[comp.protocols.iso] OSI on asynch PC lines revisited

mskuhn@faui09.informatik.uni-erlangen.de (Markus Kuhn) (02/04/91)

Some days ago, I asked here about possibitilies for
OSI connections on asynchronous/start-stop RS-232 lines.

There seems to be some interest in this topic. I got
some suggestions:

1. H.T.Alvestrand suggested me to check X.32 in the CCITT
   Blue Book. I did this. Unfortunately this recommendation
   says only something about synchronous modes on the
   V.24 (= RS-232) interface. The other modes are "for further
   study" (section 4.3.1). Perhaps they intend to use the 
   new HDLC start-stop mode as a further option in the '92 version.
2. Tim Clark reported that in the UK acedemic community, a protocol
   called ATS is used to convert LAP-B in an asynch protocol.
3. Micheal Roe reported that there is a standard in the TCP/IP
   world called 'Serial Line IP' that does exactly what I want.
   So I could run X.25 over TCP/IP.
   He also suggested to modify LLC-1 (also a HDLC subset) for
   asynchronous lines in the same way, HDLC does this 
   in the start-stop-mode addendum (1990).
   This would be the connectionless alternative to my own
   suggestion of an asynch LAP-B.

As I personally prefer X.25, I think, I will implement LAP-B.
But the idea of using LLC-1 sounds also quite interesting
to me. Unfortunately, ATS and Serial Line IP aren't pure OSI so
I don't like them so much. Thank you for your answers.
Any further suggestions?

Has anyone detailed information about the HDLC start-stop mode
(frame format, transparency, etc.)?

Is anyone planning to implement something like this?
Especially in ISODE (would be great)?

Markus Kuhn
CS student

enag@ifi.uio.no (Erik Naggum) (02/05/91)

In article <mskuhn.665668137@faui09> mskuhn@faui09.informatik.uni-erlangen.de (Markus Kuhn) writes:

> Some days ago, I asked here about possibitilies for
> OSI connections on asynchronous/start-stop RS-232 lines.

> There seems to be some interest in this topic. I got
> some suggestions:

> 1. H.T.Alvestrand suggested me to check X.32 in the CCITT
>    Blue Book. I did this. Unfortunately this recommendation
>    says only something about synchronous modes on the
>    V.24 (= RS-232) interface. The other modes are "for further
>    study" (section 4.3.1). Perhaps they intend to use the 
>    new HDLC start-stop mode as a further option in the '92 version.

The start-stop mode lower layer of X.25 was issued as an "expedited
procedure" recommendation or somesuch.  I believe it's X.32 bis.

CCITT has opted for a speedy procedure for most of the interesting
things.  [FX].435, for instance.  You don't have to wait until 1992
for all the neat things they decide to recommend.

--
[Erik Naggum]					     <enag@ifi.uio.no>
Naggum Software, Oslo, Norway			   <erik@naggum.uu.no>

goldstein@delni.enet.dec.com (Fred R. Goldstein) (02/05/91)

In article <mskuhn.665668137@faui09>, mskuhn@faui09.informatik.uni-erlangen.de (Markus Kuhn) writes...
>Some days ago, I asked here about possibitilies for
>OSI connections on asynchronous/start-stop RS-232 lines.

Check the addendum to ISO3309 (HDLC Frame Format).  It specifies a new 
asynchronous flavor of HDLC.  (It's also spec'd for PPP.) 

Async HDLC uses a flag value, byte stuffing for transparency, and also 
frogs one bit of "control" values (preceded by an escape) as required by 
some devices.  I don't know if it is IS yet or still DIS.
---
Fred R. Goldstein              Digital Equipment Corp., Littleton MA
goldstein@delni.enet.dec.com   voice: +1 508 486 7388
 Do you think anyone else on the planet would share my opinions, let
 alone a multi-billion dollar corporation?