Six high-end network programs offer company-wide faxing and enough throughput for an entire fax-based business
Rex Baldazo, David Essex, and Stan Miastkowski
High-powered,
server-based fax software
can bring faxing to every network user. By placing the fax boards and telecommunications software in a central location, companies can provide the same functions that would otherwise require more costly individual setups.
Networked DOS/Windows fax programs divide broadly into two categories: low-end/client-based and high-end/server-based applications. In this review we evaluate solutions based on dedicated servers that can use several multiline fax boards to handle hundreds of faxes per hour. We're talking about units that can serve, say, 1000 employees during b
usiness hours, then broadcast 2000 revised price lists to customers overnight.
To judge overall quality, we considered ease of installation, ease of use, upward scalability, robustness of administrative features, and compatibility with the widest possible range of fax boards and network OSes. Ignoring reports about the difficulty of installing these complex programs, we set out to do six in one month, learning our lessons the hard way. War stories follow...
FACSys
Optus Software's FACSys 3.40a
, a DOS-based fax server for NetWare, packs a surprising number of features and excellent performance into a $995 package.
Installation was remarkably easy. In less than 20 minutes (not including the time it took to set up the fax board), we had FACSys performing its basic functions. After you've logged in to NetWare as a supervisor, FACSys' installation takes care of pesky chores. There's no need to fuss with NetWare's SYSCON or PCONSOLE because FACSys c
reates its own print queue and grants rights to the group EVERYONE for basic FACSys operation.
One of the most impressive and unique things about FACSys is its wide support of fax devices. Besides the high-performance Brooktrout and GammaLink boards, FACSys supports Intel and PureData units, and all Class 1 and Class 2 fax/modems. Out of the box, it supports up to eight telephone lines and an unlimited number of clients. FACSys also has built-in OCR and built-in E-mail support, including cc:Mail, Novell Groupwise and MHS, and MS-Mail (via MHS only).
Both the DOS and Windows clients include personal and shared phone books and detailed in and out logs (the other five programs offer similar client setups). There's a utility for sending a quick fax, or you can choose the FACSys print queue in Windows Print Manager from your application's print-setup menu.
For its power, FACSys is an excellent value for a small- to medium-size business, especially in view of its wide hardware support and standard
features. And it's scalable to larger installations -- $2995 buys a multiple-server version that offers fault tolerance and load balancing to handle huge amounts of fax traffic.
Fax Resource
Resource Partners' Fax Resource runs its server software on Windows instead of in DOS. The server machine can then launch other applications, even faxing from an application running on the same machine as the fax server. Unfortunately, the reality falls short of the potential.
The main hurdle is DOS's 640-KB memory barrier. Naturally, we had to load the various NetWare drivers to put the server on the network. Then we wanted to load the CD-ROM device driver, as well as MSCDEX. The fax server itself requires a large number of file handles. It all added up to insufficient conventional memory to run Windows.
Eventually, by putting DOS's MEMMAKER utility into aggressive mode, foregoing the CD-ROM driver, and tweaking the Fax Resource INI file manually to disable EMS, we were able to
get Windows running. But all that did was push our memory problem into Windows, which now had insufficient resources to run the Fax Resource server. Getting desperate (and mad), we installed PC-DOS 7 and ran RAMBOOST, which finally freed enough memory.
The Fax Resource client software lets you print from any Windows program. Address books are in Microsoft Access MDB format, and you are free to create as many as you want. Installing the client software was easier than installing the server package, but the software would not run until we figured out how to authorize user access. (Similar hurdles cropped up when we installed LanFax and Net Satisfaxtion.)
Fax Resource needs some work. We like the Windows server idea, but the drivers need to be smarter about memory. Given time and revision, this could be a good product.
LanFax
In a roundup plagued by installation problems, Alcom's LanFax was the worst offender. Once you get past its sore spot, though, LanFax reveals a p
ower and versatility that show why it remains a popular choice for industrial-strength applications.
LanFax requires 550K of conventional RAM, an unrealistic requirement in an environment where loading network drivers high can create other problems. We modified EMM386 parameters to include some memory areas recommended by the manual and ended up with 520K. We were then able to run the LanFax server program -- that is, after hours of flipping through manuals; editing DOS configuration files; searching for, modifying, and creating special configuration files; second-guessing instructions; and so on.
To set up the client software, we had to load a run-time version of Borland's Paradox and use it to call .DB files that the installation program had not placed where the manual said they would be. We then were told to run a network communication TSR. Ultimately, we brought up LanFax's Windows client and were now quickly sending and receiving faxes. Notification of incoming faxes is clear and intuitive, w
ith point-and-click access to a fax viewer.
LanFax comes with an array of traffic-management, fax, and other communication features. It can work alongside other packages, such as Delrina's WinFax Pro and Cardiff's Teleform. Programmers will appreciate the API access to DOS/Windows libraries and Windows DLLs.
With a capacity of 8000 users and 32 lines per server, LanFax is built for large installations. It's a technically impressive product with a multitasking design that allows parallel task processing, and it has transport-layer support for network operating systems. But its size and complexity could scare off customers with somewhat less ambitious plans.
Net Satisfaxtion
Version 3.0 of Delrina's Net Satisfaxtion adds support for GammaLink GammaFax boards, though the program's 1000-user, eight-line capacity exposes its background as a midrange product. Delrina, which acquired the software from Intel after our testing was completed, plans to add its WinFax front end
to the next major upgrade of Net Satisfaxtion.
Delrina's installation software and supporting documentation are the best of this group. The program guides you in the proper order through all the required steps. The administrative module is straightforward and lets you establish user privileges by choosing names in a list imported from the NetWare Bindery.
While far less feature-rich than LanFax or RightFax, Net Satisfaxtion nonetheless has numerous features that mark it as a contender for mission-critical operations. It supports direct inward dialing (DID) (see the sidebar "Fax Routing: You Can't Get There from Here"), and it comes with billing options that are useful for setting up a fax-based line of business. Its unique drawback: minimal support for E-mail.
ObjectFax
ObjectFax, from Traffic Software, was one of the easiest programs to set up. The installation module for the server is a Windows program that copies all the files to a NetWare file server. (The fax se
rver itself is a DOS application and does not run on the file server.) The installation program also sets up a Windows administrator program to configure the fax board and lines.
The client software includes an inbox toolbar; for administrators, the toolbar includes configuration buttons. Once we installed it on the client, we found that using ObjectFax is as simple as selecting the ObjectFax printer and printing. From a floating toolbar, you can call a simple text editor to fax a short note. You can even create standard attachments that are then available from the program's toolbar.
While ObjectFax directly supports only DOS and Windows clients, an API option allows the enterprising programmer to access the fax server from any platform connected to the file server.
RightFax
A full-fledged multitasking, multithreading native OS/2 application, RightFax is designed for serious high-volume faxing in medium-to-large organizations. That target market is most evident from
its pricing: $995 buys you a very basic one-telephone-line license. Each additional line costs $795. It can add up quickly. For example, a four-line RightFax installation with OCR and E-mail support costs $5970, and that's not counting hardware.
Because of OS/2's true preemptive multitasking, you can install RightFax along with an OS/2 NetWare server, E-mail or voicemail server, or put all of them on the same system. You can also install RightFax in a file server configuration (whether on the same or different hardware as your NetWare). A file server installation supports fax annotation, which isn't available with a dedicated fax server. However, resource and performance issues make a dedicated fax server the best bet for all but the smallest installations.
RightFax posed another difficult installation. You need the latest version of the NetWare Requester for OS/2. Even if you already have it, you'll probably need to reinstall it to make sure it's set for Global NetWare Shell Support and both clie
nt and server support. But that's just the beginning. You also must have NetWare Administrator privileges. And you need to fiddle with both SYSCON and PCONSOLE before installing the RightFax software, setting up a RightFax user account and establishing a print queue. Unlike FACSys and Net Satisfaxtion, RightFax doesn't do a quick basic installation that you can dink with later.
Installing the client is simple. In Windows, RightFax has the handy PowerBar (
see the screen
). This is a floating and customizable icon bar that gives you quick access to a phone book, in/out box, and a utility for almost-instant faxing. The PowerBar has icons to instantly switch between your default printer and the RightFax queue. You can also drag and drop document icons onto the fax icon in the PowerBar.
RightFax has extensive support for use of billing codes. You can even prevent people from sending faxes unless billing codes are entered.
Playing Favorites
When we jud
ge all six programs by our general criteria of user friendliness and upward scalability, Optus' FACSys pulls ahead of the pack. Its rich hardware compatibility, ease of use, and tight integration make it a comfortable fit for most applications. FACSys appears to do the best job of accommodating both mid-range network faxing and high-end, mission-critical applications. Adding cards and servers lets FACSys scale up as demand grows. FACSys works only with NetWare, but a Windows NT version provides wider network compatibility.
Following a close second is Traffic Software's ObjectFax. It sports the best-looking client interface, a fairly advanced object orientation to faxing, and an API that we may use someday to provide interoperability with our Macintosh clients.
PRODUCT INFORMATION
FACSys 3.40a $995
multiple file server version $2995
Optus Software
Somerset, NJ
(908) 271-9
568
fax: (908) 271-1044
sales@optus.mhs.compuserve.com
Fax Resource
two-channel/250-user version $1295
two additional channels $495
Resource Partners Inc.
Wakefield, NH
(603) 522-9500
fax: (603) 522-9747
LanFax 2.15aGL
25-user version $1995
50-user version $2995
Alcom Corp.
Mountain View, CA
(800) 801-8000
(415) 694-7000
fax: (415) 694-7070
sales@alcom.com
Net Satisfaxtion 3.0
25-user version $1195
1000-user version $1995
Delrina
San Jose, CA
(800) 268-6082
(408) 363-2345
http://www.delrina.com
ObjectFax 3.5
25-user license $1595
Traffic USA Inc.
Boca Raton, FL
(407) 995-5282
fax: (407) 995-5272
RightFax 4.0
single channel, unlimited users $995
each additional channel $795
RightFax
Tucson, AZ
(520) 327-1357
fax: (520) 321-7456
fax on demand: (520) 327-1288
sales@rightfax.com
Fax Server Features Compared
ADMINISTRATION
==============
Event log is Fax board Supports Has integrated
exportable is software passwords billing mode
configurable for inbound
faxes
==========================================================
FACSys Y Y Y Y
LanFax Y Y Y Y
Net Satisfaxtion Y Y Y Y
ObjectFax Y Y Y N
Fax Resource Y
Y Y N
RightFax Y Y Y Y
FAX
===
Major Boards Max. # of Supports binary
Supported* users/lines file transfer
========================================================
FACSys B, G, I, P Unlimited/8 Y
LanFax G, I, P 8000/32 Y
Net Satisfaxtion G, I, P 1000/8 Y
ObjectFax B, G 4096/32 N
Fax Resource G, I, P Unlimited/160 N
RightFax B, G Unlimited/24 Y
NETWORK
=======
Networks Handles Allows Client
supp
orted image con- remote OSes
version on instal-
server lation of
client
software
=======================================================
FACSys NetWare Y Y DOS, Windows
LanFax NetWare, LAN Manager, Y Y DOS, Windows
LAN Server, LANtas-
tic, Vines, etc.
Net Satisfaxtion NetWare Y Y DOS, Windows
ObjectFax NetWare, LANtastic, N N DOS, Windows
Vines, Pathworks,
etc.
Fax Resource NetWare, LAN Manager, Y Y DOS, Windows
LAN Server, LANtastic,
NT, etc.
RightFax NetWare, LAN Server Y Y DOS, Windows,
OS/2
ROUTING
=======
z
CSID DID DTMF Line OCR T.30 sub-
(channel) addressing
=======================================================
FACSys Y Y Y Y Y Y
LanFax Y Y Y Y N Y
Net Satisfaxtion Y Y Y N Y N
ObjectFax Y Y Y Y Y Y
Fax Resource Y Y Y Y N N
RightFax N Y Y Y Y N
SERVER
======
Operating Minimum Minimum Minimum
system CPU RAM hard disk
capacity
=====================================================
FACSys DOS 286 2 MB (1)
LanFax DOS 386 8 MB 100 MB
Net Satisfaxtion DOS 386 3 MB 40 MB
ObjectFax DOS 286 640 KB 30 MB
Fax Resource DOS/Windows 20-MHz 486SX 4 MB 80 MB
RightFax OS/2 386 12 MB 200 MB
WORKGROUP
=========
Builds phone # of E-mail Supports Supports Supports
book from protocols MAPI MHS VIM
NetWare
Bindery
======================================================
FACSys Y 2 N Y Y
LanFax Y 4 Y Y Y
Net Satisfaxtion N (2) N N N
ObjectFax N 3 Y N Y
Fax Resource N 4 Y N Y
RightFax Y 4 Y N Y
*Major Boards Supported:
B = Brooktrout
G = GammaFax
I = Intel
P = PureData
(1) = Faxes are stored on NetWare file server.
(2) = Available via third-party CAS gateways.
photo_link (52 Kbytes)
Though sometimes difficult to install, network fax programs pay off quickly.
screen_link (37 Kbytes)
RightFax is the only product we tested that runs OS/2 on the server. The operating system's preemptive multitasking allows more flexibility in placing file and fax server components on different servers.
screen_link (34 Kbytes)
Optus's FACSys Redirector dialog box pops up over third-party applications. The program redirects faxes to the NetWare print queue using specially modified Windows print drivers.
Rex Baldazo and David Essex are BYTE technical editors. Stan Miastkowski is a consulting editor. You can reach them on the Internet at
rbaldazo@bix.com
,
dessex@bix.com
, and
stanm@bix.com
.
Industrial-Strength Fax Servers
