Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!YKTVMH.BITNET!PERSHNG
From: PERSHNG@YKTVMH.BITNET ("John A. Pershing Jr.")
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.ibm
Subject: (none)
Message-ID: <8910031543.AA04080@jade.berkeley.edu>
Date: 3 Oct 89 14:08:04 GMT
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Reply-To: "John A. Pershing Jr." 
Organization: The Internet
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Detailed descriptions of SNA?  Surely you jest (or you're really into pain)...

You should be a bit more specific about exactly which protocols you are
interested in, if for no other reason than to spare a few trees.  I have
about 3 linear feet of bookshelf space taken up with SNA manuals.

O.K., here goes:

GA27-3136 "SNA Formats"

    This is the abridged version of the SNA "green card", weighing in at
    about 200 pages.  It provides the formats of the actual messages that
    flow on the lines; however, it only provides this information for the
    messages that are used by an "independent" node -- that is, a PU Type
    2.1 with one or more LUs Type 6.2.

LY43-0081 "SNA Network Product Formats"

    This is the full-blown version, and looks like it must have 350 or
    400 pages.  In addition to the stuff in GA27-3136, this contains all
    of the Request and Response Units (RUs) that are used in an SNA
    Subarea Network for chit-chat among VTAMs and NCPs.

SC30-3112 "SNA FAP Reference Manual: Architectural Logic"

         ('FAP' == 'Format and Protocol')

    This is The Bible of subarea networking (approx 600 pages).
    Everything you ever wanted to know about Transmission Groups,
    Explicit Routes, Virtual Routes, Flow Control, Pacing, SSCPs,
    Cross-Domain Initiation, etc., etc., etc. Last revised in 1980, this
    manual does NOT contain any information on PU-2.1 or LU-6.2.

GC20-1868 "SNA -- Sessions Between Logical Units"

    An oldie, but a goodie, if it is still in print.  It describes how
    the various session types worked back in the days before LU-6.2.

SC30-3422 "SNA Type 2.1 Node Reference"

    This is quite sketchy (only about 50 pages), but probably contains
    enough information to permit someone to implement an independent
    node (I'm about to find out for myself!).

SC31-6808 "SNA LU 6.2 Reference: Peer Protocols"

    This is The Bible of the LU-6.2 session protocols (approx 350 pages),
    for someone who will be running in a PU-2.1 independent node, where
    you will have a Boundary Function somewhere that will deal with VTAM
    as necessary.  If anything, this manual has too much detail; it is
    filled up with "structured English" pseudo-code that gives a blow-by-
    blow description of what goes on.

SC30-3269 "SNA FAP Reference Manual: Architecture Logic for LU Type 6.2"

    Out of date (I think the correct term is "functionally stabilized")
    with repsect to SC31-6808, this manual includes the additional detail
    that you need to implement LU-6.2 in a Subarea Node, where you need
    to deal directly with VTAM ("the SSCP"), although it is getting more
    and more out-of-date on the LU-6.2 session protocols.

Have you had enough?  I have, for now.  There are lots more manuals,
dealing with the various link types (BiSynch, SDLC, Token Ring) and the
various "application"-layer services (File Services, Distribution
Services, Management Services, Distributed Data Management).

      John Pershing
      IBM Research, Yorktown Heights