[comp.protocols.tcp-ip.ibmpc] TCP/IP and Netware

dcrocker@TWG.COM (Dave Crocker) (07/23/88)

James VB,

What are the problems with sharing the driver, between Netware and TCP?

Dave

jbvb@VAX.FTP.COM (James Van Bokkelen) (07/24/88)

   What are the problems with sharing the driver, between Netware and TCP?

   Dave

There are two ways to do it.  One involves putting the interface-sharing
code into the LAN program's own low-level driver.  The only things I could
call "problems" with this approach are:

1. The LAN program gets a little bigger. (Al Marshall of Proteon designed a
really simple interface sharing machanism, that added 10 bytes.  Our Packet
Driver spec will definitely need more, but I can't say exactly how much.)

2. The TCP/IP program needs to have the LAN program present in order to run
(because the driver is part of the LAN program).

The other way involves writing a separate driver, like Karl Auerbach's for
the TRW PC-2000 board.  The only problem with this is:

1. The LAN program may get a little slower (Overhead in the interface-sharing
mechanism is presumably somewhat more than calling a built-in driver directly,
Karl has researched this some, and says the effect is less than 10%.)

2. The LAN program gets a little smaller, but the size of the separate driver
will more than make up for that.

James VanBokkelen
FTP Software Inc.