chip@ateng.UUCP (Chip Salzenberg) (03/11/88)
I've often wondered about network drivers. Normal device drivers just provide low-level access to devices; but network drivers actually provide file-level services. How can they do this? I'm especially interested in how this works with a system like SCO Xenix. Xenix is distributed binary-only, but unlinked. This allows you to add drivers. But how can an add-on driver splice itself into filename resolution? In other words, how do network drivers work? [For curiosity's sake, if you know how NFS or RFS work, I'm interested in that as well.] PLEASE EMAIL TO ME. I will summarize to the net. -- Chip Salzenberg UUCP: "{codas,uunet}!ateng!chip" A T Engineering My employer's opinions are a trade secret. "Anything that works is better than anything that doesn't."
sandy@turnkey.TCC.COM (Sandy's login) (03/13/88)
Hi Chip, Unfortunately, I don't at present use the Xenix version ( if there is one ) of NFS; however, I use the MSDOS version from Sun Microsystems. Basically, what it does for you is make the other Sun's on the network a virtual DOS disk to you. Unfortunately, it can only mount one filesystem per drive; however, you can get upto drive V, so, if permitted, you can have every filesystem on every system on the net as a virtual drive to your DOS system. You also get a program called telnet which allows you to connect to any other system on the net as a normal user. Sun MicroSystems sells PC-NFS software along with the 3COMM ethernet board for around $800.00. Presently, we have four Sun 3/60 systems and 3AT's on the net and all work just fine. > [For curiosity's sake, if you know how NFS or RFS work, I'm interested in > that as well.] I hope that this helps you. BTW, we also use the Excellan boards under Xenix 286 but NOT 386 since Excellan seems to be dragging their feet supplying a 386 driver. Sanford ( Sandy ) Zelkovitz XBBS - 714-828-0288 .............!ihnp4!hermix!alphacm!sandy .............!ucbvax!ucivax!icnvax!alphacm!sandy .............!uunet!ccicpg!turnkey!alphacm!sandy