Question:
We have a 250-user NetWare 3.12 installation. How can we effectively terminate inactive workstations?
Answer:
Here are the parameters that control how long an idle workstation is connected to the file server.
Number of Watchdog Packets: 10
Limits: 5 to 100
Description: The number of times the server will ask an inactive workstation if it is still attached to the file server, before terminating the workstation’s connection if no response has been received.
Delay Between Watchdog Packets: 59.3 seconds
Limits: 9.9 seconds to 10 minutes 26.2 seconds
Description: Amount of time the server will wait for an inactive workstation to reply to a watchdog packet, before asking the workstation again if it is still attached to the file server.
Delay Before First Watchdog Packet: 4 minutes 56.6 seconds
Limits: 15.7 seconds to 14 daysDescription: Amount of time the server will wait, without receiving a request from a workstation, before asking the workstation if it is still attached to the file server.
By judiciously modifying these values, you can manage inactive workstations. For instance, if you set the “number of watch dog packets” to 5 and reduce the “delay before first watchdog packet” to 60 seconds, and change the “delay between watchdog packets” to 30 seconds, here is what will happen to an inactive station:
| T | Station becomes inactive |
| T+60 | Server sends first watchdog packet. No response from workstation. |
| T+90 | Server sends second watchdog packet. No response from workstation. |
| T+120 | Server sends third watchdog packet. No response from workstation. |
| T+150 | Server sends fourth watchdog packet. No response from workstation. |
| T+180 | Server sends fifth watchdog packet. No response from workstation. Server terminates connection to workstation. |
