sweynh@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Sweyn Hunter) (11/28/89)
I realise that parts of this posting do not fall strictly within the domain of any particular newsgroup and I apologise to those who find what follows irrelevant or plain stupid, but I would very much appreciate help, however vague or slight, on the following topics. This University is considering buying a Sequent Symmetry running Unix, as part of a hardware upgrade within the University's Administration. One of the functions required from the machine that we buy will be to act as a file server (over an Ethernet) for a number of XTs, ATs and PS/2s, including 4 DEC Vaxmates. One of the Vaxmates has a DEC expansion box, containing a 20MB hard disk and two industry standard expansion slots, and currently acts as a server to the other three (which have only floppy disk drives, and no expansion slots) on a standalone DECnet Ethernet. All of the Vaxmates have integral Ethernet connectors. Other than that, we treat the Vaxmates as "just another 4 PC clones". I have a question I would like to put to the net: Can we buy software which allows each of our Vaxmates to be connected via their integral Ethernet connectors to a TCP/IP Ethernet, and to communicate with a Sequent using the TCP/IP protocol? Does anyone have ANY information on any products which would make this possible? It is probably obvious from what I've already said that my knowledge of networking is scant, and I apologise if my question seems naive or ridiculous, but I really would appreciate any help/advice anyone can give me. Please repond by email, and I will summarize to the net. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sweyn Hunter | AdminDP, Sussex House | University of Sussex |JANET: sweynh@uk.ac.sussex.syma Brighton, UK |BITNET: sweynh@syma.sussex.ac.uk Tel: +44 273 606755 x3773 |INTERNET:sweynh%syma.sussex.ac.uk@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk Fax: +44 273 678335 |UUCP: sweynh@syma.uucp -------------------------------------------------------------------------------