point-to-point networks for PIs?

[Vernon Schryver]

In article <1991Mar28.195640.8677 at helios.physics.utoronto.ca>, sysmark at physics.utoronto.ca (Mark Bartelt) writes:
> 
> One can obtain a point-to-point leased line from TPC for a reasonable
> cost (well, how reasonable depends on the type of line), but we need
> to find out what sort of PI hardware/software support we can get.
>  ...


There are a bunch of people who work for Silicon Graphics with PI's or
networks of PI's in locations around the world, but connected to
the corporate network.  It can be done.  One popular method is the SGI SLIP
product and your favorite 19.2 or 9.6 dial up modem.  People here are using
that with both PI's and X-terminals.  They seem to prefer v.32 to PEP for X.

People here have used NFS over SLIP, but agree it's slow.

The best bet is probably among:
    (1) a dedicated line and your favorite IP router (e.g. Cisco,
	Proteon, or Wellfleet), CSU/DSI, and a private line.  This would
	cost >$10K just for hardware.
    (2) SLIP and dial up async modems.  This can be done for <$2000.
    (3) SLIP, private line, sync modems, and sync-async converters.
	This is intermediate in cost.  It was how sgi.com was connected
	to the Internet for a year or two.


Vernon Schryver,   vjs at sgi.com