[net.general] UNIX 4.2 to VMS Ethernet communications

john (04/27/83)

Here is a request from a local site which is not yet on the net.
I am forwarding it because our Computer Science Department also has in
interest in VMS-UNIX Ethernet links.
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"VAX-VMS to UNIX 4.2 Inter-Process Communication via an Ethernet.

We have a large CAD/CAM system that runs on VAX 780, 750, 730's under VMS.
The present system consists of a number (2-6) dumb graphics workstations
linked to the central VAX. The system includes drafting , 3-D modelling and
database functions and consists of a number of processes talking to each other
mostly via VMS mail boxes. In the near future we intend to move the system onto
UNIX 4.2 intelligent workstations linked via an ethernet LAN.
Our problem is this: for reasons of backward compatability it is necessary to
have inter-process communication between the old centralised VAX-VMS based
system and the new distributed UNIX 4.2 based system to allow, for example,
exchange of database information etc. As UNIX 4.2 uses TCP/IP to enable
inter-process communications we thought that if we could get a VMS 
implementation of TCP/IP driving an Ethernet then it should be possible to
interface the two CAD/CAM systems with reasonable ease.
We would be very grateful for any help in answering the following questions

1. Will a VMS version of TCP/IP talk to the UNIX 4.2 TCP/IP and if so can
   we use this to implement the VMS-UNIX 4.2 interface?

2. Does anyone have/know of/sell a suitable VMS implementation of VMS TCP/IP?
   Ideally we would like a UK supported, source version (but I suppose that
   is like searching for the Holy Grail!).

3. Has anybody any information on how 4.2 uses TCP/IP?

4. Are there any alternative ways of achieving VMS-4.2 interprocess
   communications?

Kevin J Porter
Ferranti Cetec Graphics Ltd
Livingston
Scotland
(Tel. 44 506 411583 ext 41; Telex 727898) "
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		edee!john   [.....decvax!mcvax!edcaad!edee!john]
[Edinburgh University, Electrical Engineering]