[comp.unix.aix] Token ring to Ethernet revisited.

JJDAVIS@cc.utah.edu (09/07/90)

I could have saved some bandwidth across the western hemisphere if I'd
been clearer the first time; I'm looking for solutions that don't
involve routing on one of the RISC/6000s.  (But I greatly appreciate
all replies, particularly from the busy IBM people.)  So, if I'm faced
with

Appletalk <---> plug something distinct in here <---> Ethernet

I call Kinetics and order a Fastpath box.  But faced with

RISC/6000 token ring <---> plug something distinct in here <--> Ethernet

I call ? and order a ?.

The options I knew about before posting my first message were "call
IBM and order an 8232 and a VM host", but that's a bit expensive.  Or
"call DEC and order their token ring to Ethernet product," but it's
not clear that's really a solution.

One person suggested running a standalone PC with Phil Karn's TCP/IP
code.  That's an interesting possibility, given today's PC clone
prices.  But aren't there any IBM/DEC/Yoyodyne off-the-shelf,
standalone solutions (that don't involve mainframes and minidisks)?
Seems like a fairly obvious market niche...

In the meantime I'll call the English department and order a course in
clearer writing!

Jim Davis
Utah Supercomputing Institute
davis@math.utah.edu (preferred)
jjdavis@cc.utah.edu

drake@drake.almaden.ibm.com (09/09/90)

In article <91052@cc.utah.edu> JJDAVIS@cc.utah.edu writes:
>
>RISC/6000 token ring <---> plug something distinct in here <--> Ethernet
>
>I call ? and order a ?.

IBM sells a standalone Token Ring to Ethernet bridge; I think it's the
8208.  And there are a number of vendors that sell stand-alone IP routers
that can handle both Token Ring and Ethernet ... I know Cisco sells such
a box, and I'm sure there are many other vendors.  You might move this
into comp.protocols.tcp-ip to get the widest range of opinions on the
subject.


Sam Drake / IBM Almaden Research Center 
Internet:  drake@ibm.com            BITNET:  DRAKE at ALMADEN
Usenet:    ...!uunet!ibmarc!drake   Phone:   (408) 927-1861