|
PCSA - a DIGITAL-produced group of products - is supposed to do all that
FOCNET does, and more. Using FOCUS and any of its options is an enormous
expense to Digital. We should be using our own products before purchasing
anything from a third-party ... especially now.
I found these variations listed in VTX SPD:
PRODUCT NAME: DECnet PCSA Client for DOS, SPD 55.07.08
Version 3.0
PRODUCT NAME: DECnet/PCSA Client: VAXmate, SPD 55.10.03
Version 2.2
(Formerly included in VAXmate Operating Environment)
PRODUCT NAME: PCSA for OS/2[R], Version 1.0 SPD 55.24.00
I've included part of the description from the DOS SPD. Check out the SPD
for the complete description.
Ellen
----------------------
DESCRIPTION (from the DOS spd)
The Personal Computing Systems Architecture (PCSA) is an extension of Digital
Equipment Corporation's systems and networking architecture that merges the
VMS, DOS, and OS/2 environments. PCSA provides a framework for integrating
personal computers into an organization's total information system so that
different types of users can share information, large system resources and
network services across the entire organization.
The PCSA family of software products includes:
^ VMS Services for PCs - Software that allows a VAX system to act as a
file, print, and disk server to personal computers (described in SPD
30.50.xx).
^ DECnet PCSA Client for DOS - Required software for the DOS personal
computer (described in this document) to use the facilities provided by
VMS Services for PCs (described in SPD 30.50.xx), PCSA for OS/2 server
software (described in SPD 55.24.xx), or VAXmate Services for MS-DOS
(described in SPD 55.07.xx).
^ PCSA for OS/2 - Required software for the OS/2 personal computer
(described in SPD 55.24.xx) to use the facilities provided by VMS
Services for PCs (described in SPD 30.50.xx) and/or make the file and
print facilities of an OS/2 system available to other personal
computers (described in SPD 55.24.xx).
^ DECnet/PCSA Client: VAXmate - Required software for VAXmates to use the
facilities provided by VMS Services for PCs (described in SPD 30.50.xx)
or VAXmate Services for MS-DOS (described in SPD 55.10.xx).
^ VAXmate Services for MS-DOSR^HO - Software that allows a VAXmate with an
expansion box to act as a dedicated server to DOS computers (described
in SPD 55.09.xx).
The DECnet PCSA Client for DOS software allows Digital, selected IBM,
and selected IBM compatible personal computers to be connected to VAX,
MicroVAX, VAXstation, VAXserver, or VAXmate computers in a DECnet Phase
IV network as non-routing (end) nodes. The PCs can utilize selected
facilities and services of those systems, and access information and
services contained on other types of Digital systems in the DECnet
network.
Refer to the Supported Configuration Chart in the System Support
Addendum (SSA 55.07.08-x) for detailed configuration information.
Communications
DECnet PCSA Client for DOS nodes can be connected to a network via an
Ethernet or an asynchronous DECnet connection in a Local Area Network
(LAN) or Wide Area Network (WAN). Refer to OPTIONAL HARDWARE in the
System Support Addendum (SSA 55.07.08-x) for details on supported
Ethernet configurations.
The functions available to the DECnet PCSA Client for DOS user depend
largely upon the configuration of the rest of the network. Each DECnet
product offers its own level of capability and set of features to the
user.
DECnet PCSA Client for DOS software is a DECnet Phase IV network product
and is warranted for use only with supported Phase IV products supplied
by Digital.
DECnet Phase IV networks can contain a maximum of 1023 nodes per network
area, and up to 63 areas per network. Phase III nodes participating in
Phase III/IV networks are limited to the Phase III routing capability of
255 nodes. Phase IV end nodes not directly connected to an Ethernet
Local Area Network can connect to only one node (for DECnet-DOS, that
node must be Phase IV). In order to communicate with other nodes in the
network, including Phase III nodes, that node must be a Phase IV
full-function (routing) node.
DECnet PCSA Client for DOS supports direct connections to baseband
Ethernet local area networks via Ethernet controllers. Refer to System
Support Addendum (SSA 55.07.08-x) for a list of supported Ethernet
controllers. These interfaces, when used in conjunction with Digital's
baseband Ethernet components, allow DECnet PCSA Client for DOS software
to utilize Ethernet as its datalink transmission medium.
DECnet PCSA Client for DOS supports the Digital Data Communications
Message Protocol, Version 4.1 (DDCMP) for full-duplex transmission in
point-to-point operation. An asynchronous connection to the network is
accomplished over a serial line, using the personal computer's
asynchronous communications adapter as the physical link. The adjacent
system must be a DECnet Phase IV, full-function (routing) node,
supporting asynchronous DDCMP (e.g. DECrouter 200, DECnet-VAX). DDCMP
provides error detection/correction and physical link management
facilities. Neither half-duplex mode nor multi-point tributary operation
is supported.
The Software Product Description for the DECnet product in question must
be consulted to determine if asynchronous operation is supported, and to
develop a supportable routing node configuration. Connections over
asynchronous terminal lines, such as to a DECserver 200, are not
supported.
DECnet PCSA Client for DOS Features
The DECnet PCSA Client for DOS software provides:
^ Access to Network Services
^ Memory Savings Techniques
^ PC DECwindows Display Facility
^ Terminal Emulators
^ DECnet-DOS Facilities
^ Printer Support
^ Enhanced DOS Utilities
^ Microsoft Windows Support
^ Installation and Configuration Utilities
Access to Network Services
DECnet PCSA Client for DOS software, in conjunction with a VAX running
VMS Services for PCs software, provides to the client:
^ File Services - Through the integration of Microsoft's MS-DOS LAN
Manager 1.0 basic file and print services with DECnet as well as
emulation of IBM's NETBIOS, the client is provided with a remote DOS
file system that appears as a transparent extension of the client's
local facilities.
^ Disk Services - Through the use of Digital's Local Area Systems
Transport (LAST) protocol, DECnet PCSA clients are provided with high
performance virtual disks in a local area network. In a wide area
network configuration, use the Network Device Utility (NDU) to access
virtual disks.
^ Print Services - Remote printers appear as a transparent extension of
the client's facilities. This allows the redirection of local printing
to a server-based printer.
^ Date and Time Services - Clients can receive date and time from the
server.
^ Mail Services - Clients can send and receive electronic mail messages
with other VAX MAIL supported users in the network via the PCMAIL or
DECnet-DOS mail utilities.
The PCMAIL utility can read, print, reply to, forward and delete mail
messages. Messages can be organized into folders, and messages can be
sent using distribution lists. At login for each PCSA session, the user
can be notified of any new mail messages. The DECnet-DOS mail utility
allows transmission of text messages and documents to users of MAIL
software (e.g., VMS MAIL, MAIL-11) on systems that operate within the
same DECnet network. A MAIL receiver task is not supported. Messages
may be exchanged between PCMAIL and ALL-IN-1 MAIL via the Message
Router VMSmail gateway.
^ Remote Boot - Users can remote boot a personal computer from a network
virtual boot disk using the disk services of VMS Services for PCs
software. Personal computers not using the Digital DEPCA PC Ethernet
controller card are capable of remote boot by utilizing the floppy
remote boot procedure.
^ Task-to-Task Communications - Through DECnet-DOS, user programs written
in Microsoft's MACRO Assembler, or the C language, can exchange
messages with other network user programs. A simple set of functions
is provided by the transparent task-to-task interface which allows
communication and exchange of data with a remote network program
through a limited set of DOS calls (e.g. OPEN, CLOSE, READ, and WRITE.)
User program to user program capabilities (non-transparent) are
possible in C or MACRO Assembly through a library of special network
subroutine calls. This gives the network programmer access to the
complete set of DECnet functions. The user may need to adapt the
DECnet-DOS C language subroutines to the specific C compiler being
used. Small, medium and large size memory models are supported.
Refer to VMS Services for PCs (SPD 30.50.xx) for further information on
network services with a VAX server. Refer to VAXmate Services for MS-DOS
(SPD 55.09.xx) for further information on network services with a VAXmate
server. Refer to PCSA for OS/2 server software (SPD 55.24.xx) for
further information on network services with a OS/2 server.
.... there's more - check out the spd's .....
|