sdroppers@pbs.uucp (Seton Droppers) (02/16/90)
In article <4864@helios.ee.lbl.gov>, envbvs@epb2.lbl.gov (Brian V. Smith) writes: > In article <1634@ariel.unm.edu>, sdowdy@ariel.unm.edu (Stephen Dowdy) writes: >> In article <6279.25d948ef@pbs.uucp> sdroppers@pbs.uucp (Seton > Droppers) writes: >> )A comment was made that Q-Bus machines should change from DEQNA to DELQA >> )ethernet cards on Q-Bus machines as needed. This was echoed by > personal talks I >> )had with both a VMS developer and Educational Specialist -- They both said >> )"Change those boards as *soon* as you can!". >> >> There is an upgrade path available. It is $660 (vs ~$4k). Please contact >> your DEC Sales Rep. It is available through Module Mailer Only, out of the >> Customer Return Center. (don't contact me, though, that's what your Sales >> Rep is for) >> > > What exactly does the DELQA "fix" or give you that the DEQNA doesn't have? > We are running Ultrix on our Vaxstation II's and wonder if we need to upgrade > to the DELQA. I know that the DEQNA has never been a fast controller; does > the DELQA basically give faster performance or are there problems that it fixes > as well? > > _____________________________________ > Brian V. Smith (bvsmith@lbl.gov) > Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory > I don't speak for LBL, these non-opinions are all mine. It is my uderstanding that the DELQA is supports the "real" ethernet formats (802.??, am I correct?) while the DEQNA only supports the formats used by DEC in the original DECnet and LAT releases. My further understanding is that this is because the DEQNA cannot be made to handle packets fast enough, the firmware in it is simply too primitive. As an update for our site I was talking with one of our programmers that had just built an application using DECnet file transfers to a MicroVAX II with a DEQNA and they needed to build in lots of extra stuff to handle files that did not get transfered because of link problems. I have been told by others this is a symptom of the DEQNA problems. Other conversations that I have had indicate that the DELQA has abilities that the DEQNA just does not have (no specifics have been given), and that DECnet will be using these new abilities "real soon now". -- Seton Droppers -- "Anything that I say is my opinion and not my employer's." Public Broadcasting Service, 1320 Braddock Pl. Alexandria, VA 22314 (UUCP: ...{vrdxhq,csed-1,ida.org}!pbs!sdroppers) (Voice: 703/739-5100) (VAX/VMS running DECUS UUCP 1.1, ANU News 5.9C)