lmc@denelcor.UUCP (Lyle McElhaney) (04/28/84)
Well, here I am, a middlin' size wizard, and I've never networked (except RS232-uucp links, and a smidgin of ethernet), and now I've got to take the plunge. I need a bunch of piddling questions answered, and I can't seem to find anyone else close to answer them. Presuming you are using 4.2 networking, what are the best options for networking together two Unibus's? Three? What are the costs involved, and the risks? What's supported by 4.2? If you have a standard driver for any particular communications device, can the networking software simply use the open/close/read/write interface to communicate over that device? I think that if I get sufficient answers to that question, I may be able to ask the next level up questions intelligently. Thnaks for the help and advice. I think that if I get sufficient answers to that question, I may be able to ask the next level up questions intelligently. Thanks for the help and advice. -- Lyle McElhaney (hao,brl-bmd,nbires,csu-cs,scgvaxd)!denelcor!lmc
msc@qubix.UUCP (Mark Callow) (05/01/84)
Presuming you are using 4.2 networking, what are the best
options for networking together two Unibus's? Three?
4.2 networking currently supports ethernets and arpanet imp's.
Various people are working on other interfaces such as decnet
and some hardware to talk IBM SNA but I don't have many details.
Ethernet is probably the best bet.
What are the costs involved, and the risks?
With ethernet, about $1500-$1800 per tap.
What's supported by 4.2?
Interlan and 3Com controllers are both supported. You can probably
find a DEUNA (Digital Ethernet-Unibus Adapter) driver from someone.
Read "Hints on Configuring Vax System's for Unix" which came with
your 4.2BSD distribution. RFM before ASQ.
If you have a standard driver for any particular
communications device, can the networking software simply
use the open/close/read/write interface to communicate over
that device?
no, No, NO. The network device drivers are buried in the system. You
can only get at them through the socket abstraction. They do not have
entries in /dev. They are controlled through a bunch of SIOC ioctl's
on sockets most of which are restricted to the superuser.
--
From the TARDIS of Mark Callow
msc@qubix.UUCP, decwrl!qubix!msc@Berkeley.ARPA
...{decvax,ucbvax,ihnp4}!decwrl!qubix!msc, ...{ittvax,amd70}!qubix!msc
"I'm a citizen of the Universe, and a gentleman to boot!"