lee@umich.UUCP (Lee Pearson) (09/20/85)
Can someone describe AT&T's current networking capabilities (on 3B series hardware)? What are the compatability issues with respect to Berkeley networking support on Vax hardware? Will I need to commit sepaku if my department gets a 3b5 and want it integrated into the existing LAN? Lee Pearson EECS dept., University of Michigan {ihnp4, pur-ee, mb2c}!umich!lee or lee@umich.csnet
usenet@ucbvax.ARPA (USENET News Administration) (09/23/85)
It is my understanding that the AT&T 3B series of computers do not as yet speak IP/TCP (the ARPANET protocols, which come with 4 BSD). However, in order to fulfill the requirements of a recently obtained government contract, they will have to. It was reported that AT&T contracted with The Wollongong Group (of VMS/Eunice fame) to do the work. As to the compatability of the networking hardware they use, I don't know. It does not appear (from what I have read here & elsewhere) that it is compatible with anything other than itself. Erik E. Fair ucbvax!fair fair@ucbarpa.BERKELEY.EDU
retzner@ihlpg.UUCP (Retzner) (09/23/85)
> As to the compatability of the networking hardware they use, I don't > know. It does not appear (from what I have read here & elsewhere) that > it is compatible with anything other than itself. The 3BNET hardware is ETHERNET compatible for the 3B2 and 3B5. The 3B20 should be compatible but I can't say for sure. The problem with other hosts/protocols is not with the hardware but in the kernel driver. The 3B2 3BNET driver provides an application interface that allows communicating with other non-3BNET hosts with some limitations. 3BNET reserves a few source addresses and protocol types. I have currently have a 3B2 running System V Release 2 communicating with a Intel 82586 and Intel 82501 combination using the 3BNET application interface. I was pleasently surprized at how easy it was to implement the software that uses the application interface. The 3B5 3BNET driver should have the same capability, but I can not say for sure. I am not at all familiar with the 3B20 3BNET interface so I leave that with no comment. Just wanted to clear (some of) the air on the compatibility questions. Bill Retzner ihlpg!retzner