PCShare allows easy integration of powerful servers into Windows networks. It provides an extremely fast, reliable, feature-rich Windows compatible file and print server to unlock UNIX performance for Windows clients.
HELIOS PCShare runs on top of the foundation provided by HELIOS Base. Please read the Base manual for installation instructions and other important details.
The TCP/IP protocol stack forms the backbone for the PCShare services. It is responsible for basic TCP/IP network functions, including those of network routing. PCShare supplies additional service protocol routing for WINS, Browsing, and DHCP services. This permits PCShare to be used to interconnect several physically separate TCP/IP network interfaces, and transparently pass information between them as required.
Windows SMB/CIFS support ensures full compatibility with standard Windows programs, including multi-user applications. Sharing files and printers is simple and straightforward because there is no additional software necessary for Windows clients. Windows NTFS Unicode and file streams support ensures compatibility with modern Windows applications. Mac metadata is accessible via SFM compatible streams. UNIX permissions and quota are fully supported. A PCShare exclusive Explorer extension allows managing UNIX file and folder permissions from the client.
To network your host and thus your Windows computers with Mac computers use EtherShare. To provide real-time remote file access for web clients, use WebShare (see C “Glossary”).
The cross-platform program HELIOS Admin is an administration tool which can be used to configure PCShare from any of the connected client workstations. It can also be used by regular users to check the configuration. However, they are prevented from making any changes.
HELIOS Admin communicates with PCShare through the HELIOS Admin server, which runs on the host while HELIOS Admin needs to run on a Java capable host or client workstation. The communication between these two programs takes place through a TCP/IP connection which allows managing multiple servers remotely and supporting concurrent TCP/IP connections (see “Logging on to the HELIOS Admin server” in the HELIOS Base manual).
PCShare can act as a WINS (Windows Internet Name Service), which is used on a PC network to map names to IP addresses. It can provide name, TCP/IP addresses, etc. when asked by Windows clients.
There is a HELIOS service called “pcsdossrv”, which is meant for Windows 3.1 and DOS client compatibility. In earlier PCShare product versions these so-called “PCShare native” clients were serviced by “pcsdossrv”.
If you want to install PCShare 2.5 client compatibility, please refer to the “ps20-eng.pdf” and “ps25-ad.pdf” manuals in the “manuals/old” subfolder on your HELIOS installation CD.
There are several HELIOS drivers and applications included for installation or use on Windows network clients utilizing HELIOS server volumes and print queues.
The “HELIOS PCShare Client Tools” are HELIOS extensions to the Windows Explorer file properties dialog, to enable setting file permissions, color labels, and comments for files on PCShare network volumes.
“HELIOS PCShare Search” enables easy Spotlight compatible searches for server files by file name, text content, or meta data (described in 6.1 “HELIOS PCShare Client Tools”.
Server administration via the HELIOS Admin application (described in 3 “HELIOS Admin”).
HELIOS LanTest, a tool for testing and measuring the performance of file system and print system services, is presented and described in 6.2 “HELIOS LanTest”.
The “HELIOS WebShare Manager” application, which facilitates project collaboration, with automatic file synchronization, is described in its own manual.
The “Client software installation checklist” (“HELIOS_Install_Checklist.pdf”) lists all the options, and is included in the “Documentation” folder in the “HELIOS Applications” volume.
System requirements for PCShare client applications are detailed on the HELIOS Platforms web page.
For new features in the PCShare software see the HELIOS website:
www.helios.de Go to HELIOS Product Versions – New Features
For HELIOS Base, the foundation used by all HELIOS products, see the HELIOS Base product web page:
www.helios.de Go to Products > Base