prince@ucla-cs.UUCP (02/13/87)
A friend (honest!) wants to know what kind of packages are available for networking PC's/PC clones .... I have heard mention made of the following, but don't know anything about them -- IBM's Token Ring, something from 3Com, and something called Novell. Any info about the above, or alternatives, would be greatly appreciated. (He intends to set up one server with hard disk and 2 or 3 workstations, to run a database-like application written under Turbo-Pascal and currently running on one PC -- he has the author on-site to *try to* modify it so it will run multi-user on the above-described scheme.) thanx in advance _________________________________________________________________________ | | | UCLA Computer Science Department | | -- Larry 3413 Boelter Hall Los Angeles 90024 (213) 825-2145 | | Prince UUCP: {ucbvax,ihnp4,sdcrdcf}!ucla-cs!prince | | ARPAnet: prince@LOCUS.UCLA.EDU | |_________________________________________________________________________|
gardner@kodak.UUCP (02/13/87)
In article <4408@curly.ucla-cs.UCLA.EDU> prince@CS.UCLA.EDU (Larry Prince) writes: >A friend (honest!) wants to know what kind of packages are available >for networking PC's/PC clones .... I have heard mention made of the >following, but don't know anything about them -- IBM's Token Ring, >something from 3Com, and something called Novell. > >Any info about the above, or alternatives, would be greatly appreciated. > >(He intends to set up one server with hard disk and 2 or 3 workstations, > to run a database-like application written under Turbo-Pascal and > currently running on one PC -- he has the author on-site to *try to* > modify it so it will run multi-user on the above-described scheme.) > I too, have a friend (honest!) that has a similar interest. My friend is interested in having a DBaseIII/Clipper application running on a 'central' PC/AT being accessed by 2 or 3 other users via dumb terminals. Simultaneous access to a single DB (only 1 user writing -- all others reading, printing reports, graphs, etc.) is the key feature needed. Please post responses to the net (I think many people may be interested) or E-mail to me if you have some information and dont agree that it should be posted. =#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=# Dick Gardner Eastman Kodak Co. Rochester, New York 14650 (716) 477-1002 UUCP: seismo!rochester!kodak!gardner To err is human -- to really screw it up you need a computer! =#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#
john@viper.UUCP (02/16/87)
I've worked in an environment very similar to the one you described using the Novell "Netware" operating system on PC's equipped with 3com hardware. Novell has the advantage that it doesn't really matter what networking hardware you have, they probably have software to support it that works faster and cleaner than the software provided by the manufacturers of that hardware. They provide lots of nice support software and the network implemented is almost like you weren't working off a remote server. If you need help with contacting them or evauating which hardware to aquire, feel free to contact me via usenet. I have no financial connection with Novell, I just -really- like their system..
tankus@hsi.UUCP (02/16/87)
> In article <4408@curly.ucla-cs.UCLA.EDU> prince@CS.UCLA.EDU (Larry Prince) writes: > >A friend (honest!) wants to know what kind of packages are available > >for networking PC's/PC clones .... I have heard mention made of the > >following, but don't know anything about them -- IBM's Token Ring, > >something from 3Com, and something called Novell. > > > >Any info about the above, or alternatives, would be greatly appreciated. Text deleted for brevity ... > > > I too, have a friend (honest!) that has a similar interest. > > My friend is interested in having a DBaseIII/Clipper application > running on a 'central' PC/AT being accessed by 2 or 3 other users > via dumb terminals. > ditto. > Please post responses to the net (I think many people may be interested) > or E-mail to me if you have some information and dont agree that it should > be posted. > > Dick Gardner > Eastman Kodak Co. > Rochester, New York 14650 > (716) 477-1002 Try EasyLAN from Server Technologies. They now have available a NETBIOS compatible package (initially about $200) that sells for (an additional) $100 per node. It uses twisted-pairs of RS232 cables and allows PC's to be up to 30' away. An extender kit will allow PC's to communicate up to 150'. The other networking schemes are usually much more expensive (min $1000). But check it out. Server is located in sunny california. Usual disclaimers here. However, I would be VERY interested in anyone else's experiences. Cheers! -- -- Ed. Net : {noao!ihnp4!yale!}!hsi!tankus Snail: Health Systems Int'l, 100 Broadway, New Haven, CT 06511 Bell : (203) 562-2101
alexew@watdcsu.UUCP (02/17/87)
December 9,1986 PC Magazine did a reasonable discussion of networks, except that they omitted including the three IBM solutions, PC Network, Cluster, and Token Ring. This would give a beginner a good place to start getting aquainted with the market place. There are other solutions out there, but between the IBM solutions and the networks mentioned in the articles, the most popular hardware solutions are covered. As for software for these solutions, the main one is Novell's Netware, followed by the PC Lan program. ( my information may be out of date on this, but these are the main two mentioned in the various literature ). Since PC/MS DOS is not a network operating system, the software used is the major factor in determining the usability of the network, and should be evaluated carefully. I hope this is enough info to get a beginner in networking started without being overwhelmed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alex E. Wielhouwer, | --------------- Department of Systems (Waterloo JANET group) | | * _ * _| Computing Services | | _\% / _\% /| "I don't want to achieve | | _%/ ~ _%/ | immortality through my work. | | / /~\ / | University of I want to achieve immortality | | // \\ | Waterloo through not dying." | \ // * \\ / Woody Allen | \//_\% _\\/ | \ _%/ / "Go Warriors, Go!" | \__/__/ "Go Athenas, Go!" -------------------------------------------------------------------------
jeff@trwspf.UUCP (02/18/87)
I've recently had a very painful experience with 3Com's network software,
and thought I should pass along some warnings to anyone thinking of buying
it.
First, 3Com's 3+Plus(tm) server software takes a LOT of memory. The name
server (required on every network) needs 400k of memory, the file/print
server needs 382k, and the mailer needs 371k. When combined these take
less memory; 539k for the file/print server and the name server, 528k for
the name server and mailer, 510k for the file/print server and the mailer,
and 667k for the file/print and name servers and mailer (yes, that's
right, since the maximum memory on the PC is 640k, this configuration is
not supported). There won't be much memory left for anything else on the
server computer.
Second, 3Com's 3+Plus file/print server is copy protected. While this by
itself is not bad, it can be very serious if the copy protection software
gets cranky. A month ago, in mid-January, I attempted to install a 3Com
3+Plus system (name, file, and print servers) on a group of IBM-PC/AT's
and clones with 3Com's Etherlink boards here at work. I ran into several
snags, and in the course of trying to track down the problem (later found
to be due to a bad cable) reformatted the hard disk.
According to the documentation, the file/print server can only be
installed at a single ethernet address (obtained from the ethernet board
during installation), and once it is installed it can NOT be de-installed
and installed at another address. However, it can be re-installed as long
as the ethernet address remains the same. Or so says the manual. But
when I went to re-install the file/print server I got a message informing
me that I was trying to install the server on a different ethernet board
than it had originally been installed on, and the software refused to
re-install.
At that point I tried calling the dealer we bought the software from and
3Com to find out what the problem was, which brings me to my third warning
about 3Com's software. It turns out that 3Com no longer provides direct
support to users (unless you have a support contract), so they wouldn't
help me. After several phone calls to the dealer who sold us the software
and to 3Com it was finally agreed that I would send 3Com the original
floppy disk, they would repair it and send it back, and we would all live
happily ever after.
Would that it were so. When the floppy came back (a week later, they were
quick), it still refused to install. Somewhere around this time (my notes
are a bit fuzzy) the installation package also developed the amusing habit
of hanging the system, so that I had to turn off power to reboot.
At that point I told the dealer I wanted to return the software.
(Preferably in exchange for some other, installable, package. Novell
perhaps?) They persuaded me to talk to 3Com's local sales representative.
He called (several days later than promised) and said their local engineer
was not available but that he would call me Tuesday and we'd work out a
solution. It's Wednesday afternoon (2/18), and I still haven't heard a
word.
Now, I probably did make some errors while trying to install the 3Com
software, and some of their people did try to be helpful, but I've been
working with computers a long time and should be able to handle a simple
software installation without it blowing up in my face. With the
exception of one or two individuals 3Com has been uniformly unhelpful and
uninterested in anything but getting money out of me. (One of the things
they would tell me for free was that there is a new version out which is
SOOO much easier to install, and which only costs an additional $200.)
I don't know if I'll ever get their system running. But I'm still trying
and will report any major developments to the net. Are you listening
3Com?
In summary:
- 3Com's 3+Plus network server software requires a lot of memory.
- 3Com's 3+Plus network file/print server is copy protected and the
copy protection has blown up at least once.
- Don't expect any free help from 3Com if you have problems with their
software. You probably won't get it.ward@chinet.UUCP (02/28/87)
I thought I'd reply to this item with a small "tutorial" on the IBM networking product, its LAN software. While hardly comprehensive, this should give you a 'quick' overview. There are fundamentally two kinds of stations: those that serve, and those that don't. The lowest level is called a 'redirector', because when you go after a disk, the software redirects it to the server; ditto for a printer. You can have both local and remote printers, local and remote disks. No disk-less booting. The server is set up by creating sub-directories, then giving these individual "network names". This is like the logical-to-physical mapping used in "lots of things" like IBM OS JCL, etc. Thus, I could create a directory called \shared, but tell the network is is "mailbox". Then the "using" PC's would say "make mailbox my M: drive". The server dictates what kind of access the users can have - i.e. whether they are read/only, or can have create, delete, etc. To summarize: a subdirectory on the server becomes a "drive" on the user's PC. People can share a directory, or you can have it exclusive for a user. A user could have an LPT1 that is local, and an LPT2 that is on the network. One of the complaints I hear is that the only 'security' is that a RESOURCE can have a password (i.e. you have to enter a password for a drive, when booting), but USERS don't have passwords. There are no ID's, etc. There are also asynch servers and remote netbios access, but I have no familiarity with them.