>We have a multi user FoxPro system running on Novell netware with 30 users and we are constantly getting index problems where we need to reindex or even create a new version of a table and append all the records from the original.
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>Is anyone else experiencing these problems, if so, how have you solved them.
Problems with Novell systems vary widely, and seem to follow patterns according to the type of NetWare server and the client software in use. In order to do anything more than guess, you'll need to clarify the environment - NetWare version, operating systems in use on the workstations, what NetWare client is in use and how the client is configured will help isolate the problem. Novell has lots of entries in their KBase about problems with netWare and database products (not just VFP) so you might want to check there.
Some general guidelines; most of my major headaches have been with IntraNetWare and NetWare 4.x installations. I see more problems with people using the Novell-supplied Client32 than with the MS-supplied Client for NetWare; unfortunately, many people choose to use the Client32 stuff (it offers performance advantages in some environments, and a prettier interface, and better integration with NDS), and Novell did a lousy job of creating their uninstall - so bad that if you're running Client32 and want to try switching to the MS Client, you'd better think about reinstalling the operating system.
People tend to create their own problems, too, by selecting aggressive, performance-oriented options in the Client32 configuration. Local caching of network files and Packet Burst have been tied pretty conclusively to some data corruption issues, and the really bad news is that if even one station accessing the shared databases use these selections, the problems ripple through all the stations on the network. there are also known problems with the use of Novell's server-based file compression; if you've enabled file compression on the server, there's essentially nothing you can do to fix the problem, short of doing some server reconfiguration, removing compression from the affected volumes, and never re-enabling it.
Physical network problems or flakey workstations can do this, too - if you find that stations are locking up while runing your app, requiring you to reboot without cleanly exiting from the application, sooner or later you'll see corruption - probably sooner. If the network is dropping connections intermittently, the same thing applies. NIC and NIC driver problems, especially at the server are another frequent cause. Noisy cable plants that result in corrupted packets, requiring frequent retransmissions and causing packet timeouts as well.
At a minimum, clarify the network version, server and workstation configuration and someone might be able to speak in other than generalities. I'd strongly recommend checking Novell's site for clues, too.
