geller@eli.UUCP (David P. Geller) (01/15/87)
Has anyone crafted a simple fileserver mechanism using a fairly generic version of UNIX and one or more PC's. I'm looking for something that is close to being functionally equivalent to Suns NFS-PCNFS environment without a LAN - using serial lines. This would require, I imagine, the following: * an interface and protocol between the UNIX and PC system(s) * a device driver for the PC * a few primative application programs for the PC, sharedmail, sharedfile, etc. I would hope that PC and UNIX could talk fairly well, albeit slowly, at, say, 19K with a protocol that does stream compression. Any pointers? Remember - something so that a PC can just copy and use drive d:, for example --- not someone logging into UNIX and using Xmodem, Kermit, etc. ------------------------------------------------------------------ David P. Geller Usenet: ..!seismo!sundc!eli!geller Electric Logic, Inc. Telex: 6503003778 Washington, D.C. 20006 Compuserve: 72667,1312 (202) 223-9115 MCI Mail: Press
billw@navajo.UUCP (01/16/87)
a company called: FEL Computing 10 Main St PO Box 72 Williamsville, vermont 05362 (802) 348-6644 (I think this number has expired, actually) has a product called "Mobius" that allows up to 26 "virtual disks" to be accessed over the serial line, along with automatic remote execution and some other neat things. It's a pretty nifty product. The server can be either a dec-20 or a vax, though Im not sure whether UNIX is supported... Bill W
joe@cbdkc1.UUCP (01/17/87)
In article <111@eli.UUCP> geller@eli.UUCP (David P. Geller) writes: >Has anyone crafted a simple fileserver mechanism using a fairly >generic version of UNIX and one or more PC's. I'm looking for >something that is close to being functionally equivalent to >Suns NFS-PCNFS environment without a LAN - using serial lines. >This would require, I imagine, the following: > I have worked with pc-interface. I used AT&T 6300 with a 3B2. One way to use it is to attach your Unix login (directory) as an extra drive for the PC. Another dept. used it for file server - PCs using Wordstar(tm), Unix is lp spooler for huge group of these. Kind of neat. Don't have the info on it (its been a year) but could get it if intereset is there. -- Joseph Judge cbdkc1!joe AT&T Bell Labs Some will sell their dreams for small desires, and lose the race to rats; get caught in ticking traps; and stop to dream of somewhere to relax their restless flight ...
bob@ahxenix.UUCP (01/18/87)
In article <111@eli.UUCP>, geller@eli.UUCP writes: > Has anyone crafted a simple fileserver mechanism using a fairly > generic version of UNIX and one or more PC's. I'm looking for > something that is close to being functionally equivalent to > Suns NFS-PCNFS environment without a LAN - using serial lines. > This would require, I imagine, the following: > > * an interface and protocol between the UNIX and PC system(s) > * a device driver for the PC > * a few primative application programs for the PC, sharedmail, > sharedfile, etc. COSI, in Ann Arbor, MI has a product than does what you requested. The product has changed names since I have last used it, but I believe the current name is Syncrony, or something similar. They generally advertise in Unix World and/or Unix Review. The product is a special terminal emulator. It it senses that it's a DOS command, then it's run on the PC and vice versa if it's a Unix command. This is done transparent to the end user. It actually makes the Unix environment appear to be PC-DOS to the end user. I was using it with a Burroughs XE-550 and it did appear to work fairly well. The only complaint that I had, was that it wasn't a fully developed product a year ago when I did my tests. The main problem was that I had to write all the scripts files to perform most functions. Hopefully by now, they supply a library of scripts for the common commands. -- Bob Leffler - bob@ahxenix.REL.COM ...!ihnp4!mb2c!edsdrd!ahxenix!bob
sln@cosivax.UUCP (01/23/87)
In article <310@ahxenix.REL.COM> bob@ahxenix.REL.COM (Bob Leffler) writes: >In article <111@eli.UUCP>, geller@eli.UUCP writes: >> Has anyone crafted a simple fileserver mechanism using a fairly >> generic version of UNIX and one or more PC's. I'm looking for >> something that is close to being functionally equivalent to >> Suns NFS-PCNFS environment without a LAN - using serial lines. >> This would require, I imagine, the following: >> >> * an interface and protocol between the UNIX and PC system(s) >> * a device driver for the PC >> * a few primative application programs for the PC, sharedmail, >> sharedfile, etc. > >COSI, in Ann Arbor, MI has a product than does what you requested. The product >has changed names since I have last used it, but I believe the current name >is Syncrony, or something similar. They generally advertise in Unix World >and/or Unix Review. Indeed, COSI, Inc. produces a program that meets the first two specifications and will let you develop the last one. The product is called Synchrony and was called Tango. It has software for both the PC and the UNIX system. If you have any questions about it, call me at 313-665-8778 and ask for Sarah. I do the tech support for the product so I'm a good place to start. You could also ask for a sales rep. but it might be more fun to talk to me. >The product is a special terminal emulator. It emulates a number of standard terminals such as the vt100, IBM3101, TV5410 or 4410 and a graphics terminal (Tek. 4014). >It it senses that it's a DOS >command, then it's run on the PC and vice versa if it's a Unix command. >This is done transparent to the end user. It actually makes the Unix >environment appear to be PC-DOS to the end user. Not quite, your can run DOS commands from the UNIX side and through shell scripts can make the UNIX machine look a lot like DOS. The key thing to note with the product is that it puts UNIX in control not the PC but still lets you get to the PC CPU. Note also that the product will let you execute commands on the pc from another UNIX terminal or a cron type script. >I was using it with a Burroughs XE-550 and it did appear to work fairly >well. The only complaint that I had, was that it wasn't a fully developed >product a year ago when I did my tests. The main problem was that I had >to write all the scripts files to perform most functions. Hopefully by >now, they supply a library of scripts for the common commands. > The product is fully developed. You wanted everything done for you but if we had done that, you wouldn't have liked the interface we prepared or it wouldn't have done quite what you wanted. The success of the product has been partially due to the toolbox approach of the product rather. It does not dictate how you will use the utilities, it lets you choose how to use it. Another note, unlike most PC to UNIX connections, SYNCHRONY runs on a regular RS232 cable with no additional boards necessary. Also, the product will perform binary file transfers under protocol. I did not mean to be a commercial but thought I should correct some things Flames mailed directly to me please
kehres@styx.UUCP (01/30/87)
In article <1848@cbdkc1.UUCP> joe@dkc1.UUCP (Joseph T. Judge CB 1K336 x7119 KBR) writes: > In article <111@eli.UUCP> geller@eli.UUCP (David P. Geller) writes: > >Has anyone crafted a simple fileserver mechanism using a fairly > >generic version of UNIX and one or more PC's. I'm looking for > >something that is close to being functionally equivalent to > >Suns NFS-PCNFS environment without a LAN - using serial lines. > >This would require, I imagine, the following: > > > > I have worked with pc-interface. I used AT&T 6300 with a 3B2. > One way to use it is to attach your Unix login (directory) as an extra > drive for the PC. Another dept. used it for file server - PCs using > Wordstar(tm), Unix is lp spooler for huge group of these. > Kind of neat. Don't have the info on it (its been a year) but could > get it if intereset is there. > > The company that markets this is: Locus Computing Corporation 3330 Ocean Park Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90405 (213) 452-2435 The contact there I have been working with is Julie Reeder. She seems to be pretty responsive. We have not used this product yet, but from the demo's that we have received, it looks pretty good. We should be getting a copy shortly. One additional point - there is a set of C callable routines that allows you to develop applications that take advantage of resources both in the UNIX and DOS environments. Tim Kehres Control Data Corporaton / Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory ---------------------------------------------------------------- UUCP: {lll-crg,ihnp4!lll-lcc}!styx!kehres ARPA: kehres@lll-tis-b.ARPA AT&T: (415) 463-6852
jc@cdx39.UUCP (02/06/87)
In article <111@eli.UUCP> geller@eli.UUCP (David P. Geller) writes: >Has anyone crafted a simple fileserver mechanism using a fairly >generic version of UNIX and one or more PC's. I'm looking for >something that is close to being functionally equivalent to >Suns NFS-PCNFS environment without a LAN - using serial lines. >This would require, I imagine, the following: > Well, a few years ago, I worked briefly with some people who had one of those cute little floppy drives that talks across a 9600 baud serial line, plus a PC whose BIOS understood such a floppy. I wrote a Unix daemon that talked on a serial port and acted like the floppy, so that a file on the Unix system could be used as a "disk" on the PC. Inserting a new disk was easy; you just killed the daemon and re-started it with a different file name on its command line. Given a manual that described the floppy's line protocol, it was quite easy to write. You asked if anyone has crafted such a thing. It's a good thing that you didn't ask if I could send you a copy, because I'd have to disappoint you. That was a while ago, and for a different employer. But if you can get ahold of the PC interface for such a serial-line disk drive, and a readable manual for it, there should be few problems writing it yourself (after you learn how to do raw I/O on the serial port :-). -- John M Chambers Phone: 617/364-2000x7304 Email: ...{adelie,bu-cs,harvax,inmet,mcsbos,mit-eddie,mot[bos]}!cdx39!{jc,news,root,usenet,uucp} Smail: Codex Corporation; Mailstop C1-30; 20 Cabot Blvd; Mansfield MA 02048-1193 Clever-Saying: Uucp me out of here, Scotty; there's no AI on this node!