Server name-to-address resolution over NetBIOS

When an IBM® Notes® workstation or IBM Domino® server running NetBIOS tries to connect to a Domino server, the initiating system offers the destination server's common name to the NetBIOS name service, which then broadcasts that name and its associated network address over the NetBIOS network.

For information on how the Notes Name Service works with name-resolver services such as the NetBIOS name service, see Resolving server names to network addresses in NRPC in the related links.

When you use the Notes Name Service with the NetBIOS name service, only a Notes or Domino system using the same NetBIOS transport protocol as the destination Domino server can see the destination server's NetBIOS name. If the Notes or Domino system has more than one NIC for which the NetBIOS transport protocol is enabled, only the NetBIOS port with the same LANA binding as that of the destination server can see the destination server's name.

Which physical address is registered for a Domino server depends on the transport protocol:

  • For NetBIOS over NetBEUI, the NIC's 32-bit MAC address is used.
  • For NetBIOS over TCP/IP, the system's IP address is used.

Ways to ensure successful NetBIOS resolves

Because NetBIOS broadcasting has a limited range, you may need to create a Connection document that includes the physical address of the destination server. This process works as long as the network pathway can carry the given lesser transport protocol.

For NetBIOS over TCP/IP, you can also do one of the following:

  • Use a WINS server with a static entry.
  • In the initiating system's TCP/IP stack settings, enable NetBIOS name lookup by DNS. This works even if you are not using any NRPC services; however, the destination server must be registered with DNS.
Note: NetBIOS name space is flat, even with TCP/IP. If the client is not within the same DNS domain level, access by name may not be possible.

Naming Domino servers on NetBIOS

NetBIOS names are limited to 15 characters. If the common name of the Domino server is longer than 15 characters, NetBIOS truncates the name.

Note: The resolution of a Domino server name can be adversely affected if the server name is the same as the NetBIOS name for a Microsoft™ Windows™ system.

To prevent this problem without making it difficult to manage system files remotely, do the following:

  • On Windows 2000, add a preface such as W2K- to the system name, using the Network Identification tab on the System Properties dialog box.