[net.unix-wizards] UNIX and DECNET

unix%ames-vmsb@sri-unix.UUCP (09/15/83)

here is what I know about UNIX and DECNET:

There is a company called (I think) IDS in (I think) silicon valley
making a product called "osmosis" which (I think) allows a unix machine
to be a non-routing decnet node.  

Symbolics (In palo alto, makers of lisp machines) also have rumors about
UNIX <--> VMS software.  They use Choasnet, I believe.

There are plenty of references to DECNET in BSD4.1c (stubs, and mentions of
files that aren't there).  Does anyone out there know what will be coming
in 4.2 relating to DECNET protocols?

You can always run eunice on a vms vax and then use uucp or rcp some such unix
utility to at least transfer files.  And maybe use rlogin and rsh if wollongong
has them runnning to.

Investigate the software tools mail system, through the software tools users
group.

If anyone has actually had experience using one or more of these products, or
knows of others that allow unix machines to be on a DECNET, please let me
know.  Perhaps summarize and post to this list or info-vax.

Thanks.

Creon Levit
NASA Ames Research Center

swatt@ittvax.UUCP (Alan S. Watt) (09/26/83)

Personally, I think the best way to gateway between VMS and UNIX
machines is to put an IBM machine in the middle :-).

We have a working VMS-UNIX mail link using an IBM 4341 VM/CMS
machine as "wire".  We look like another VM host; the VMS machine
looks like an RJE workstation. Everybody runs lots of shell and
DCL scripts to do format conversion.

Seriously, it does work (limited to 9600 baud by DUP-11), and most
of the software is either standard DEC program products, or Univeristy
software available for not much $$.

	UNIX-VM software:

		UREP
		Penn. State U.
		Cost: $150
		Contact:

			Robert M. Owens
			C.S. Dept., The Penn. State U.
	
I hear there's a VMS version of UREP as well.

	- Alan S. Watt