msa4+@ANDREW.CMU.EDU (Michael Souryal) (06/24/91)
IBM recently announced new "frame relay" data transmission technology. Questions: Does the frame relay interface exist on the 37xx communication controllers as well as the 3174 cluster controllers? Do higher layers provide the data integrity not provided by frame relay? What does it cost to upgrade a 37xx communication controller to support a frame relay interface? Replies with answers to these questions would be greatly appreciated. --Mike Souryal Information Networking Institute Carnegie Mellon University
RUBINM@YKTVMV.BITNET (Bill Rubin) (06/24/91)
On Sun, 23 Jun 91 18:31:50 EDT Mike Souryal said: > IBM recently announced new "frame relay" data transmission > technology. > > Questions: > > Does the frame relay interface exist on the 37xx communication > controllers as well as the 3174 cluster controllers? Sorry, but all we announced were statements of direction, ie, we will have it in the future, but don't now. Here is the exact quote from the announcement letter: STATEMENTS OF GENERAL DIRECTION o IBM future plans are to extend the capabilities of Advanced Communications Function/Network Control Program (ACF/NCP) to support the new 3745 Ethernet LAN Adapter and route Internet Protocol (IP) traffic conforming to Ethernet Version 2 or IEEE 802.3 standards. Traffic from workstations with IP interfaces may be routed locally and remotely across existing 3745 backbone networks to other IP workstations or to hosts running Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) applications. For example, a TCP/IP "host" connected via an Ethernet LAN to a 3745 will be capable of having its transactions routed across the SNA backbone network to another TCP/IP "host" connected via an Ethernet LAN to a different 3745, or to a TCP application in an IBM host. Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) will be supported by NCP to resolve IP addresses into Ethernet adapter hardware addresses and allow dynamic attachment of workstations or hosts to Ethernet LANs. o IBM future plans are to extend the capabilities of Advanced Communications Function/Network Control Program (ACF/NCP) to provide a Frame Relay Termination Equipment "DTE function" capability which will support attachments to networks that comply with currently defined ANSI and CCITT recommendations for Frame Relay. This will allow our customers to take advantage of evolving tariffs and technology for higher speed networks and the anticipated communications costs savings and added network flexibilities. The announcement and availability of these referenced functions will be subject to IBM's business and technical judgement. Bill Rubin IBM TJ Watson Research