root@dialog.stgt.sub.org (Christian Motz) (06/27/90)
In article <2008@althea.UUCP> eddjp@althea.UUCP (Dewey Paciaffi) writes: >My company is buying RS/6000s. We have an SNA network that serves a number >of sites, tied to a 3090 at the Corporate Headquarters. > >We would like RS/6000s at different locations to communicate over the >SNA backbone. This communication would be preferably TCP/IP. Is there >a product available or in development that would allow this? TCP/IP is available for the RS/6000 and either is or will be available for all architectures that are part of IBM's SAA as far as I know. It looks like the best bet, since it provides a consistent protocol on all architectures; e.g. it allows you to connect to an MVS or VM system using telnet, and promises oodles of cheap storage once NFS becomes available on the host side ( as IBM has indicated in a "statement of intent"). >We have been told to use LU6.2 for the communications. Are there any >telnet/ftp-like programs that exist and use LU6.2? We are not really geared >to writing these sorts of things. LU 6.2 is basically fine if you have the time to write the stuff yourself, but there is no software available as of this time that provides the same services as TCP/ IP. My advice is to keep your fingers off it except if you are prepared to write a VTAM application on the host side. The advantage is of course that you do not need an additional (expensive) IBM licensed product on the host side, and programming APPC (i.e. LU 6.2) on the RS/6000 promises to be * VERY* easy if it is implemented the same way as on the RT PC. Incidentally, could someone at IBM's AWD in Austin confirm this? >Another alternative that has been offered is X.25. Is my understanding correct >that TCP/IP could use X.25 ? What would be required of the SNA network and >of the RS/6000s to use X.25? Is this available now? I am wondering that myself. As a matter of fact, IBM Financial Services in Germany is wondering the same, as far as I know. Is there a way to make the RS/6000 run TCP/IP via X.25 without the use of a gateway system (e.g. one from Cisco Systems) especially installed for this purpose? Inquiring minds would like to know ... -- Christian Motz root@dialog.stgt.sub.org
RAH@IBM.COM ("Russell A. Heise") (07/17/90)
eddjp@althea.UUCP (Dewey Paciaffi) writes: > My company is buying RS/6000s. We have an SNA network that serves a number > of sites, tied to a 3090 at the Corporate Headquarters. > > We would like RS/6000s at different locations to communicate over the > SNA backbone. This communication would be preferably TCP/IP. Is there > a product available or in development that would allow this? Yes, you may wish to consider one of the following options: a) o Install VM-TCP/IP (or MVS-TCP/IP) on the 3090 nearest to each RISC System/6000. I am assuming that you have more than one 3090! o Connect each RS/6000 to the local 3090 via Token-Ring or Ethernet. VM-TCP/IP can talk directly to both types of networks. o Activate the SNA Network Link feature of VM-TCP/IP to gateway TCP/IP packets between the two local area networks *over* the SNA network. b) o Install the X.25 SNA Interconnection program product on the 37XX communications controllers nearest your RS/6000s. o Connect each RS/6000 to the chosen 37XX with a serial line. o Install and configure the TCP/IP support within AIX Version 3 to use X.25 protocols over the serial link to the 37XX controller. SNA Interconnection (XI) makes the 37XX controller appear to be a connect into an X.25 network. > We have been told to use LU6.2 for the communications. Are there any > telnet/ftp-like programs that exist and use LU6.2? We are not really geared > to writing these sorts of things. I don't know of any that would interrelate with the TCP/IP support in AIX V3. > Another alternative that has been offered is X.25. Is my understanding correc t > that TCP/IP could use X.25 ? What would be required of the SNA network and > of the RS/6000s to use X.25? Is this available now? Yes; see b) above; yes. > The machines are being purchased with Token-Ring installed, rather > than Ethernet, if this has any bearing on the above. No; actually this makes the interconnection simpler. Russ Heise, AIX Technical Support, IBM