From: CSBVAX::CSBVAX::MRGATE::"SMTP::CRVAX.SRI.COM::RELAY-INFO-VAX" 4-APR-1989 04:04 To: MRGATE::"ARISIA::EVERHART" Subj: Terminal Server Info (Summary) Received: From KL.SRI.COM by CRVAX.SRI.COM with TCP; Mon, 3 APR 89 08:35:59 PDT Received: from mitvma.mit.edu by KL.SRI.COM with TCP; Mon, 3 Apr 89 08:09:52 PDT Received: from MITVMA.MIT.EDU by mitvma.mit.edu (IBM VM SMTP R1.2) with BSMTP id 1139; Mon, 03 Apr 89 11:11:14 EST Received: from UMBSKY.BITNET (SYSMGR) by MITVMA.MIT.EDU (Mailer X1.25) with BSMTP id 9090; Mon, 03 Apr 89 11:10:41 EDT Date: Mon, 3 Apr 89 11:04 EDT From: Subject: Terminal Server Info (Summary) To: info-vax@kl.sri.com X-Original-To: info-vax@kl.sri.com Hello, Thanks to all who responded to my request for information on Terminal Servers. I have passed the information along and we hope to have some servers arriving soon. The rest of this message is a summary of the responses I received. Again, thanks to everyone who responded. /*--------------------------------* * Ted Corning "Blah!" * * UMass/Boston * * Computing Services * * System Manager SYSMGR@UMBSKY * * (617) 929-7800 * ----------------------------------*/ The original query was: > We may soon be in the position to purchase some terminal servers. We >currently have a DECserver 100 and a DECserver 200. I am looking for any >information on other models (500?) and vendors (like Emulex or Xyplex). >Any information is appreciated. I will summarize to the net if there is >enough interest. ==== From: BitNet%"KOST@TRIUMFRG" "Corrie Kost" >We have been more than satisfied with our 6 16channel Emulex servers >( VAXes at VMS v5.0-2) and also have 6 8channel DECserver-200's. >The only glitch we had was when a 'foreign' ethernet device send packets > which `crashed' the Emulex servers but not the DEcservers. This is >supposed to be fixed with Emulex V1.02 software upgrade (which we have >but have not yet installed). From: BitNet%"WALLIS@TWSUVAX" "Thomas Wallis" > Ted: > > Here at WSU (Wichita State University, Wichita Kansas) we run >a combination of DECSERVER 200's and 1 EMULEX Performance 4000 terminal >server. In MY opinion (not necessarily shared by WSU), the Emulex is >the superior buy over the decserver 200. It has far more ports for the >money, the product is at least as reliable as a DECSERVER, etc... The >software on the EMULEX seems nicer than the DS. It is completely LAT >compatible, as far as I can tell. We have been running one for 6 months >and have had only 1 or 2 minor problems. Ours is populated to the full >32 ports. I cannot comment on the DECSERVER 500, except it seems expensive. >The only problem we had with the Emulex is very infrequently the software >locks up a port and we have to reboot the server to fix it. I don't know >what causes this, but in 6 + months of 24 hour operation, this has happened >twice. Otherwise, it has performed VERY WELL!!!! We have had DECSERVERS >too and they are also good products. We have had a few go belly up and >die. DEC replaced them. We have been running DECSERVERS for about 2 >years. We have about 6 DECSERVERS on campus. (DS 200's). > Thomas Wallis (WALLIS@TWSUVAX) > Wichita State Univ. >PS> The opinions expressed here are my own, and not necessarily those >of WSU or the State of Kansas. I am not associated with Emulex or DEC, >besides being a customer. From: BitNet%"ARCHERB@UMKCVAX1" "BARRY ARCHER" > I have several DECserver 200s which are pretty dependable if I >re-initialize them once a month - otherwise they start getting corrupted RAM >and port configurations go strange, ie. a port speed will suddenly go from 9600 >to 600. But other than that they behave very consistently. They are also 8 >ports and expensive. > > Our Computer Science Dept. has two Xyplex servers which have a clunky >interface and require a driver and symbiont on our VAX just to handle Xyplex >connections. When we went to VMS 5.0 we had to wait for Xyplex to send new >images for the driver and symbiont. Obviously not LAT. I haven't been too >impressed. You have to specify how many connections you will allow and it >creates the virtual terminals for them at startup out of nonpaged pool. They >are suppose to be coming out with a LAT board, but I haven't heard anything for >a while about that. > > Since we are hopefully going to be leaving the BI bus world soon we >just got a VISTA teminal server. It is low cost, can handle up to 128 RS423 >ports on 32 port cards ( it also has 8 port RS232 cards ), has either LAT or >TCP/IP Network Interface cards, and VISTA is working on a dual LAT-TCP/IP card. >The LAT is reverse engineered, but so far I've found it pretty close. There >have been a few problems such as an inability to set up a port as a dedicated >service and cause it to connect from a second port. But they have a toll-free >number for support and the server appears to everyone on the ethernet as a >DECserver. You can even add it into the DECnet database as such. I also like >the command line recall and command line editing for server management. I >think they will have the software ( which is in ROM rather than downloaded ) >look as exactly like the DECserver's soon. As it is the server arrived before >the documentation and I had it up and running in less than 15 minutes. > > I am pleased with the VISTA, still like the DECservers, and don't like >the Xyplexes. Hope this helps you out a bit... > > Barry Archer > Network Tech., Computing Services > archerb@umkcvax1 From: BitNet%"CAMPBELL@UTOROCI" "Chip Campbell" >Ted, > >We bought two Emulex P4000 servers over the past couple of months; one >is the P4016 (16 RJ12's), one is the P4016M (12 RJ12's, 4 DB25's) and >both have the PE4016 expansion box (16 RJ12's). >Emulex (and Emulex Canada, and Hamilton/Avnet) have said that there >are known problems with the early [software] releases. > >Feature-wise, the P4000 looks really good; it's got a number of little >enhancements (Vt100 support, command line editting) that collectively >make it much easier to be system manager of. It's a lot cheaper than >DECservers, needs 1/4 the transceivers, etc. > >Chip Campbell >VAX System Manager >Ontario Cancer Institute, Physics Division >Toronto From: mil%"chip!clapp@trout.nosc.mil" >We've been very pleased with the P4000 series terminal servers from >Emulex. The reasons: > > 16 or 32 lines is much nicer than just 8 lines per box. Yet, it > doesn't force you to have all your eggs in one basket like > the DECserver 500 does. > > The LCD display on the front panel is MUCH nicer than trying > to figure out what's going on from a single green LED. > > The price and packaging are attractive. > >I can only think of two down-side arguments. We had a few problems with >the early releases of the code running against old LAT releases on non-VMS >hosts. The VMS emulation has been amazingly solid. The only issues I've heard >giving anybody any trouble were not supporting enough hosts. That was fixed >quite promptly. (the released code is now version 1.02 - we started with .9 >or something) > >They've delayed the introduction of shared TCP and LAT support again - now >saying "June '89". > >I'd give them a serious look. Tech support has been very good on the terminal >servers - not at all like the stories you hear about disk/tape controllers. From: BitNet%"INFO@HDETUD5" "J.G. KROMME" >We have been using since 5 years a terminal multiplexer from ABLE, >at the moment of announcing it just was a simple terminal multiplexer >one side terminals, other side a number of computers! >At the moment there has been introduced for this system a ethernet >connection emulating a decserver-500, giving all terminals the >possibility to use the lat protocol. >The system in fact has migrated from a multiplexer to an >effective port-selector, still using the old multiplexing >facilities combined with the newer possibilities over ethernet. > >J.G. Kromme >Techn. Univers. Delft >Mekelweg 15 >2629 JB Delft >KROMME@HDETUD5.BITNET From: "Terry M. Combs" >There is another vendor available to buy terminal servers from. The name of >the company is DATABILITY. They have a box which supports rs232 and rs423 >connections. You can mix these connections in the same box (I understand...) >and they have a menu inside the terminal server which is accessable from the >front. If we buy more than 3-4 in our next purchase we will certainly >look at these servers. The number is 1-800-dial-dss (I hate these numbers). >Hope this might help. From: BitNet%"BRADLEJP@SNYPLABA" > There is a terminal server called the Vista VCP-1000 available from >Datability systems. A review of it is in the October 17, 1988 issue of >Digital News. We don't own one so that's all I can tell you. From: cdn%"lebaron@tel.inrs.cdn" "Gregory LeBaron" >We've got emulex performance 4000 here and are very happy with it after >3 months. I've been able to completely ignore it's existance - what more >could a system manager ask for? > >Greg LeBaron >Bell Northern Research >Montreal Quebec >lebaron@tel.inrs.cdn From: BitNet%"MORALES@PANAM" > I'm Nick Morales at Pan American University, Edinburg Tx. Network >Manager/System manager. Recently, we installed Emulex Performance 4000 >terminal servers on our DEC Ethernet network. The Emulex terminal servers >we outstanding when connected to our VAX cluster, however, we also have a >DECsystem 10 on the network, employing a NIA20 interphase, and the Emulex >servers fail when streams of charactors are sent by the DECsystem 10. > But, the Emulex Performance 4000's work on the Ethernet network, >as long as, you only have VAXens and if you don't mind the two working >copies of software to drive different servers. Using the 4000s was great, >they offer excellent features I'd like to see in the DECserver 200s. From: COM%"firestine@sjs.ATE.SLB.COM" >There are several companies selling terminal servers - I suggest that >you get a subscription to Digital News, Digital Review, and DEC Professional >so you'll see the ads for new products. > >Datability: 800-dial-dss >Emulex: 800-emulex3 >Xyplex: 508-371-1400 >Interlan: 800-LAN-TALK 800 tell lan (in MA) >Sytek: 415-571-6611 >LRT: 714-727-3944 > >The DECserver 500 has been replaced with the DECserver 550 >Bob Firestine >Schlumberger Technologies bob@sj.ate.slb.com >1601 Technology Drive >San Jose CA 95115 >408-437-5216