Newsgroups: comp.protocols.nfs
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!barryf
From: barryf@aix01.aix.rpi.edu (Barry B. Floyd)
Subject: Re: Is pc-nfs useful to anyone?
Message-ID: <6}-={1A@rpi.edu>
Keywords: pc-nfs, unix, sun
Nntp-Posting-Host: aix01srv.aix.rpi.edu
References: <123@jetson.UUCP> <1991Mar14.051003.6212@amd.com> <4750@gazette.bcm.tmc.edu> <2660@travis.csd.harris.com> <4935@eastapps.East.Sun.COM>
Distribution: na
Date: 19 Mar 91 17:15:53 GMT
Lines: 53

Just to add fuel to the fire, I will herein provide information presented
in the "newWare Users Internation" NetWare Connection (publication) dated
March/April 1991: 
 
- on page 5; there is mention of LAN WorkPlace for DOS, Macintosh and OS/2.
with little or not technical information.
 
- on page 4; they discuss "IP tunneling", which according the the text of
the article, "... the NetWare v3.11 file server envelop(es) IPX packets
in a form acceptable to the IP routers on the internetwork." The accompanying
example leads me to believe that this feature is only of interest to Netware
LAN nodes attempting to exchange IPX packets over the internet. A non-Netware
server/client attempting to "read" the packet would get as far as the IP
information and then be lost trying to "read" the IPX date within.
 
- on page 5; they discuss NetWare v3.11 "file service enhancements" in the
form of "support for a variety of clients, allowing them to use the Netware
3.11 server to store and retrieve files (see figure 2.0)". Apparently
NetWare 3.11 now recognizes OS/2's HPFS, Unix's NFS and Mac's OS as well
as OSI GOSSIP's FTAM (a subset of NFS support). The figure 2.0 mentioned
above clearly shows a NetWare 3.11 file server attached to a generic
LAN with a Unix client, a DOS client, a OS/2 client, Mac client and a
Win 3.0 client. Transport protocols are listed (support on top of Netware
via NLM's) - AppleTalk, TCP/IP, IPX/SPX, TP4.
 
They also state, "Within the Unix community, NFS has become the industry 
standard for distributed fie system. Available as an add-on product, NetWare
NFS allows NFS clients to view the NetWare file system as an extenion of their
native file system, and provides printing support as well as file and 
resource sharing."
 
COMMENTARY
 
The entire publication is a NetWare-centric presentation of NetWare and
LAN computing. It may be the case that additional information is being
glossed over (e.g. LAN WorkPlace get three lines of space). However (correct
me if I am wrong) it appears that Novell does not offer a way to buy into
the "industry stanard for distributed file system... within the Unix
community". It is suggesting that the Unix community buy into the Netware
"standard". Fine for Netware, mostly unreasonable for existing NFS 
servers and client applications. It is a step in the right direction, but
won't satisfy my needs at a price I am able to pay. Ever onward.
 
barry




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