marmar@mtk.UUCP (Mark Martino) (05/13/89)
We have a Mac SE here. We also have quite a few IBM PC clones connected to our VAX 8250 via Ethernet. The PCs are running DECnet 2.0. I would like to connect the Mac to the VAX by using the same Ethernet network. I talked to DEC about this and they said they had no product for this as yet. They expected to be able to do this by July of this year. I'd like to connect sooner than that. Does anyone know if there is a third party product that will allow me to do this? I tried calling Apple using the developer phone number and could not get through. This upset me, but that's another article.
thitt@hydroplane.cis.ohio-state.edu (Todd A Hitt) (06/04/89)
In article <433@mtk.UUCP> marmar@mtk.UUCP (Mark Martino) writes: >We have a Mac SE here. We also have quite a few IBM PC clones connected >to our VAX 8250 via Ethernet. The PCs are running DECnet 2.0. I would >like to connect the Mac to the VAX by using the same Ethernet network. > >I talked to DEC about this and they said they had no product for this >as yet. They expected to be able to do this by July of this year. >I'd like to connect sooner than that. Does anyone know if there is a >third party product that will allow me to do this? > >I tried calling Apple using the developer phone number and could not >get through. This upset me, but that's another article. I would recommend you check out Community-Mac from Technology Concepts. They provide DECnet for the Macintosh (phase IV). Included applications include Mail, network file copy, a FAL, and file serving using PCSA or their own (provided) file server. Community-Mac only works over Ethernet or DDCMP. Another product is TSSnet from Alisa Systems. It provides Mail, network file copy, and a FAL on the Macintosh. It does not support a file server - thus you can't "mount" a VMS directory. Their product works over Ethernet, DDCMP, or LocalTalk, provided you have a FastPath 4 and the required Kinetics software. I have had experience with both these products, and there are trade-offs. I prefer Community-Mac. It seems more user friendly and I love the file server. You can also disable the FAL. TSSnet has fewer features but does seem more solid. As far as costs go, TSSnet is about $500 with 90-day maintenance included. Maintenance is $250 per year. Community-Mac is also $500 dollars - although you can buy licenses for subsequent machines at $350. No maintenance is included, but their price for maintanence is $60 per year (which I think is much more reasonable). Of course you can always wait for DEC. Todd Hitt All opinions are my own and not my employer's. hitt%36.114@ohstpy.mps.ohio-state.edu thitt@cis.ohio-state.edu
mithomas@bsu-cs.bsu.edu (Michael Thomas Niehaus) (06/06/89)
In article <50928@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu>, thitt@hydroplane.cis.ohio-state.edu (Todd A Hitt) writes: > In article <433@mtk.UUCP> marmar@mtk.UUCP (Mark Martino) writes: > >We have a Mac SE here. We also have quite a few IBM PC clones connected > >to our VAX 8250 via Ethernet. The PCs are running DECnet 2.0. I would > >like to connect the Mac to the VAX by using the same Ethernet network. > > I would recommend you check out Community-Mac from Technology Concepts. ... > Another product is TSSnet from Alisa Systems. It provides Mail, network file > copy, and a FAL on the Macintosh. It does not support a file server - thus ... > Of course you can always wait for DEC. Or you can wait for Apple. Their recent announcements show promise: Communications Toolbox (Available Q3 1989 for System 6.0.3) The Communications toolbox raises the standard capability for applications to communicate with other computers by modem, local or wide area networks. The toolbox provides a standard way for developers to support communications hardware as well as file transfer and terminal emulation capabilities. They also announce that DEC has licensed the LAT protocols to Apple, which should make it easy for Apple to make a product to connect to any DECnet host. -Michael > > Todd Hitt -- Michael Niehaus UUCP: <backbones>!{iuvax,pur-ee}!bsu-cs!mithomas Apple Student Rep ARPA: mithomas@bsu-cs.bsu.edu Ball State University AppleLink: ST0374 (from UUCP: st0374@applelink.apple.com)
kdb@intercon.uucp (06/06/89)
One thing that you did not mention. Are you only interested in DECnet solutions? If not there are several TCP/IP solutions that will do most of what you want. Such as: Public Domain: NCSA Telnet SU-MacIP Tops Terminal Commercial: TCP/Connect HostAccess All of the above provide at least terminal emulation (telnet) and file transfer. If you would like more information send me Email and I will provide what I can. Also if anyone else has information about other solutions to connecting VAXes and Macs other than DECnet I think that we would all be interested in hearing about them. -- Kurt Baumann InterCon Systems Corporation 46950 Community Plaza Suite 101-132 Sterling, VA 22170 Phone: 703.450.7117 FAX: 703.437.3454 AppleLink: D1988 Email: kdb@intercon.uucp