daemon@ucbvax.UUCP (10/14/83)
>From GEOFF5@SRI-CSL Thu Oct 13 20:52:54 1983
Allan,
Per your net message of 19 Sept there are some additions, as well
as corrections, to your list of available systems for VAX users:
Hardware: ACC supplied LH-DH/11 for both Distant as well as LOCAL
network connections. The LH-DH/11 can be used in a LH
mode up to 30 feet and a DH mode up to 2000 feet. For
distances greater than 2000' ACC supplies Error Control
Units (known as ECU-II's) which can run via modem
connections at 9.6 or 56Kbps. Modem interfaces which
are supported are Bell Stnd 209, 303, V.35, or Mil Std
188-114. As we have currently installed over 300 of
the LH-DH/11 it is the preferred product to the Special
Systems offering.
An additional option, and fairly new, is the IF-11/HDH.
Currently supported for UNIX based systems only, this
device is a single Z80 based micro which is plug
compatible in the DEC UNIBUS. It performs HDLC at the
link level (for error correcting) and a 1822 like
protocol at the network interface level. The system is
currently installed, and is fully operational, at Yale
Univ., and AI&DS out of Palo Alto. An alternative to the
LH-DH/11 when distances exceed 2000' the system price
is currently $8,500 and is quite a cost reduction when
compared to the LH-DH/11 and ECUs which can exceed $17K
depending upon the configuration.
Software: Your knowledge is correct concerning Berkeley Unix which
latest version is scheduled for release this month and is
version 4.2. Also other Unix implementations, such as
version 6 and 7 are available within the community. Your
contacts would be Ed Kane at DCA or Fran Perillo at NIC.
For VMS system users you have another alternative to the
Compion system. There is a group out of Mountain View
known as the Wollongong Group. Originally established in
Australia at the Wollongong Univ., they have implemented
Unix to run as an apllication program on top of VMS. They
have a LH-DH/11 driver, as well as TCP/IP, imbeded in
their "Kernal". A number of Naval labs have chosen to
go this route, due in part to the bad press of the Compion
software. Your contact at Wollongong is Dan Ladermann.
Finally, DEC folks out of your Virginia office are writing
a VMS driver for the LH-DH/11 under NCP. I need say no more
other than to say the decision was based on DEC review of the
Compion software and would be a natural for TCP/IP implementations.
A software person there is Debbie Patterson.
Hope this brings you up to date and if you hear something new or different
I would appreciate you forwarding it to me.
Regards,
-->Gary Krall