cek@wsc-sun.boeing.com (Conrad Kimball) (07/06/90)
Hello, We have an ethernet connecting several DOS PC's (286 & 386) with a Tandem host computer. The PC's run a program that communicates with a package on the Tandem using NETBIOS/XNS protocols. My task is to integrate a Unix-based optical disk file server (such as an Epoch-1) into this network. Of course, the Unix-based file server speaks TCP/IP rather than NETBIOS/XNS. My requirement is only this: to be able to suspend the PC's PC-to-Tandem session, perform an FTP transfer or two to/from the Unix-based file server, and to resume the PC-to-Tandem session. I hope this can be done using only the existing Ungermann-Bass PC3020 NIU card in each PC. Now, I know what TCP/IP, FTP, and NFS are all about (I come from the Unix world), but I am woefully ignorant of PC LAN software (just what *is* NETBIOS, anyway?). I am aware of PC-based products such as PC-NFS and various FTP packages, but not how they work inside. One idea is that since the existing PC-to-Tandem link is at the NETBIOS level, using XNS as a transport mechanism, perhaps TCP/IP could be a substitute transport mechanism in place of XNS. Assuming that this is possible, and that such products exist, my hope is that this would leave intact the current NETBIOS PC-to-Tandem functionality, and also open the door to using FTP over the single ethernet card. If I can't arrange for NETBIOS and FTP to coexist on a single ethernet card, perhaps I can put 2 cards in each PC and run NETBIOS and FTP side- by-side? Any help will be most appreciated. Please reply by e-mail. If there is sufficient interest I will post a summary in a week or two. -- Conrad Kimball Boeing Computer Services (206) 865-6410 Email: cek@wsc-sun.boeing.com or cek%wsc-sun@atc.boeing.com UUCP: uw-beaver!bcsaic!wsc-sun!cek DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed are my personal views and do not necessarily reflect those of The Boeing Company.