ian@boron.siesoft.co.uk (Ian Chapman) (09/29/89)
Announcing the Forthcoming Release of Siemens DFS (MS-DOS) V1.0 --------------------------------------------------------------- Siemens DFS is a client-only implementation of NFS for IBM PCs and compatibles running MS-DOS 3.xx. It has been specifically produced to run over the Excelan Exos 205 ethernet adapter using Excelan's LAN WorkPlace for DOS version 3.3 or higher and currently supports no other hardware. It requires a server running NFS, such a the Siemens MX range or a Sun machine running SunOS 3 or 4. It requires between approximately 72 and 90 Kbytes of memory depending upon the configuration chosen. An additional 12.5 Kbytes is used by the device driver for the Excelan board. Siemens DFS allows you to share information and resources with other people on the same computer network. It does this completely transparently - no changes are needed for any applications. Being able to share print services means that expensive high speed or high quality printers can be easily and transparently shared between a large number of personal computers and still used by the central computer. Sharing files can have several benefits. It can minimise the investment in hard disks required by any individual PC. If a PC user needs more disk space, it can be obtained by using files that are remotely accessed on the centralized computer. Backups of important data files can easily be made to the central computer, and from there they can be copied to tape if necessary. Co-operative computing which requires the distribution of common files can be easily achieved by storing the files on the central computer and accessing them on the PC via the network. Additionally if information is stored remotely there are great improvements in security. Siemens DFS has the following major features: o Allows up to 26 virtual disks to be mounted on 8 different servers. o Allows existing DOS disks to be over-mounted. o Allows all 3 DOS printers to be redirected. o Print spool directories are independent of the DOS drives. o Print requests may optionally be prepended by a control string. o May be removed from memory at any time with a single command in order to accommodate large programs, and then replaced. o Runs with the authentication daemon PCNFSD, or with a modified version, RPC.DFSD, which gives enhanced print spooling facilities. o All parameters are configurable to allow performance/size tradeoffs. Configuration parameters are stored in a file. o Remote files with illegal DOS filenames are mapped to legal names in a manner similar to PC-NFS, but extensions are preserved where possible. o Supports DOS 3.1 file and record locking. o Includes the following utilities netopen logon to authentication server netclose logoff and unmount all drives mount mount a drive showmnt show exported filesystems from a server unmount unmount one or more drives freedfs remove redirector from memory prinit redirect a printer dfsprint print a file dos2unix unix2dos file format conversion - accept same parameters as DOS copy command, i.e. allow full wildcarding. chmod change permissions on a file ldir same as DOS dir, but shows actual name of any mapped files, and permissions. setclock synchronise PC clock with server setname show client name and internet address showrpc toggle rpc indicator umask set or echo default permissions version show redirector version rcp loc-rem, rem-loc or rem-rem copy rsh remote shell telnet emulation of Siemens 97801 terminal o All utilities may be run either using a command line interface, or using a menu system with dialog and list boxes complete with on-line help. Siemens DFS is currently on field trial and will be available in the last quarter of 1989. Ian Chapman will be giving a technical presentation on DFS at the forthcoming ONC/NFS Vendors' Group Conference organised by Sun Microsystems and will be pleased to answer any questions there or he may be contacted at the address below. -------------------------------------------------------------- For further technical information contact: Ian Chapman Siemens plc System Development Group Phone +44 734 691994 Woodley House Direct Line +44 734 443042 65-73 Crockhamwell Road Telex 846053 SIESOF G Woodley, Reading, Fax +44 734 698847 Berkshire, RG5 3JP email ian@siesoft.co.uk England ...!ukc!siesoft!ian For commercial or OEM information contact: Hr. H. Schmid-Heizer Siemens AG D VMP 21 Otto-Hahn-Ring 6 Phone +49 89 636 49021 Postfach 830951 Fax +49 89 636 41688 D-8000 Muenchen 83, West Germany -------------------------------------------------------------- LAN WorkPlace for DOS is a trademark of Excelan, Inc. NFS and SunOS are trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. IBM PC is a trademark of IBM, inc.