judge@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca (Peter Judge) (11/23/90)
Hi, I am a Mac literate person who knows only a little about networking or databases. I need to network three to five macs running a 4th Dimension application. Three machines are located in separate regions so I would have to connect them via telephone lines; the others would be connected by cable. My questions are these: 1) How does 4th Dimension make use of modems to share a distributed database? Does it contain routines to implement networking over phone lines, or do I need a bridge? (Technical information regarding the purchase, installation and use of bridges would be welcome). 2) Is there recommended networking software to use with 4th Dimension (Appletalk, TOPS...)? Thank you in advance for your help. Please respond via e-mail since I don't read this newsgroup very often. ========================== Peter Judge judge@credit.erin.utoronto.ca -- =============================================== judge@credit.erin.utoronto.ca (Peter Judge) |) judge@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca ===============================================
bmartin@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (Brian Martin) (11/23/90)
In article <1990Nov23.000340.1514@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca> judge@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca (Peter Judge) writes: > >I need to network three to five macs running a >4th Dimension application. Three machines are >located in separate regions so I would have to >connect them via telephone lines; the others would >be connected by cable. > >My questions are these: > >1) How does 4th Dimension make use of modems to > share a distributed database? It doesn't. > Does it contain routines to implement networking > over phone lines, or do I need a bridge? You would need a bridge. >2) Is there recommended networking software > to use with 4th Dimension (Appletalk, TOPS...)? Data corruption problems have occurred with TOPS. Bad idea. 4D uses a file server rather than a client/server model, so phone line networking is next to impossible with 4D. The closest you could come is to mimic a distributed database design, with batch updating between central database and remote databases at periodic intervals. A more expensive approach is to use 4D as a front end to an Oracle database, which should support the distributed databases. Alternatively, you could run "headless" macs at your central site, each with timbuktu/remote or carbon copy mac running, and access these macs via v.42bis modems from your remote sites. That may be a reasonable implementation, since you transfer screen images rather than data across the phone lines. You could enter and review data on-screen, but you wouldn't be able to print at a remote site using this approach. Best regards, ==== Brian K. Martin, M.D. Martin Information Systems, Ltd. 1103 9th Ave, Suite 203 Honolulu, HI 96816-2403 Voice (808) 733-2003 Fax (808) 733-2011 INTERNET: martin@medix.pegasus.com, bmartin@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu ARPA: uhccux!bmartin@nosc.MIL UUCP: {uunet,dcdwest,ucbvax}!ucsd!nosc!uhccux!bmartin