allen@gitpyr.UUCP (11/19/86)
The situation is as follows: There are 50 terminals, each of which must be able to connect to any one of 12 machines. All of the machines already have ethernet hardware for machine to machine communications. There is currently no hardware to connect the terminals to the ethernet or to connect host RS-232 ports to the ethernet. Hosts: 1 Vax 11/780 (VMS) 1 SUN-3/160 (BSD UNIX) 2 Masscomp 5600 (SYSV UNIX) 3 uVax II (VMS) 1 Apollo DN660 (DOMAIN/IX - BSD and SYS5) 1 Apollo DSP80 (DOMAIN/IX - BSD and SYS5) 1 Prime 9955 (PRIMOS and PRIMIX) 1 Prime 2350 (PRIMOS and PRIMIX) 1 Data General MV8000 (AOS/VS) The question is: What devices could be used to achieve the ability for any of the 50 terminals to connect to any of the 12 hosts. The loss of any single host should not prevent access to the remaining hosts. Having the ability to connect to a host does not imply that the host will be able to provide the resource needed to use the host. If a host resource is not available (eg all of the login access is in use), it would be desireable to be able to wait on the resource. All information on appropriate hardware and software will be appretiated. One of the goals is to minimize cost, so if you know anything about the cost of any suggested hardware/software please include that. If a synopsis of the information I receive proves helpful, I will post it to comp.dcom.lans. -- P. Allen Jensen Manager, Systems Division - GTICES Systems Laboratory Department of Civil Engineering - Georgia Insitute of Technology Atlanta Georgia, 30332-0355