terry@spcvxb.spc.edu (Terry Kennedy, Operations Mgr.) (06/27/91)
In article <81349@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU>, kalisiak@acsu.buffalo.edu (christophe m kalisiak) writes: > Boy have I got news for everyone who told me not to buy a DEQNA because I > would not be able to use it unless I stuck with V5.3 for ever! [Note: this is a revised version of my original article, edited to be less strident and to correct problems with my newsreader which caused my original reply to be mis-titled.] I didn't say V5.3 forever - I said support was being dropped in the near future. I refer you to page 4 of "Cover Letter for VMS Version 5.4", DEC part number AV-EF56K-TE, which states: "DECnet-VAX Device Support Information Over the next 6 to 12 months, VMS, DECnet-VAX, avd VAXcluster software support for the DEQNA Ethernet adapter will be withdrawn. For 24 months after that, the DEQNA adapter will be accessible only by user applica- tions that use the $QIO interface to the Q-bus Ethernet device driver (XQDRIVER). During that time, when the XQDRIVER recognizes the device as a DEQNA adapter, a console message will be printed specifying that the DEQNA adapter is an unsupported device. However, these user applications will continue to work. At the end of the 24-month period, the DEQNA Ethernet adapter will no longer be accessible. Digital recommends that customer implementations that use the DEQNA ad- apter upgrade as soon as possible to either the DELQA or DESQA adapter, whichever is appropriate for the system. Customer upgrade options cur- rently are available from DECdirect. Contact your local Digital sales office for more information." This text is repeated in "Cover Letter for DECnet-VAXtm Version 5.4", DEC part number AV-DL04J-TE. The date of the BOM (Bill of Materials) for my V5.4 kit is 26-Jul-90, so as they say: REPENT, FOR THE END IS NEAR!!! If you have 12 months from then, you'd better make plans soon. Of course, if you want to stay with VMS V5.<whatever-the-last-version-supporting-the-DEQNA-is>, you're all set. However, unrelated problems can make an upgrade unexpectedly necess- ary, so it's best to be prepared (and have that DELQA handy). This is especially true as DEC's trade-in program is scheduled to end at the end of this month. Terry Kennedy Operations Manager, Academic Computing terry@spcvxa.bitnet St. Peter's College, US terry@spcvxa.spc.edu (201) 915-9381
tihor@acf3.NYU.EDU (Stephen Tihor) (06/27/91)
The DEQNA is likely to continue to work for some numbner of releases. However it will gradually become less and less effective as you upgrade your network software and as your netowrk pushes the limits of the hardware specs. I amnot sure who told you 5.3 was a magic release. Its more a matter of DECNET-OSI (phase V) straining it to a level of performance that some consider unacceptable and the like. WIth careful controlof what protocols you use and DECs probable shipment of "unsupported" drivers for as long as we can convince them to continue.