even better. This group
of executables automate the launching of applications across networks, including
the Web. By installing the DiscPort Launch software on the DiscPort server, you
can give users access to applications through a small number of DLLs on the
client machine. The actual program runs in a share residing on the server.
This capability can provide an excellent way for an online software
repository to let users try a title before they buy or download it. Similarly, a
software company using this technology for beta testing can considerably reduce
the debugging cycle by performing quick fixes in realtime for all testers
involved with the project. In both of these instances, the ability to quickly
exchange discs for new projects can be an invaluable time-saver.
If you must keep CD-ROM data current and available to users across the room
or across the ocean, DiscPort Executive might be your solution. However, with
the dropping price of hard disks, why would you need such a battery of CD-based
information? One SCSI hard disk can hold more information than current CD-ROM
technology and deliver this information much faster. Perhaps using DiscPort
Executive to create numerous virtual CD-ROMs is the best use of this technology.