YEHAVI@HUJIVMS.BITNET (Yehavi Bourvine +972-2-584279) (09/02/89)
HUJI-NJE version 1.3 for VAX/VMS systems
(Unix will support in the future)
emulating the BITNET-II protocol
Product description
HUJI-NJE is a program written for VAX/VMS and Unix systems (the
latter is a limited capability version) which connects these systems
to the RSCS/NJE network. The program can send and receive mail, files
(punch, print, netdata), intercative messages and commands. Supported
carriage controls are: for outgoing files: ASA (both in PRINT and
NetData with CC), punch and normal NetData. For incoming files also
machine carriage-control is supported, which is converted to ASA
during the reception process.
The VAX/VMS version works in cooperation with the HUyMail mailer
which prepares the files for the NJE program and accepts mails and
files for local delivery. The Unix version hasn't been tied yet to
the Unix mailer. VAX/VMS systems are transparent if placed between
two IBM systems or compatibles. The Unix system is not fully
transparent for files in transit (will be corrected in the future as
demand arrise).
The HUyMail is a store and forward mailer for VAX/VMS. It can
route mail/files via the NJE emulator, via DECnet links (including
sending mail to VMS/MAIL user's interface), using PMDF links and SMTP
(EXOS, MultiNet, and in the future DEC's TcpIp). The mailer is a
table driven, but can query name server for MX and A records.
The VAX/VMS NJE emulator supports the following type of links:
BiSync via a DMF or DMB card, TcpIp using EXOS and MultiNet packages
(VMnet version 2), Async terminal lines (not useful on loaded
systems), and DECnet links. The Unix version supports only TCP links.
We expect to support DEC's TcpIp package in the future.
Note: Currently Wollogong and MultiNet are compatible at the $QIO
level; as long as this compatibility exists, the binary can be run
using Wollogong TcpIp package also.
The program has a limit of 255 lines; however, most machines will not
be able to support more than one or two links... A VAX-11/750 can
support up to one BSC link and one DECnet link with small buffer size.
The emulator executes under the VMS operating system as two
detached processes (one for the NJE emulator and one for the mailer).
Commands are given to the NJE emulator via the VMS standard mailbox
mechanism. The NJE emulator needs special privileges to access the
DMF, DMB or TcpIp (the exact privileges are dependent on the line
configuration used).
The protocols emulated are: BiSync (over the DMB, DMF and Async
lines), and BITNET-II (over the TcpIp and DECnet links).
At present, the program is useful on stand-alone machines, since
its behaviour in a cluster environment was not tested. It'll probably
run correctly with all functions available to all members of the
cluster, except from sending interactive messages and commands, which
is limited to the machine on which the emulator run. Receiving
messages and mail is done via the standard VMS services, so they are
expected to work correctly in a cluster.
The program does not create subprocesses, thus does not take advantage
of SMP machines (but works correctly on them, as any other user
program).
The current version is somewhere between RSCS version 1.3 and
2.1, and does not support at present the following things:
o Multiple streams.
o SYSIN files are not supported at present. All files are sent as
SYSOUT (but incoming SYSIN files will be accepted).
o Segmented records. Each part of the segmented record is received as a
separate record (but preserved if forwarded to another system). This
includes all types of files (print, punch, NetData). This is not a
limitation on VMS systems, since the editor cannot handle files with
longer lines.
o Long records of sent files (more than 253 characters, locally
originated) are wrapped by the mailer, and the parts of a record are
sent as separate records.
o Not all file types are supported (for example: disk-dump).
o Printer links are not supported, and probably won't be. They are
indirectly supported via the mailer, including ASA and Machine
carriage control (the latter one is converted to ASA during
reception).
o There is no JNET compatibility. No /VMSDUMP or /BINARY files can be
generated or accepted, since we could not get the description of these
files format from Joiner. In the future, HUJI-NJE sites will be able
to exchange binary files between themselves.
Hardware required
For Unix systems no hardware or software is required, since it uses
the standard Unix's TcpIp sockets.
For VMS you need DMF or DMB for the synchronous link (if you use such
links).
Software required
EXOS or MultiNet package for the TcpIp links, or none if you use
only DECnet or asynchronous lines. If you use DMB you need DEC's WAN
device driver kit (which supplies the driver for the DMB).
The Unix version should work on any BSD-4.2/3 compatible. The VMS
version needs VMS-4.6 or higher (the development is done on the most
recent VMS version, so future releases might need higher VMS versions).
You need a C compiler to compile the source code, since the programs are
written in C. A small routine in MACRO-32 is needed if you run the DMF
or DMB sync link.
The product takes about 2,000 disk blocks (more during compilation), and
each program needs about 500 pages of memory to run (they can run with
300 pages, but more memory was never a problem...).
Availability
The programs are available only to non-profit organizations, or
organizations that fullfil the EARN criteria.
The programs are given free of charge only to the Israeli universities
which are members of Machba. Others will be charged a minimal licensing
and handling fee.
The program is given as-is, without any commitment to support.
We'll try to support it as time allows. There are known problems
(documented in the installation guide and available upon request); these
problems are being solved, but we do not commit ourselves to fixing all
bugs.
Since no support is promised, an annual fee is not charged. However, in
the future, if a demand arises, we might charge an annual fee for
support.
Ordering
The packages are distributed via Yissum (research and development
company of the university), but are owned and maintained by the Hebrew
University of Jerusalem. To get more information please write to:
YEHAVI@HUJIVMS (on BITnet/EARN), or send mail to:
Yehavi Bourvine
Computation Center
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Givat-Ram
Jerusalem, 91904
Israel.
Note: the Unix version is not released yet.
Yehavi Bourvine
The Hebrew University,
Computation Center
YEHAVI@HUJIVMS