What is the purpose of the NCP "Name Service" in the Novell Client 2?

  • 7009126
  • 05-Aug-2011
  • 27-Apr-2012

Environment

Novell Client 2 for Windows 7

Situation

In the Novell Client 2 there is a Name Service called NCP.  This is seen by accessing the Novell Client Properties and clicking on the Name Services tab.

Resolution

The "NCP" name resolution method on Novell Client for Windows 7 actually performs something that was a hard-coded and non-optional behavior on the Novell Client for Windows XP. The "NCP" name resolution method is what ends up consulting the existing NCP connection table on the workstation to determine whether we already have a connection to a NCP server name or eDirectory tree name matching the name that is being requested for resolution.

On Novell Client for Windows XP/2003 this was a test always performed before handing off the name resolution request to perform "an actual name resolution attempt" (via DNS, SLP, or whatever was enabled). In the Novell Client for Windows 7 this is implemented as "just another name resolution method", at peer with SLP, DNS, etc., as another source of where "we know of an address for that name" may come from. 

It is not advisable to disable the"NCP" name resolution method in the Novell Client for Windows 7.