Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uwm.edu!psuvax1!psuvm!PUCC!LVARIAN From: LVARIAN@PUCC.BITNET (Lee C. Varian) Newsgroups: bit.listserv.ibmtcp-l Subject: Re: KNET vs FAL Message-ID: Date: 13 Jan 90 17:38:45 GMT Sender: IBM TCP/IP For VM List Reply-To: IBM TCP/IP For VM List Lines: 31 Approved: NETNEWS@PSUVM Gateway In-Reply-To: Message of Fri, 12 Jan 90 14:44:21 EST from On Fri, 12 Jan 90 14:44:21 EST Pete Hickey said: >I'm looking at both FAL and KNET. From the software side of things, how >similar are these two products. Can an application that talks to one >of their TCP/IP virtual machines talk to the other (I.E is the interface >the same). Can the new BITNET II run with KNET? Pete, We began our VM use of the TCP/IP protocols just five years ago this month, using two Spartacus K200 Ethernet controllers and the KNET software. We now have a total of four Ethernet controllers for IBM systems: the original two Spartacus K200's plus two newer (and faster) BTI ELC's. We began experimenting with the Wisconsin WISCNET TCP/IP code when it became available to universities and converted over entirely to the use of the IBM TCP/IP for VM (FAL) product when it replaced WISCNET. We had come to the conclusion then (mid 1987) that the KNET software was going to continue to operate in catch-up mode, always a little (or a lot) behind FAL in function, reliability, and adherence to the evolving Internet standards. We have not regretted that decision. We are now happily running the FAL code on our four non-IBM Ethernet controllers. (Our decision to buy those controllers for their much better price and performance than the original IBM DACU and newer 8232 controllers is another one we have not regretted, in spite of the fact that we have to run non-IBM drivers for them in FAL.) We developed the VMNET (BITNET II for VM) program. The field tests of that program were done with some sites running FAL, WISCNET, and KNET (and all interoperating satisfactorily). Our distributed and supported version of VMNET, however, supports only FAL. Lee Varian Princeton University