Xref: utzoo comp.protocols.nfs:2052 comp.windows.ms:10539
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!randvax!cave
From: cave@randvax.UUCP (Jonathan Cave)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.nfs,comp.windows.ms
Subject: Re: Sun PC-NFS deficiencies
Message-ID: <2928@randvax.UUCP>
Date: 19 Mar 91 16:21:44 GMT
References: <1991Mar11.232450.5556@amd.com> <1991Mar12.050857.24535@ccad.uiowa.edu>
Reply-To: cave@randvax.UUCP (Jonathan Cave)
Organization: RAND Corp., Santa Monica, Ca.
Lines: 36


It works fine for me.  We have a large model running on several machines,
including SparCs (where the databases, relational DB software and SAS live),
PCs (like mine and our clients), mainframes (across the country, via Internet)
and MACs (which my staff insist on using).  The user does computations,
database queries and I/O, graphics, SAS jobs and so on without ever leaving
the Excel world.  Dialog boxes shape the query scripts and model output
files, which are rcp'ed up to the SparC.  The rsh command runs the SAS
or Ingres or whatever job, UNIX editors fix the output, and it comes right
back into a spreadsheet.  No concurrent terminal sessions, no need for the
user to know SAS or SQL, no nothing.  And PC-NFS does this just fine.  Of
course, so would any other netware supporting TCP-IP and allowing drive
access.  In fact, we have a version running on a client's net that does
not allow remote mounting, but does give rcp and rsh.  And yes, we have
"local" printing on network laser printers via LPT1:OS2 - just hit print
in your app, and Bob's your uncle.  I can read and send mail without logging
on, Unix2DOS my files back to my local machine to avoid storage charges,
etc.  What else could I ask for?  The only thing missing is for others on
the net to run models stored on my machine, but I don't think I'd like
that -- easier to use the Sun where we have decent configuartion control
and far better file protection than PCs could ever provide.

The only flies I have found in this ointment are:

1) Windows can't always see the network drivers, leading to occaisional
(mode-dependent) hangs - but they are avoidable and I haven't had one
for weeks.

2) the drivers themselves are big; I've only got 480K in DOS windows.

3) network stuff has to run in Exclusive mode; and

4) no interactive stuff is possible except through terminal sessions.

None of these are more than minor inconveniences for what I am doing.
BTW, none of this requires 3.5 either...