Xref: utzoo comp.os.os2.apps:227 comp.protocols.tcp-ip.ibmpc:6027 comp.dcom.lans:8249
Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.apps,comp.protocols.tcp-ip.ibmpc,comp.dcom.lans
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!torsqnt!tmsoft!mshiels
From: mshiels@tmsoft (Michael A. Shiels)
Subject: Re: LAN MANAGER Questions.
Message-ID: <m4bgf8cq0@tmsoft>
Organization: MaS Network Software and Consulting
References: <1991May29.062359.29481@brolga.cc.uq.oz.au>
Date: Fri, 31 May 1991 03:06:40 GMT


1>  Is it absolutely necessary to have an OS/2 server to run LAN manager ?
    We would prefer to be able to run with our UNIX box (SUN 470) as the
    main server.  This isn't a major point though so if there are a lot of
    other advantages we will run with it :)
Answer: AT&T/SCO and Microsoft (plus others!) have a working LAN Manager/X
        which is LAN Manager for Unix.  There are other platforms that LAN 
        Manager is being ported too as well.

2>  Which ethernet cards are supported by LM ?  Or is that, which ethernet
    cards support LM ? :)  Particulary, are any of DEC's ethernet cards
    supported.  We have a large number of DEPCA Turbo ethernet boards (for
    PCSA) and so having support for them would be advantage.
Answer: Any card with an NDIS specification driver will work.  This includes
        some of the DEC cards, 3com, Western Digital, Racal ......

3>  Is there any packages (Comercial/Shareware/Freeware) that provide
    TCP/IP over LAN manager ?
Answer: There are TCP/IP packages for OS/2 (which will co-exist with LAN
        Manager) from IBM, Essex, FTP software etc.  Some have a NetBIOS over
        TCP/IP layer which will then allow you to run LAN Manager ontop of
        TCP/IP.

4>  Does LAN manager provide file services to UNIX boxes via NFS or does
    it implement its own protocol ?  I'm not sure which of these would be
    preferable, perhaps you can offer some opinion ?
Answer: You can use LAN Manager/X Client for Unix to access OS/2 servers or
        you could see if there is an NFS server out from any of the  TCP/IP
        vendors.

5>  How does the allocation of resources work ?  Does LM allow any user to
    access any resource on any machine so long as the user has the
    permissions ?  If so, then does this include DOS machines ?  I can see
    it working with an OS/2 machine, but does it allow a DOS machines
    resourses (printers etc) to be accessable by others without
    interupting the user on that DOS machine ?
Answer: DOS machines can only be clients not servers.

    Does LM allow access to printers on remote UNIX/VMS machines ?
Answer: Not right now but there are people working on that.

    The kind of situation that we are looking at initially is where a site
    wants to use our UNIX box for some of its file services, but still be
    able to access its own printers etc.  The site is not technically
    orientated and so they want us to handle ALL server maintenance.  Will
    we be able to keep the server on our site or will there have to be a
    duplicate server (or something) at their site to handle all their
    printers etc ?

6>  How good are the mail facilities ?  Is it possible to send mail
    to/from internet machines ?
Answer: Microsoft Mail has just been announced and includes gateways to SMTP,
        X.400 etc.

7>  Is it possible to connect to the LAN from a terminal ?  How would this
    be set up ?  Is it possible to connect to the LAN through TCP/IP
    (telnet) ?  These are picky questions and not that important :)
Answer: Not really.

8>  What is the availability of sercer/connection software for
	- Sun SPARCservers
	- DEC VMS VAXes
	- IBM VM Mainframes
    Who sells/supports each of these ?

Well, I think that's all the questions I have.  My thanks go in advance to
anyone who is willing to provide me any of the answers I need.

ant

  V   ant                       "I killed Laura Palmer"
 \o/  ant@brolga.cc.uq.oz.au
 -O-  Anthony Murdoch           Prentice Centre
 /0\  Phone (07) 36 54078       University of Qld