Does anybody know anything about PMX/Term from AT&T?

[Paul Homchick]

In article <738 at cgh.UUCP> I wrote:
>
>>I recently purchased a 6386 WGS with Unix/386 which I wish to use to
>>provide the same services as the 3B1, i.e: DOS server, and unix logins
>>via STARLAN.

In article <5902 at chinet.UUCP> les at chinet.UUCP (Leslie Mikesell) writes:
>
>First, a question:  do you expect to be able to connect the 3B1 and the
>6386 to the same Starlan network?  My impression is that when the 6386
>unix starlan driver is released it will use the recently announced OSI
>low-level protocol and I have heard nothing about a compatible release
>for the 3B1.

Of course I expect to be able to connect the 3B1 and the 6386 to the
same network.  Why should I want to throw away my 3B1?  This is a very a
very intriguing and very unpleasent train of thought which I had not,
until now, entertained.

I note from a passel of literature just received, that AT&T is offering
the following STARLAN products:

   3B2 Server Program, Version 3        3B2 OSI Network Program
   386 Server Program, Version 3        386 OSI Network Program
   DOS Server Program, Version 3        3B2 DOS Server Program, Version 1.01
   PC6300 Network Program, Version 2.0
   STARLAN Hardware                     STARLAN10 Hardware

Is it possible that not all of these items are compatible with each
other?  Might someone running a 3B1 with a DOS server and a few copies of
the PC6300 Version 2.0 Network Program be forced to throw it all away
and start over again if they want to add a 6386WGS Unix box to the
network?  What does STARLAN mean, if all of these are "STARLAN", but none
of them will talk to the others?  Will the *real* STARLAN please stand
up.

This is not idle curiosity on my part.  I have a real network with real
AT&T equipment in it, and there is a 6386WGS on my desk awaiting
integration.  If there is a helpful AT&T Network Guru out there I have
a few questions:

1. Can the "PC6300 Network Program, Ver 2" communicate with one of the
   Ver 3 Servers?

2. Does the DOS client software come bundled with the Ver 3 Server
   programs?

3. Can the 'old' STARLAN protocol and the new version 3 exist on the
   same physical network?  i.e: can there be a set of version 3 servers
   and clients, and version 1 servers and clients on the same network?

4. Will a 1:10 bridge provide connectivity between version 3 and version
   1 as well as connecting STARLAN and STARLAN10?

5. Is the "OSI Network Program" required to run the "Version 3 Server
   Program"?  If so, is it bundled with the Server, or is it an extra
   cost item?

6. If the answers to these questions are not resolved in my favor, does
   anyone want to buy a loaded 3B1?  (Or, maybe a 6386.  It isn't clear
   which "incompatible" hardware to dump.)  (Or^^2, where is the OSI
   support for the 1,000's of 3B1s??)
-- 
Paul Homchick                     {allegra | rutgers | uunet} !cbmvax!cgh!paul
Chimitt Gilman Homchick, Inc.; One Radnor Station, Suite 300; Radnor, PA 19087