ypinn@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca (04/05/91)
As hideous as this may sound, is there a UNIX TCP/IP implementation that has this capability? In order for this to work, the UNIX box would need to support SDLC based links, SNA services, and TCP/IP tunnelled through SNA using an APPC. Your probably asking yourself, why does this madman want to do this? I work for a large multi-national accounting firm. Our firm uses a public mail system in Canada as the basis of their enterprise-wide mail system. My group is trying to develop a proposal to bring our mail system in house. The system would use a combination of Macintosh computers - 3000 dispersed over 60 offices - and UNIX servers. The UNIX boxes would provide the message routing between offices. Our network design for this system is based on a hub and spoke topology. The remote offices would use dial-up connections running UUCP to communicate with one of eight hubs. Now for the SNA component... We currently have SNA lines running to the eight hub locations. This newtork is well entrenched. We have suggested replacing it with multi-protocol routers which would forward SNA as well as TCP. However, the idea was flatly rejected for two reasons: its cost and the predominance of the technology blind IBM group. Hence the idea of tunnelling TCP/IP in SNA. Of course, the fallback plan would be to exchange mail between the hubs using UUCP, but, I would prefer to have a connected network in place. Does anyone have any suggestions, or comments on this issue? Your assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks bruce pinn Manager, NITG Peat Marwick Thorne
hathawa@rdsunx.crd.ge.com (Barry Hathaway) (04/06/91)
IBM's TCP/IP software supports TCP/IP tunnelled through SNA. In order to do this in your situation you would have to attach each IBM system to you TCP/IP network. This could be expensive, but it would offer additional capabilities.