Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!apple!bionet!hayes.ims.alaska.edu!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request
From: mcia@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Mike Ciaraldi)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Want to Build SNA Gateway
Message-ID: <14474@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 7 Nov 90 12:16:55 GMT
Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu
Organization: University of Rochester, Rochester NY
Lines: 39
Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 800, Message 4 of 11


I'm trying to set up a gateway system to route between workstations
connected by Ethernet and an IBM mainframe host connected by a 56kb
line running SNA/SDLC.

What I have working now is a Sun 4/330 with a Systech communications
board and software from SSI.  The software provides 3270 terminal
emulation and 3770 RJE emulation. The custom routing software uses
something from SSI called "HLLAPI", the High Level Language
Applications Program Interface. This gives us a standard set of
subroutines for sending keystrokes, querying fields on the emulated
3270 screen, etc.

I've been able to handle 200+ simultaneous 3270 sessions, plus card
reader, punch, and printer emulation like an RJE terminal.

I'm looking for a hardware/software solution that provides the same
functionality, but with lower performance (say, 20 sessions) and cost.

The comm board we use is only available for the VMEbus, so we can't
plug it into a SPARCstation. I found some comm boards for the S-bus
that provide synchronous communications, but so far haven't found one
that provides HLLAPI compatiblity or RJE.

What I don't need is a package that just opens a 3270 emulation screen
on a Sun screen; I need to get to the emulated screens from my program
so I can digest them and send them to the workstations.

Right now I'm mostly interested in a Sun-based solution, but I'd
consider other platforms if porting my HLLAPI-based C code wouldn't be
too hard. And I need RJE support, of course.

Any suggestions? Anyone done something similar? BTW, is there a
newsgroup that would be a better choice? Thanks.


Mike Ciaraldi
ciaraldi@uhura.cc.rochester.edu
 ...rochester!uhura!ciaraldi