386 Unix Options (Summary, rather long)

Mark McWiggins mark at intek01.UUCP
Thu Dec 1 12:15:05 AEST 1988


I may have asked for too much in this one posting; I got more responses
from those wanting the same information than from people offering information.
This posting summarizes their responses, and gives my analysis of the choices
available, along with a couple of extra questions.

Here's my original inquiry:

>We're upgrading from SCO Xenix 286 and are considering our options ...
>We've been quite happy with their product, but we have a number of criteria
>to meet and are pretty price-sensitive.  Since SCO still seems "behind"
>the others (no NFS that we're aware of, etc.) and no longer will allow their 
>products to be sold mail-order, it seems worth shopping.
>
>The machine would be used for
>
>    (1) development by the resident Unix hack (that's me) regularly, and a
>    	few others sporadically
>
>    (2) mail/news via UUNET & Telebit @ 19200 bps
>
>    (3) TCP/IP connection to DOS (Netware) & maybe Mac
>
>    (4) SCCS archiving of all our source
>
>Here's what we need:
>
>    (1) Console multiscreens
>
>    (2) ESDI disk support
>
>    (3) TCP/IP, with the ability to let several clients login using
>        a single board
>
>    (4) Xenix software compatibility (I guess this means Sys V R3.2?)
>
>    (5) Support for Telebit modem @ 19200 & dialing in/out on a single line
>
>    (6) NFS
>
>    (7) Support for Everex cartridge tape
>
>    (8) RELIABILITY
>
>Here's what we'd like, but isn't essential:
>
>    (1) VP/ix support
>
>    (2) Diskless node support over NFS
>
>	(3) Korn Shell
>
>I'd like to hear about:
>
>    (1) your experience with a similar sort of setup: system/network board
>		combinations, how much memory, how many/what kind users, how
>		experienced you are at sysoping and how much of a pain installation
>		was, etc.
>
>    (2) the prices you paid
>
>    (3) vendors and your experience with them
>
>I realize this sort of thing has been done before, but I'm not aware of any 
>similar summaries about the latest greatest (Sys V 3.2, Xenix 2.3).
>
>Please reply by E-mail, and I'll summarize for the net.  Thanks in 
>advance.

Replies:

(1) From ken at gatech.edu (Ken Seefried iii):

Get in touch with Interactive (+1 800 346 7111).  They have the latest version
of 386 Unix on the street (System V release 3.2), and 386/ix version 2.0 has
all of the things you are looking ffor, including TCP/IP and NFS (and X11.3,
if you are into that sort of thing). 

These guys do good work, tho support isn't always the best.  They've been in
the Unix buisiness almost as long as AT&T (welllll...1977, anyway).  I've
never had any trouble with an ISC installation, but i do good things like only
spec peripherals that they recomend, etc.

-----

(2) From  uunet!ispi!jbayer (Jonathan Bayer):

> 
> Here's what we need:
> 
>     (1) Console multiscreens

	SCO Xenix has it.  Additionally, release 2.3.1 also has multiscreens
		for serial terminals.

> 
>     (2) ESDI disk support

	Use a WD-1007.  It looks like an mfm drive, but is esdi.  There
		are also several caching controllers available which
		work under Xenix

> 
>     (3) TCP/IP, with the ability to let several clients login using
>         a single board

	Comes with the Excelan board (an excellent product, we have sold a
		number of them).

> 
>     (5) Support for Telebit modem @ 19200 & dialing in/out on a single line

	Again, release 2.3.1 directly supports the Telebit modem.  2.2.3
		supported it with a Telebit utilities disk from SCO (free)

> 
>     (6) NFS

	Not yet, although I am told it will be available in the near future.

> 
>     (7) Support for Everex cartridge tape

	Yes.  While 2.2.3 had indirect support for the Everex (specify a
		different tape), 2.3.1 directly supports the Everex.

> 
>     (8) RELIABILITY

	How reliable do you want it?  I keep seeing more reports about
		problems with some other unnamed Unixs for the 386 than
		with SCO Xenix.

> 
> Here's what we'd like, but isn't essential:
> 
>     (1) VP/ix support

	Vpix 1.1 (not the controlled release) is available and works very
		well.

> 
> 	(3) Korn Shell

	Available from third parties (Aspen Software is one)



While SCO may seem a little slow at times, the quality of their product
is worth it.  Likewise the cost.  As the old saying goes, you get what
you pay for, most of the time.  

We have installed Xenix on a wide variety of systems.  In terms of memory
we use a rule of thumb of 1/2 meg per user, depending on what they
will be doing.  As you know, the installation is painless but tedious.

Some features you didn't mention which are now available in 2.3.1 are:

	HDB UUCP
	Scheduled backups
	Easy customizatin of system parameters
	Menu-driven administration procedures
	Mouse support, both on main console and on terminals.
	Online help facility (not manual pages)

--------

(3) From {rtmvax,ucf-cs}!tarpit!rd (Bob Thrush)

[This guy recommended we look at the Sun 386i.  I'd love to, but it's
waaaay out of my price range.  I have his message if anyone is interested,
but I didn't think it really applied and am thus omitting it here.]

--------

(4) From gillisb at gsd (Brian Gillis)

Go with Interactive!!!!  You will get real unix with most, if not all
of the things you mentioned. I just put up a 386/ix next to sco/386
and every program on sco works on 386/ix.

---------

ANALYSIS:

I've elminated Bell Tech (limited hardware compatibility) and Microport
(broken serial drivers).  That leaves AT&T, Interactive, and SCO.  I'd
be tempted by the Everex port just announced, but I need to make a decision
pretty quick now.

Here's a chart of the features I need (including at least 1 important one
I forgot to ask last time), along with what I know about each
(DO correct me if I'm wrong :), and the questions I still have.

AT&T:

	Multiscreens:		only if you get VP/ix, and only on the console
	
	ESDI disk support:	Yes?

	TCP/IP:			Yes

	Xenix software		Yes, in S5R3.2
	compatibility 

	Support for Telebit	?
	modem @ 19200
	& dialing in/out 
	on a single line

	NFS			Yes

	Support for Everex	Yes?
	cartridge tape

	Reliability		Good?

	VP/ix support		Yes

	Diskless node support	?
	over NFS

	Korn Shell		Available, but I don't think included

	C compiler		based on PCC, presumably very robust?

	Price/Vendor/Release	I've seen $700 quoted, from Elek-Tek;
				don't know if that was 3.1 or 3.2, or
				what other vendors carry this

Interactive:

	Multiscreens:		console only?
	
	ESDI disk support:	Yes

	TCP/IP:			Yes

	Xenix software		Yes, in S5R3.2
	compatibility 

	Support for Telebit	Yes
	modem @ 19200
	& dialing in/out 
	on a single line

	NFS			Yes

	Support for Everex	Yes
	cartridge tape

	Ease of installation	Easy?

	Weird peripheral	?
	support

	Reliability		Good

	VP/ix support		Yes

	Diskless node support	?
	over NFS

	Korn Shell		Available, but not included

	C compiler		based on PCC ?, presumably very robust?

	Price/Vendor/Release	$?; they're advertising 3.2

SCO:

	Multiscreens:		any tty
	
	ESDI disk support:	Yes

	TCP/IP:			Yes

	Xenix software		N/A
	compatibility 

	Support for Telebit	Yes
	modem @ 19200
	& dialing in/out 
	on a single line

	NFS			No

	Support for Everex	Yes
	cartridge tape

	Ease of installation	Easy

	Weird peripheral	Excellent
	support

	Reliability		Excellent

	VP/ix support		Yes

	Diskless node support	No
	over NFS

	Korn Shell		Available, but not included

	C compiler		based on Microsoft C; 286 version 2.2 flaky,
				386 version unknown (see next posting)

	Price/Vendor/Release	List is $1495 or $1595 (can't remember which),
				but developers can get a 30% discount after
				filling out a reseller's application.  SCO
				is cutting off mail order business of their
				products.

------

Any corrections, additional information, or other feedback would be
greatly appreciated.  Thanks!

-- 

Mark McWiggins			UUCP:		uunet!intek01!mark
DISCLAIMER: I could be wrong.	INTERNET:	intek01!mark at uunet.uu.net
						(206) 455-9935



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