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Conference 7.286::fddi

Title:	FDDI - The Next Generation

Moderator:	NETCAD::STEFANI

Created:	Thu Apr 27 1989
Last Modified:	Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	2259
Total number of notes:	8590

1200.0. "Ethernet -> FDDI migration" by WHELIN::CONWAY () Mon Jan 10 1994 08:48

    We have a customer that has placed a huge FDDI order; however, this
    order depends on whether or not our current distributed software
    product will run directly on FDDI, not with an indirect Ethernet link.
    This software uses non-transparent DECnet and a proprietary transport
    protocol with IEEE 802.3 multicasting.
    
    Knowing little about FDDI, we have several questions:
    
    1. What, if any, networking software changes are required?
    
    2. Is there an FDDI testing facility within the company?
    
    3. What FDDI information is available on the Easynet?
    
    
    Any information will be appreciated.
    
    Thanks - Mark

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
1200.1		KONING::KONING	Paul Koning, B-16504	`Mon Jan 10 1994 12:00`	26
	"our currently distributed software product" -- what product? There are many products. From the point of view of higher layer software, the FDDI driver looks just like an Ethernet driver, except that it is willing to handle packets bigger than the Ethernet limit. If you talk to it as you would to an Ethernet driver, it will give you the same services. The driver of course has a different device name, so if your application assumes it knows the names of the Ethernet drivers, it will need a change to talk to the FDDI drivers. (Logical names may suffice for this.) If you want to look at management data (counters etc), you'll find them similar but not exactly identical. Many products support FDDI. All the obvious big ones: DECnet, UCX, VAXclusters, etc... If you need to confirm it for a specific product, check the SPD or ask the product manager. But the answer in general should be "yes". (If it's "no" you might ask the PM "why not?") Are you talking about a special protocol written by (or for) this customer? If so, the changes required should be either (a) none, if Ethernet size packets are sufficient, or (b) a few, if bigger packets are required. The best reference for the details would be the device driver manual for the systems in question. paul
1200.2	more info	WHELIN::CONWAY		`Mon Jan 10 1994 14:41`	27
	Thanks for the response. To answer some of your questions: > "our currently distributed software product" -- what product? There are many > products. DECtrade. It's a Digital product for financial trading systems. > The driver of course has a different device name, so if your application > assumes it knows the names of the Ethernet drivers, it will need a change to > talk to the FDDI drivers. (Logical names may suffice for this.) If you want > to look at management data (counters etc), you'll find them similar but > not exactly identical. This is exactly what I wanted to hear. DECtrade uses logical names for the Ethernet device for its multicasting protocol. > Are you talking about a special protocol written by (or for) this customer? > If so, the changes required should be either (a) none, if Ethernet size > packets are sufficient, or (b) a few, if bigger packets are required. The best > reference for the details would be the device driver manual for the systems > in question. The protocol is part of DECtrade. Yes, Ethernet packet sizes are sufficient, so (a) should be okay. Thanks again - Mark