[comp.protocols.tcp-ip.ibmpc] advice on software

haho@huldra.UUCP (Harald H|eg) (08/17/89)

   > Date: 10 Aug 89 21:43:46 GMT
   > From: "Merle A. Neer" <mcvax!cod.nosc.mil!neerma>

   > Has anyone, by the way, had a favorable experience building
   > client/servers on a tcp/ip package of any sort?

Yes !

We are currently running a large server on top of FTP Software's
PC/TCP together with their PC/TCP Development kit. We are also 
using WD8003E cards, which work fine. PC/TCP also supports a lot
of other cards.

Our server (socket based) is able to run at least 16 simultanous
connections, (we see a limit there, which is almost certain imposed 
by lack of DOS descriptors).
I am sure that PC/TCP will handle more connections than this.

However, the product has run several months in our development dep.
and there have been NO (I am serious) problems at all with 
unreliable network software.

The folks at FTP Software give excellent support/service, and they also
(I think) want to sell a product that runs with most other
commercial implementations of TCP/IP. This should ensure a product
that corrects serious bugs during its life-cycle.

If there are any questions to our use of PC/TCP I am glad to be asked !

-- 
Harald H|eg
Tandberg Data A/S        E-mail: mcvax!ndosl!huldra!haho
P.B. 9 Korsvoll          Tlf:    47 2 18 90 90
N-0808 Oslo 8, NORWAY    Fax:    47 2 18 95 50

jbvb@VAX.FTP.COM (James Van Bokkelen) (08/19/89)

Some more information on TCP connections vs. descriptors in PC/TCP:

DOS 3.x has a limit of 20 file descriptors per process.  Our "local"
network descriptors are mapped to DOS file descriptors (the socket
library uses them to talk to the kernel), so you can't have more than
20 of them per-process (you could probably get above 16 TCP
connections if you could close some of the stdio handles which occupy
descriptors 0-4).

The 2.0 kernel also supports "global" network descriptors, which aren't
mapped to DOS file handles, but for various reasons the socket library
can't use them.  If you code to our native-mode interface, you can
open 32 simultaneous TCP connections just fine (my test program does).

James B. VanBokkelen		26 Princess St., Wakefield, MA  01880
FTP Software Inc.		voice: (617) 246-0900  fax: (617) 246-0901