TUCJRR@TUCC.BITNET (Joe Ragland) (12/11/87)
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Date: Thu, 10 Dec 87 11:52:37 EST
From: Roger Watt (Computing Services) <ROGERWAT@WATDCS>
To: Joe Ragland <TUCJRR>
Subject: Re: IBM Strategic Directions, from <VUSTEVE@WEIZMANN>
In-reply-to: MAIL of Thu, 10 Dec 87 10:00 EST
That is a good message to convey to the world, Joe ... you ought to
post it to IBM-NETS@BITNIC to cheer up lots of other people too!
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Date: Thu, 10 Dec 87 10:00 EST
To: "AssocDir,CompServ,UWaterloo Roger Watt" <ROGERWAT@WATDCS>
From: Joe Ragland <TUCJRR@TUCC>
Subject: Re: IBM Strategic Directions, from <VUSTEVE@WEIZMANN>
CC: Joe Ragland <TUCJRR@TUCC>
Hi Roger:
Besides FAL there is another bright spot for IBM in the academically
accelerating TCP/IP world and that is that IBM is a partner of the
MERIT network in getting the contract to install and operate the
permanent NSFnet backbone. This revelation has caught many NSFnet
activists by suprise. A year ago IBM had no TCP/IP products and now
they can provide TCP/IP on a great range of hardware from the 3090
to the PC. MERIT's bid included a $5 million contribution from the
State of Michigan, but IBM is contributing between $15 and $30 million
(depending on what prices you use) in hardware, software, and personnel.
MERIT gets $14 million from the National Science Foundation for work
between now and 1992, I believe.
Our own situation is becoming more typical of IBM academic sites. A year
ago we had no TCP/IP and now we are installing it everywhere. Our MVS
machine is channel-attached to a TCP/IP controller (ACC) which connects
to a TUCC ethernet. The ethernet is bridged to ethernets on the various
campuses and TUCC is on the ARPAnet and SURAnet, the SE regional
component of NSFnet. All in the past year. We have never had a big
SNA network and we surely are not expanding it now.
I have no clear vision as to where IBM is heading with TCP/IP but
they have certainly jumped into the middle of academic TCP/IP
networking with their key role in the development of a permanent
NSFnet in the US. Their visibility will be high as lots of people
will be watching.
Regards,
Joe Ragland