Asri-unix.1320 net.unix-wizards utzoo!decvax!cca!smk@MITRE-BEDFORD@sri-unix Sun Apr 25 09:41:47 1982 Help in proposing a local network of various machines Background-- We have a variety of machines and operating systems that all need to have access to the ARPANET. As of now, we have a PDP-11/70 (UNIX) that is connected. We would like to connect other machines in our complex to the ARPANET also. We are considering some kind of local network approach, but we have to consider a variety of machines. For instance, we have VAX-11/780 (4.1bsd UNIX) machines, PDP-11/70 (UNIX) in addition to the one above, IBM3031 (TSO), IBM4341 (VM), various PDP-11/70's (RSX,RSTS), LISP machines, and probably some other ones in the future. Because of software maintenance agreements, we can't really modify the DEC or IBM operating systems (but I guess if we had to, we would). Some of the machines are too far away for DMA connections. Question-- Does anyone out there know of a nice way to allow these computers to have access to the ARPANET? We think a local area network is the way to go, but we can be persuaded to take another approach. It would be nice to have remote execution (or login) on another machine, although the ARPANET issue is central to our thinking. Is it feasible to have "mini-networks" of like machine--like operating systems and form a ring between one machine of each variety? Are there other methods that are just as good? If you could, I would like to hear how you have tackled this problem for your environment (or plan to). We would also like to hear how solutions account for expansion of the network. Steve Kramer MITRE Corp. M/S B330 PO Box 208 Bedford, MA 01730 smk at mitre-bedford 617-271-3874 ----------------------------------------------------------------- gopher://quux.org/ conversion by John Goerzen of http://communication.ucsd.edu/A-News/ This Usenet Oldnews Archive article may be copied and distributed freely, provided: 1. There is no money collected for the text(s) of the articles. 2. The following notice remains appended to each copy: The Usenet Oldnews Archive: Compilation Copyright (C) 1981, 1996 Bruce Jones, Henry Spencer, David Wiseman.