Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!barryf From: barryf@aix01.aix.rpi.edu (Barry B. Floyd) Newsgroups: comp.protocols.nfs Subject: Re: Sun PC-NFS deficiencies Message-ID: <8Q%=?4*@rpi.edu> Date: 14 Mar 91 19:14:49 GMT References: <1991Mar11.232450.5556@amd.com> <1991Mar13.180625.14540@amd.com> <105@logdis1.hq.aflc.af.mil> Lines: 55 Nntp-Posting-Host: aix01srv.aix.rpi.edu I concur with much said about "appropriate levels" and "pervasive does not make is standard". I too have been closely watching for product announcements pertaining to print services and modem pools. I believe I have read about many of the Novell specific products mentioned here. It is encouraging to note that each of these companies is planning or is releasing a TCP/IP standard product (which behaves like their current Novell compatible offerings). It is not trivial to point out that these companies are releasing TCP/IP compliant products (i.e. no mention of NFS). Again, solving the problem at the appropriate level. You do not need sophisiticated networked file systems to perform many of the services mentioned. Whether NFS or some other file system layered on top of TCP/IP comes or goes does not matter. As long as these services are based on TCP/IP, remote printing and modem pools will work, along side (i.e. not on top of) your file system of choice. Back to Windows (the purpose of this group): What may be telling about MS Window's lack of explicit support for NFS is even more telling for their lack of explicit support for TCP/IP. You will note that MS has its own network product to sell, as does IBM. These and 3com and Banyan and Novell are all included. If I am not mistaken (and I realize I may be) these products are more or less NetBios compliant, where TCP/IP is not (and thus neither is NFS). To the best of my knowledge the PC oriented network offerings are more or less in the NetBios family and Sun's IP offering clearly is not (nor should it be). That NFS works at all seems to indicate that the product is implemented at layer below where NetBios products are targeted, and as such NFS looks like a standard drive (without special drivers - more transparent than Novell et al). This may also translate into "less feature filled" but you get what you pay for. Deficient or not Sun is fighting to break a virtual PC/NetBios monopoly by offering NFS on TCP/IP, as such it is understandable why MS et al are not running to support Sun. Novell, of late, seems to be willing to straddle the fence for a buck and offer Win 3.0 TCP/IP compliant products. Bottom line for me (IMHO): Novell, Banyan, 3com, LAN Manager, et al are fine and nifty environments each offering interesting and unique solutions to basic connectivity problems in a PC-centric environment. Sun, DEC, et al likewise offer fine and nifty products targeted for a broader range of computing platforms and operating environments. Our individual environments in part dictake which family of products we may choose to use. Where near religious debates flare seems to be when the families overlap, as I suspect they will do more and more (a la Novell's venturing into TCP/IP realms; Sun venturing into PC networking realms). barry -- +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Barry B. Floyd \\\ barry_floyd@mts.rpi.edu | | Manager Information Systems - HR \\\ usere9w9@rpitsmts | +-Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute--------------------troy, ny 12180-+