scohen@pilot.njin.net (Stephen Cohen) (05/18/89)
I am interested in purchasing a IBC (Integrated Business Computers) 386:120 computer. A possible configuration would consist of ; 20 MHZ CPU, 40 ports, 8 megs RAM, 2 megs disk buffer, 370 meg hard drive. 150 meg tape backup system. Running SCO Xenix V2.3.1. It will be used to read and send vnews, mail, and support approximately 40 users. I would greatly appreciate it if anyone could tell me about their experiences using the IBC computer? I am also interested in anyones experiences using Xenix to send and receive mail, vnews and if anyone was able to port the talk command to their system. -- Sincerely, Stephen Cohen Phone 201 881 6344 scohen@pilot.njin.net ...!rutgers!njin!scohen
bruce@mdi386.UUCP (Bruce A. McIntyre) (05/21/89)
In article <May.18.03.23.27.1989.22151@pilot.njin.net>, scohen@pilot.njin.net (Stephen Cohen) writes: > I am interested in purchasing a IBC (Integrated Business Computers) > 386:120 computer. A possible configuration would consist of ; 20 > MHZ CPU, 40 ports, 8 megs RAM, 2 megs disk buffer, 370 meg hard > drive. 150 meg tape backup system. Running SCO Xenix V2.3.1. > It will be used to read and send vnews, mail, and support > approximately 40 users. > I am also interested in anyones experiences using Xenix to send and > receive mail, vnews and if anyone was able to port the talk command > to their system. > Stephen Cohen > Phone 201 881 6344 > scohen@pilot.njin.net > ...!rutgers!njin!scohen This system is an AT CLONE (Mylex/AMI motherboard) 16mhz, 4mb memory running SCO386V2.2.3 and with smail, vnews added. We use a tBIT+ modem at 9600locked. The system is reliable and fast.. Let me know how you like the IBC if you get it. I have more than one client that needs to upgrade. We also use ELM for mail internally bruce ========================================================================= Bruce A. McIntyre, McIntyre Designs, Inc. VOICE(215)322-1895 143 Bridgetown Pike, Langhorne, Pa. 19047 DATA (215)357-2915 {wells|lgnp1|prapc2}!mdi386!bruce bruce@wells tbit+ Unix, Xenix, Netware and PC-DOS Applications development. Specializing in Database Applications since 1980.
clewis@eci386.uucp (Chris Lewis) (05/31/89)
In article <67@mdi386.UUCP> bruce@mdi386.UUCP (Bruce A. McIntyre) writes: >In article <May.18.03.23.27.1989.22151@pilot.njin.net>, scohen@pilot.njin.net (Stephen Cohen) writes: >> I am interested in purchasing a IBC (Integrated Business Computers) >> 386:120 computer. >> approximately 40 users. >This system is an AT CLONE (Mylex/AMI motherboard) 16mhz, 4mb memory >running SCO386V2.2.3 and with smail, vnews added. People should also be aware that IBC manufactures and markets (or at least used to) some 386 systems that are emphatically *not* AT style computers. So you should check. Almost a year ago one of our clients was having trouble with their IBC computer. The system had a 386 main CPU, a 680x0 I/O processor, had SCSI I/O ports (150Mb disk, 150Mb tape), no console adapter, mucho serial ports etc. etc. all on two humongous boards without *any* PC/XT/AT slots. Running some sort of mutant version of Microport UNIX (Microport denied any responsibility for support - IBC had to do the port because all of the drivers were different from a more standard "AT clone" style 386). This machine was intended to run a moderately simple Informix application. Didn't work very well. System crashed on average a couple of times per week. Even without crashes, the filesystems appeared to simply corrupt themselves over a period of a day or so. At one point we were reloading the Informix database once a day because it was getting corrupted. We completely reinstalled Microport several times after double and triple checking configuration etc. We never did find out what was going wrong with the poor thing. The system was sent back to IBC once before we got involved with it which resulted in a number of engineering changes (cuts and jumpers) being done to it. Spent a week or two talking to IBC trying to figure out what was happening. They didn't have a very effective software support organization (particularly since *they* were the only people able to support Microport on it). The machine was sent back to IBC for more testing, but the shipper lost it. (and the client had decided not to waste money insuring it...). It sure was an interesting machine. Had lots of potential. My understanding was that Xenix was quite popular on it and worked well (though I have no first-hand knowledge of that) on quite a few of them. There were very few Microport installations, so it's hard to tell what luck others had. We suspect that we either had disk controller or driver-related problems. My information is very stale, presumably these machines work a lot better now if they're still in production. I strongly suggest that you obtain references to other people using a similar machine and configuration. With respect to porting news software and the like - if the machine is indeed similar to what I described, you may have difficulty in support, because IBC is likely to lag Microsoft/SCO as far as releases and patches are concerned (because this machine is a true port). So, you may be stuck with bugs in compilers and other things that the AT clone people already have fixes for. -- Chris Lewis, R.H. Lathwell & Associates: Elegant Communications Inc. UUCP: {uunet!mnetor, utcsri!utzoo}!lsuc!gate!eci386!clewis Phone: (416)-595-5425
bob@consult.UUCP (Bob Willey) (06/01/89)
In article <1989May30.195053.3104@eci386.uucp> clewis@eci386.UUCP (Chris Lewis) writes: >In article <67@mdi386.UUCP> bruce@mdi386.UUCP (Bruce A. McIntyre) writes: >>In article <May.18.03.23.27.1989.22151@pilot.njin.net>, scohen@pilot.njin.net (Stephen Cohen) writes: >People should also be aware that IBC manufactures and markets (or at least >used to) some 386 systems that are emphatically *not* AT style computers. >So you should check. >Almost a year ago one of our clients was having trouble with their IBC >computer. The system had a 386 main CPU, a 680x0 I/O processor, had SCSI >I/O ports (150Mb disk, 150Mb tape), no console adapter, mucho serial ports >etc. etc. all on two humongous boards without *any* PC/XT/AT slots. >Running some sort of mutant version of Microport UNIX (Microport denied any >indeed similar to what I described, you may have difficulty in support, because >IBC is likely to lag Microsoft/SCO as far as releases and patches are >concerned (because this machine is a true port). So, you may be stuck >with bugs in compilers and other things that the AT clone people already >have fixes for. Just to set the record straight. 1. IBC 386:120 runs SCO Xenix 2.3.1 GT Version (SCSI) and 2.3.2 will be out in a few weeks. 2. The machine is not an AT clone, but a 386 proprietary system with all SCSI controller to acheive maximum performance for up to 120 users. 3. We have tested > 20 users with NO problems, and have talked to users running 68 users. 4. Timing tests we ran vs a IBM PS/2 Model 80 - 20mhz machine and an IBC 386:120 25Mhz machine with 8mb ram, and 4mb disk buffer running a 614 mb drive with both systems load with the same software. Open Systems (OSAS) File Space report ran 15 minutes on the PS/2 and only 6 minutes on the IBC. The machine does what it is supposed to do, and Recognition does Nationwide service, providing next day Fed Ex 1 replacement of entire system if needed... -- .. Computer Consulting Service .. Bob Willey .. .. P.O. Drawer 1690 .. uunet!consult!bob .. .. Easton, Maryland 21601 .. (301) 820-4670 .. ...............................................................
jim@tiamat.fsc.com (Jim O'Connor) (06/02/89)
Since we're on the subject I have a few questions: In article <30@consult.UUCP>, bob@consult.UUCP (Bob Willey) writes: > > Just to set the record straight. > 1. IBC 386:120 runs SCO Xenix 2.3.1 GT Version (SCSI) and 2.3.2 will > be out in a few weeks. Will the IBC run SCO VP/ix on serial terminals like you can on a AT machine? Are there any networking options available, specifically ethernet? One of these machines sounds really nice, but I'd like to be able to run TCP/IP to connect to some existing 386 PC's running SCO Xenix. > The machine does what it is supposed to do, and Recognition does > Nationwide service, providing next day Fed Ex 1 replacement of entire > system if needed... That sounds interesting. Any idea on what the cost is? ------------- James B. O'Connor jim@tiamat.fsc.com Filtration Sciences Corporation 615/821-4022 x. 651 *** Altos users unite! mail to "info-altos-request@tiamat.fsc.com" ***
bob@consult.UUCP (Bob Willey) (06/04/89)
In article <580@tiamat.fsc.com> jim@tiamat.fsc.com (Jim O'Connor) writes: >Since we're on the subject I have a few questions: >In article <30@consult.UUCP>, bob@consult.UUCP (Bob Willey) writes: >Will the IBC run SCO VP/ix on serial terminals like you can on a AT machine? >machines sounds really nice, but I'd like to be able to run TCP/IP to connect >to some existing 386 PC's running SCO Xenix. Yes it runs VP/ix on serial terminals (just like an AT) only faster. TCP/IP & Streams are now available along with an Ethernet board. Only gets better...... -- .. Computer Consulting Service .. Bob Willey .. .. P.O. Drawer 1690 .. uunet!consult!bob .. .. Easton, Maryland 21601 .. (301) 820-4670 .. ...............................................................