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From: mead@UHURA.CC.ROCHESTER.EDU (Ted Mead)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip.ibmpc
Subject: General/Philosphical Questions on PC/NOS's
Message-ID: <8909211705.AA16247@uhura.cc.rochester.edu>
Date: 21 Sep 89 17:05:58 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 47

Folks:

We are in the process of developing some recommendations, within the
University, for various components of networking - one of which is a
network operating system. I have a few questions that I would
appreciate peoples comments on.

1) Whenever all of the OSI-ISO application level services are defined
and implemented, it will rid the need of "network operating systems"
(i.e. Novell, Banyan, 3COM etc.). Do you think this is accurate or am I
missing a function of the network operating system (other than the
operating system) that will not be provided in ISO application layer services.

2) What exactly is LAN Manager? What was the motivation for it's
development? My understanding is that it is another session through
application layer "standard" with hooks for OS/2.

3) What is the relationship between SAA and LAN Manager? I see these as
conflicting architectures, yet IBM seems to be touting both?

4) Is there any reason why LAN Manager couldn't run on top of another
OS (UNIX, VMS, VM, MVS, ...)? Or is it tightly tied to OS/2?

5) What network and transport layer does LAN Manager run over? Are
those protocols also part of LAN Manager? Couldn't LAN Manager use TCP/IP?

6) How are typical PC network operating systems different from say
using PC/NFS? I mean why not just scrap the idea of another protocol
stack and proprietary network operating system in favor of NETBIOS over
standard TCP/IP? I understand the RFC exists for this but I was trying
to make sure I understand the motivation for it.

7) NETBIOS would run on top of TCP correct? I have seen notes
indicating that TCP/IP would run on top of NETBIOS, but that would be a
transport and ip protocol running on top of session? Is that what is really true?

I guess the root of all of these questions is how can you recommend a
network operating systems when there are so many alternatives and the
wave of the future is STANDARDS? What am I missing?

If you don't feel like formulating and writing a response, please feel
free to call me.

Thanks,
Ted (mead@cc.rochester.edu)
University of Rochester - Computing Center
(716)275-7325