chris@ACC-SB-UNIX.ARPA (Chris VandenBerg) (01/26/88)
Good afternoon, Has anyone heard of(or did I just imagine it...) Banyan offeringa TCP/IP software bridge for their PC stuff? I remember reading about the proposed product but was wondering is it yet released and, if so, what's the feel of this particular animal? Thanks for any comments you may have, Chris VandenBerg ACC (chris@acc-sb-unix.arpa)
morrison@accuvax.nwu.edu.UUCP (Vance Morrison ) (01/26/88)
Hello, Yes Banyan has anounced that it will be offering TCP/IP capabilities in its PC server. Unfortuately the product is not out yet. It was originally scheduled for release in late December, but now it looks like it will be out this April (but don't hold your breath). The TCP/IP capability is part of release 3.0 of Vines and Banyan has literature describing this and well as other new features of 3.0. From what I have been able to discover from my reading, is that Vines has integrated the TCP/IP protocols into Vines. This immediately means that Vines can route IP packets through the Banyan LAN, as well as route Vines packets across the internet. At present Banyan is not making products that use this new capability. Instead it has made deals with others (FTP Software Inc.) to provide products that will make the TCP capablities useful (namely telnet, ftp etc). These user products exist today. One product that is conspicuously absent, however is a internet mail bridge that will link into Banyan's local mail system. Banyan has provided the hooks for doing this, but at present will not release the name of any company that is working on it. In its simplest form, this is a simple piece of software, but without it Banyan's mail system will be cut off from the rest of the internet, severly limiting its usefulness. I have no doubt that such a product will come out, but frankly it may take a while (> 6 months) Vance Morrison morrison@accuvax.nwu.edu morrison@nuacc.bitnet morrison@northwestern.arpa
TS0400@OHSTVMA.BITNET (Bob Dixon) (01/27/88)
As of the latest release of Banyan VINES software, a Banyan server will do
IP routing between any interconnection of Banyan servers and associated
micros. It will pass VINES packets inside IP packets to enable server-to-
server communications, if desired. Micros may be connected via either
token ring or ethernet to the server, and must at present use FTP, inc
software for tcp/ip communications. Banyan is now offering a server license
for FTP software which saves considerably in the $ dept.
Banyan plans to incorporate the FTP software into the server, making it part
of VINES, and hence more integrated for the user. Also, a gateway between
the Banyan mail system and SMTP is under development.
Now if only all this were available "today".
Bob Dixon
Ohio State University
Acknowledge-To: <TS0400@OHSTVMA>TS0400@OHSTVMA.BITNET (Bob Dixon) (01/28/88)
Dave,
I'm not sure I understand your question, but Banyan servers connect to
PC LANs via ethernet, token ring etc. as with any microcomputer net server.
Users on a PC have access to disks on the server by designating them as if
they were local disks on the PC. To deal with the internet, you must have
FTP, Inc software on the PC which provides all the usual tcp/ip services.
The Banyan server just routes the packets as needed. I feel that I am not
understanding what you are getting at. There are no multiplexors, etc
involved.
Bob Dixon
Ohio State University
Acknowledge-To: <TS0400@OHSTVMA>