Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wuarchive!gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!apple!metaphor!xymox!philf From: philf@xymox.metaphor.com (Phil Fernandez) Newsgroups: comp.protocols.ibm Subject: Re: TCP/IP over SNA Message-ID: <810@metaphor.Metaphor.COM> Date: 26 Sep 89 04:45:35 GMT References: <8909250654.AA16455@jade.berkeley.edu> Sender: news@metaphor.Metaphor.COM Reply-To: philf@xymox.metaphor.com (Phil Fernandez) Organization: Metaphor Computer Systems, Mountain View, CA Lines: 43 In article <8909250654.AA16455@jade.berkeley.edu> Robert Young writes: >I have a Sequent system (S81) connected to our 4381 mainframe through >SNA. We have already purchased the TCP/IP tapes from IBM but are waiting >for a hardware solution to connect the two systems. Initially, someone in >technical marketing (IBM) suggested we use an RT and a token-ring to >ethernet router but the idea never cooked. Now they are suggesting some >type of channel attached device (Ethernet) to connect the two systems. >Any ideas, suggestions and/or comments? IBM sells a box called the 8232, which is an industrially-packaged PC/AT with one or more net interface boards (Ethernet and/or Token Ring) plus one ore more channel interface boards. It is their current standard offering for host-attach to Ethernet, and is fully supported by the mainframe-based TCP/IP software. I had some experience with this box when I used to work at Stanford; for the most part it works pretty well. With the 8232, you can just put the 4381 onto your Ethernet in just the same way you'd attach any other workstation or mini. >So far it looks like the IBM people we deal with are not completely sure >about any clear solutions. I can't resist a little bit of IBM-bashing in this case. The IBM sales and systems engineering force is just not up-to-speed on the TCP/IP and Ethernet product offerings for VM or MVS. When I was working at Stanford, IBM was trying to sell us TCP/IP software for a 3090 running MVS. They kept trotting in more senior "experts," up to the level of a "Regional Networking Specialist." Each of them spouted so much silly or plain false nonsense about TCP/IP that I could barely sit through the meetings. This lack of marketing commitment would really scare me about becoming too depending on an IBM TCP/IP solution for a S/370 system. (This are purely my own opinions, and do not reflect those of my employer) +-----------------------------+----------------------------------------------+ | Phil Fernandez | philf@metaphor.com | | | ...!{apple|decwrl}!metaphor!philf | | Metaphor Computer Systems |"Does the body rule the mind, or does the mind| | Mountain View, CA | rule the body? I dunno..." - Morrissey | +-----------------------------+----------------------------------------------+