Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wuarchive!gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!think!snorkelwacker!bloom-beacon!primerd!ENI!WL1!WL9!MYNARD
From: MYNARD@WL9.Prime.COM
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.iso
Subject: Re: Questions about X.400
Message-ID: <10100002@WL9.Prime.COM>
Date: 14 Nov 89 17:47:00 GMT
References: <1987@xyzzy.UUCP>
Lines: 58
Nf-ID: #R:xyzzy.UUCP:-198700:WL9:10100002:000:2686
Nf-From: WL9.Prime.COM!MYNARD    Nov 14 17:47:00 1989


< /* Written  4:02 am  Nov 13, 1989 by oates@dg-rtp.dg.com in WL9:comp.protocols.iso */
< /* ---------- "Questions about X.400" ---------- */
<
<    I've recently been trying to learn what I can about X.400.  Technical
< information on the subject ( though not overly abundant ) is available.
< For example, I have CCITT Red Book Volume 8 Fascicle 8.7 and RFC 987 which
< describes the mapping between X.400 and RFC 822.  However, I haven't been
< able to find out what the state of its use in the real world is.  If
< anyone on the net can help me answer the following questions I would be
< very appreciative ( please send e-mail ):
<
< 1) Which major corporations have messaging systems that can talk X.400?
<    ( I understand that DEC's All-In-1 does. )

Virtually all the major computer companies (and most of the minor ones)
now have X.400 offerings - even IBM!  There are a number of OSI vendors
associations throughout the world, EurOSInet being the European one, to which
most vendors belong. EurOSInet put take part in major computer shows such as
the recent 'Open Systems' show in London, and the biggest computer show: CeBit
in Hannover, Germany. At these exhibitions you can see all the vendors and
their products on a single stand, all communicating with each other.

X.400 mail really does work.

<
< 2) Does anyone OEM a complete implementation of the Messaging Handling
<    System?

There are a number of software companies that can provide an MHS implementation.
The best known are probaly Retix and OSIWare (reincarnation of Sydney).

<
< 3) For those of you in a position to speculate, how widespread do you see
<    the acceptance/implementation of X.400 being?  Will it eventually
<    overtake SMTP as the mail handling protocol of choice on UNIX systems?
<    Is corporate USA clamoring for it, thinking about it, or oblivious of it?
<

As indicated above, implementation is already widespread.

As for use, within Europe X.400 and will almost certainly take off. We do
not have such an established mail network as the Internet in the US with
which it must compete. 1992 and all that goes with it is making people aware of
the need for open systems communications. It will probably not be just plain
X.400 mail that gets the standard accepted in a big way, but the extras that
are now being designed to make use of it, such as EDI and ODA.

< Disclaimer: The information that I am seeking is for personal edification
<             only.  My employer who graciously provides my connection to this
<             forum has nothing to do with this posting.
< /* End of text from WL9:comp.protocols.iso */
<


Alan Mynard,
Prime Computer R&D,
mynard@wl9.prime.com