sharpe@munnari.OZ (Richard Sharpe) (03/12/86)
Ethernet, Protocols, and TCP/IP for VMS
---------------------------------------
There has been a lot of mail around the net recently asking all sorts of
questions about Ethernet, protocols, and TCP/IP for VMS.
Here at Austek we have the following environment:
TCP Decnet DECnet&TCP TCP
Domain VMS VMS Ultrix
Apollo uV 785 uV
| | | |
| +---<Delni >-----------------+
| |
Xi Xd
[]========================================================[]
Xd Xd
| |
uV DECserver100
VMS LAT
DECnet
where [] -> 50 ohm terminator - locally made up by our Tech
=== -> Belden 8214 RG-8 cable, cheaper than DEC supplied
| -> Dec supplied Transceiver cables (except for Apollo), expensive
<Delni> -> Self explanatory (I hope)
Xi -> Interlan Transceiver
Xd -> DEC H4000 Transceiver
All the VAXen use DEC supplied Ethernet controllers, DEQNA and DEUNA.
The Apollo uses an Interlan MultiBus controller, Transceiver and cable.
We are using DECnet, TCP/IP, and LAT-11 protocols on the one piece of cable
(actually two pieces joined with a barrel connector).
TCP/IP for tha Apollo came from Apollo, and seems robust. I have not had the
problems with it that I have heard on the net with it hanging the DN300, or
DSP80A (our Apollo config).
TCP/IP for Ultrix came with Ultrix and is supposed to be vanilla 4.2BSD
TCP/IP. I cannot vouch for that as I am not yet a Unix person.
TCP/IP for VMS came from The Wollongong Group (TWG), which is my next topic.
When it became obvious that Austek needed Unix, we looked around for TCP/IP
under VMS so that we could have a transition path.
We had heard that TWG had TCP/IP for VMS, and we knew of Excelan and Interlan
as suppliers in the Ethernet marketplace. Excelan could not offer TCP/IP for
VMS at that time. Interlan said something like "we are doing something along
those lines...."
So we purchased TWGs TCP/IP at US$15,000 plus US$2,000+ for shared DEUNA
driver. About one month after it was delivered and installed, Excelan began
running these adds about their TCP/IP product for VMS.
I know of one other version of TCP/IP for VMS from Tectronix, but it seems to
be only available to Universities. Peter Wishart at the ANU in Australia has
installed it and seems to be happy with it (pjw@anucsd.OZ).
The following then, are my impressions of the two products, GIVEN THAT I HAVE
ONLY USED TWG's, but I have now investigated Excelan's very carefully:
Price: TWG US$15,000 for UniBus systems, Excelan about US$8,900
Installation:
TWG We found it hard to install TWG's product, because the
documentation is poor.
Excelan Reputedly easy.
Documentation:
TWG Bad! I would rate it at 2 or 3 out of 10. A possible saving grace
is that they include on-line copies of some of the manuals.
Excelan Excellent. 9+ out of 10.
Utilities:
TWG
FTP - does not handle some files created with DECShell TAR. This may
not be TWG's fault. Upper Case names and commands seemingly
ignored, cannot be used in batch files or command procedures as
far as I can tell (from experimentation). I have not had
problems with it not accepting 8 char passwords, BUT I DO KNOW
THAT ULTRIX FTP DOES NOT pass on passwords or accountnames
longer than 8!
Telnet - Works, but does not seem to handle RT or NV devices
properly, ie when echoing is already being handled remotely.
Mailer - Works, but adds USELESS "Reply-To:" headers with a ".ARPA"
domain for the sender's address. Apart from violating RFC822
(I believe), we do not live in the Arpa domain, and Sendmail
will not look at "Reply-To:" headers. I think that for
US$15K I would like more though!
EXCELAN I have not tried the software, but people who have are happy with
it. Excelan do not presently have SMTP for VMS.
Other comments.
Excelan's response to requests for documentation, information, quotes have
always been prompt, even though they are dealing with someone in Australia!
TWG have been generaly poor.
Excelan's package includes their own Ethernet controller that implement
TCP/IP and much of Telnet on board. This, in my view, will free up much
needed cycles in our VAXen for other work. Only one remaining doubt is
whether they can handle more than 8 Telnet connections per controller. Some
of their documentation says that 16 is the limit, but only 8 allowed for now.
I am pretty certain that I will be buying Excelan from now on, and will put
TWG down to experience.
Finally, echoing someone else's comments: if you are looking for TCP/IP for
VMS, look long and hard for another product before looking at TWG.
I hope that this rather long message has been of help. Unfortunately TWG are
not on the net, as they need to see these comments.
DISCLAIMER. The opinions expressed above are mine own, and are not
necessarily the opinions of my employer (Austek Microsystems). If I have
erred, then the errors are entirely mine, and please enlighten me.
Richard Sharpe,
Austek Microsystems,
Technology Park,
Adelaide, SA 5095
Australia