morgan@JESSICA.STANFORD.EDU (09/15/88)
OK, here's some information that is fairly likely to be all true
(those more in the know should feel free to correct me . . .):
KIP is a software package that allows the Kinetics FastPath gateways
(KFPS) models 1, 2, and 3 to support both AppleTalk internetworking
across Ethernet networks and use of the IP protocols and applications
on LocalTalk-attached Macintoshes. KIP consists primarily of two
pieces of software: code that runs in the KFPS ("gw.srec") to support
packet forwarding, IP address management, etc; and code that runs on a
Unix system ("atalkad") to support distribution of routing and zone
information to a number of KFPSs. The KIP "gw.srec" code does *not*
run on the recently released KFPS-4. It is unlikely that there will
be any new versions of KIP since its developer, Bill Croft, is
interested in other things these days (maybe someone else will pick it
up, though). It is also not clear that any significant features, such
as larger routing tables, could be added to the KIP gw.srec code
without exceeding the limits of the already memory-starved KFPS-[123].
For the KFPS-4, Kinetics provides software called K-Star, which is
intended to support exactly the functions that KIP provided for the
earlier KFPS models. K-Star software does not run on the KFPS-[123],
though Kinetics reportedly plans a hardware upgrade (more memory) to
the earlier models which will allow them to run K-Star. KFPS-4s
running K-Star *can* receive routing and zone information from an
"atalkad" server, just as KIP boxes do.
People who have KFPS-4s should be aware that there is a problem with
the initial shipment that affects the use of Mac/IP. The problem
shows up if there is more than one K-Star box in an AppleTalk zone, or
if a K-Star box is added to a zone with one or more KIP boxes
(actually, it's the zone name of the LocalTalk net on the KFPS that
I'm talking about; this stuff is difficult!). This configuration
causes the dynamic IP address assignment function in Mac/IP to fail (I
can't speak for NCSA Telnet, but I assume it would fail similarly),
meaning that the affected Mac can't use Mac/IP. Work-arounds include
using static IP address assignment on the Mac, or using only one KFPS
per zone. There is a fix available (at least it was to us) from
Kinetics Technical Support that includes new KFPS Proms and K-Star
software.
- RL "Bob" Morgan
Networking Systems
Stanford