chris@nrcvax.UUCP (Chris Grevstad x310) (05/22/85)
Anybody out there have any experience with Micom data switches? We are
looking at switches and Micom is one of the firms we are interested in.
We are also looking at Gandalf. Any other suggestions?
--
Chris Grevstad
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order of monks...phil@amd.UUCP (Phil Ngai) (05/26/85)
In article <164@nrcvax.UUCP>, chris@nrcvax.UUCP (Chris Grevstad x310) writes: > Anybody out there have any experience with Micom data switches? We are > looking at switches and Micom is one of the firms we are interested in. > We are also looking at Gandalf. Any other suggestions? I have seen a Micom data switch (the 600 series, I think) and it had some good points and some bad points. Good points included a claimed high throughput and low delay. Also the administrator can put in some fairly verbose messages. Bad points are a top speed of 9600 (no 19200) and pretty old technology. Configuration is done by asking the factory to burn you a new PROM, or you can make changes in battery backed RAM. No EEROM configuration. The thing is big, sucks lots of power and generates lots of heat. It seems to like being in a machine room environment. If you have a campus environment where you can run twisted pair which can operate at T1 rates, then distribution to different buildings is pretty good. If you can only get 9600 baud links or 19200 links, the cost per line goes up a lot, plus you have to buy the modems or line drivers. They do have a stat mux on a card which helps hold the cabling mess for remote sites. Support for attaching either DTE or DCE seems reasonable, and the description of the RS-232 protocol used is among the best I have seen. It does not appear capable of sending a break, unlike some other equipment I have used. They have a group termination option (comes out in telco 25 pair connectors) which can really help with cabling, assuming you are not scared of punch down blocks. I am told Equinox was started by some people who left Micom and that their product has all advantages that hindsight can give you. My knowledge of their switch is limited to that, I have no actual experience with it as I do the Micom. I would like to hear other people's comments on the various products available also. -- Sex is not the answer. Sex is the question. Yes is the answer. Phil Ngai (408) 749-5720 UUCP: {decwrl,ihnp4,allegra}!amdcad!phil ARPA: amdcad!phil@decwrl.ARPA
bob@islenet.UUCP (Bob Cunningham) (05/27/85)
[About the Micom series 600 port selector/PACX/switch] Among other things, I maintain a Micom 600/2 here at the Institute of Geophysics. I tend to agree with Phil Ngai's notes except for: > ... Configuration is done by asking the factory > to burn you a new PROM, or you can make changes in battery backed RAM. > No EEROM configuration. Well, you can always cut your own EPROM as we do, takes a regular 2700-series, and the Micom-supplied firmware documentation is sufficient. > The thing is big, sucks lots of power and generates > lots of heat. I don't have the specs at hand, but I'd say power consumption is not excessive. On the other hand, the fans are a bit noisy and sized for a fully-configured unit -- definite overkill if you only have a few hundred terminal lines. A 600/2 heavily loaded with port/terminal boards is best supplied with cooling air though a machine room type false floor. No need with the smaller, desk-top 600/1. > If you have a campus environment where you can run twisted pair which > can operate at T1 rates, then distribution to different buildings is > pretty good. If you can only get 9600 baud links or 19200 links, the > cost per line goes up a lot, plus you have to buy the modems or line > drivers. They do have a stat mux on a card which helps hold the cabling > mess for remote sites. Micom has an extensive like of various modems, line drivers & muxes -- most of which work nicely with their 600-series switches (any and all of which they'd be glad to sell you :-). They've recently announced an Ethernet interface, too. No matter what brand of switch you buy, it alone won't solve your trunk distribution problems around a "campus" of buildings. For the Micom 600, it costs about $350 for a no-controls dumb terminal board capable of handling 4 terminals. Add about $100 for full controls. We run 9600bps to and from our 600/2 to distances of about 1000 feet without line drivers. (The 600/2 seems to re-generate the signal nicely). So, our incremental cost to add an additional terminal is about $80 + wire costs. Sometimes we can run lines cheaply, sometimes not (how does the saying go: "your mileage will vary"). If the lines are too expensive, then a high-speed private line modem + stat mux certainly is indicated. > ... It does not appear capable of sending a break ... It can and does pass a break signal -- unless that's what you have your configuration set up for disconnect signalling. Those sorts of configuration details can be specified on a line-by-line basis. > They have a group termination > option (comes out in telco 25 pair connectors) which can really help > with cabling, assuming you are not scared of punch down blocks. I highly recommend the group termination, either to R66-type punch-down blocks or to "harmonicas". Saves quite a bit in cable costs. Note that the Micom group termination scheme isn't Mod Tap's (or typically other group cabling schemes). That means making your own cables as we do (or paying for adaptive cabling, which -- for example -- Mod Tap would be glad to sell you :-). Additional notes ... The other switches around our campus are all Gandalfs, and I think it's fair to say that comparable models of the two companies are equivalent in both performance and price. Both manufacturers provide reliable, very expandible gear. Gandalf seems to give support and ship new boards a bit quicker. On the other hand, the Gandalfs somehow seemed to take a little fiddling to get them up and running. We plugged in our Micom (ourselves, no installer came) and it worked just fine. I suspect that -- especially for someone not planning to expand a great deal -- the newer switches by Develcon, Equinox, Emulex, etc. may give more capability for the dollar and are definitely worth looking into. -- Bob Cunningham {dual|vortex|ihnp4}!islenet!bob Honolulu, Hawaii
ron@brl-tgr.ARPA (Ron Natalie <ron>) (05/28/85)
> In article <164@nrcvax.UUCP>, chris@nrcvax.UUCP (Chris Grevstad x310) writes: > > Anybody out there have any experience with Micom data switches? We are > > looking at switches and Micom is one of the firms we are interested in. > > We are also looking at Gandalf. Any other suggestions? > The MICOM does not have the following features that the Gandalf PACX does: Speed transparency (i.e., not having to tell the switch when you change the terminal speed). Higher speed (19,200) Speed information on the statistics port. -Ron
dkatz@zaphod.UUCP (Dave Katz) (05/29/85)
In article <164@nrcvax.UUCP> chris@nrcvax.UUCP (Chris Grevstad x310) writes: >Anybody out there have any experience with Micom data switches? > ..... Any other suggestions? I would hate to sound biased, but Develcon Electronics Ltd. makes several excellent switching products and a full line of compatable transmission products. We make a data switch similar to the kind of thing that Micom has, and also a newer product called Develnet. Develnet is, in its simplest form another switch. In its more complex form, it is a free structured multinode LAN, where each node is a switch. However, I'm not in sales, so I'll quit here and let you contact one of our sales offices. We have them in many major cities all over North America. If you have any trouble finding one, please electronic mail or phone me at (306) 933-3300 and I'll try to help. Good luck. Dave Katz, Data Processing Manager, Develcon Electronics Ltd. 856 51st St. East Saskatoon, Sask. CANADA S7K 5C7 PS. I hope not too many other 'Develconites' answered your call.
bikki@isosvax.UUCP (Srinivas Bikkina) (06/04/85)
We have been using Equinox switch for over an year and we are glad we went for
Equinox based on price, performance, size and ease of use. They have menu system which cuts down the learning curve and makes it easy to configure. Their boards can handle 12 to 24 ports, which cuts down on size. We are happy with their
support. You should definitely check with them before you decide on any switch.
Person to contact at Equinox is Frank Ford (sales) 305-255-3500.
bikki. (Srinivas Bikkina)
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