Windows NT Server 4.0 Administration Notes


Module 10: Monitoring Network Resources

Server Manager:

You can do these things:

  • View a list of connected users.
  • View and administer shared resources.
  • View open resources
  • Send messages to connected users.
  • Create a list of users that will receive Windows NT System alerts.

Who can user Server Manager?

A member of these groups Can Administer
Administrators or
Server Operators for the selected domain
The servers and workstations in the selected domain
Administrators or
Power Users for the selected computer
Member servers or workstations

 The following info appears in Server Manager:

  • Computer name and operating system version
  • An icon indicating whether computer is PDC, BDC, server or workstation.
  • If a computer is not running, the icon appears dimmed.
  • Description configured by user.

If selecting View menu you can choose to see only workstation, servers or all. If you double click on a computer name the Properties for computer_name dialog box appears:

  • Sessions--> number of remotely connected users
  • Open Files--> number of shared resources opened on computer
  • File Locks--> number of file locks by users on computer
  • Open Named Pipes--> number of named pipes opened on computer

There are also 5 buttons:

  • Users; you can:
    • View users connected over network
    • Files opened by users
    • Disconnect users (Disconnect/Disconnect All)

    In "User Sessions on server_name following info:

Item Description
Connected Users The user name of a connected user
Computer The name of the computer where the user is logged on
Opens The number of resources the user has open on this computer
Time The time elapsed since this session was established
Idle The time elapsed since the user last accessed the resource
Guest Whether this user has guest status on the computer

Disconnecting Users

You can disconnect one or all connected users to

  • Immediately apply changes made to group memberships, and to shared folders and NTFS permissions (users must log on again for these changes to take effect)
  • Free idle connections on an NT Workstation computer ( Win NT Workstation only allows 10 incoming network connections)
  • Shut down a server
  • Shares button provides a list of shared resources and a box for connected users;
    • Can be used to
      • disconnect users and
      • determine or the maximum number of connected users is reached. This may be one reason a user can't connect to a share
      • Shared Resources on server_name dialog box contents are:
        • Share name
        • Uses --> number of connections to shared resources
        • Path
        • Connected Users --> names
        • Time --> the time elapsed since the first user connected to this resource
        • In Use --> currently opened files
  • In Use button provides a list of the users connected to a shared resource and the opened files. Use this button to:
  • Determine if a file is in use
  • Close a file (Close Resource/Close All Resources)
    • If changes to NTFS permissions have been made, closing the file, then reopening will make those changes immediately effective.

Open Resources on server_name dialog box:

  • Open Resources --> total number of open resources
  • File Locks
  • Opened by --> user name who opened the resource
  • For--> granted permissions when the resource was opened
  • Locks--> number of locks on the resource by that user
  • Path
  • Replication button
  • Alerts button
    • Is used to create a list of users or computers that should receive an alert when there are Windows NT Operating System problems;( e.g. security and access problems, user session problems printer problems
    • you can just Add or Remove computer_name.
    • Alerts are generated ONLY by the Windows NT Alerter Service, NOT application programs

 Sending Messages to Users:

  • In Computer menu of the Server Manager select Send Message. Type message and click OK.
  • The Messenger must be running. It is started by default.
  • Win95 clients must be running WinPopUp.exe to receive messages.

Viewing a System Configuration:

First you should start Windows NT Diagnostics which contains the following tabs:

  1. Version--> operating system information
  2. System--> ROM BIOS and CPU information
  3. Display--> info about video driver and adapter
  4. Drives--> available drives and their types
  5. Memory--> info about physical and virtual memory
  6. Services--> services listed in the CurrentControlSet
  7. Resources--> active devices and details about each resource including IRQ, DMA, memory and I/O port info (buttons)
  8. Environment--> environment variables for the process environment (same as typing "set" at command prompt)
  9. Network--> network-related configuration information
NOTE
You can also view and print the diagnostics for another computer in a multiple domain environment.

 


E-mail Me! Comments and suggestions? E-mail me at grantwil@sk.sympatico.ca
Last Updated: Wednesday, March 10, 1999 Grant Wilson, Tisdale, SK. Canada