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From: dbfunk@ICAEN.UIOWA.EDU (David B Funk)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apollo
Subject: Re: ADUS SysAdmin summary? (700 series & ATR)
Message-ID: <9105310352.AA03763@icaen.uiowa.edu>
Date: 31 May 91 03:36:18 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Distribution: world
Organization: Iowa Computer Aided Engineering Network, University of Iowa
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IN posting <51d64a3b.3593b@digital.sps.mot.com>, Jinfu Chen writes:

> OSF DCE will run on ATR (Apollo Token Ring) cable. At least we don't have to
> re-wire the building with one exception (see below)
> 
> >           They touted a fantastic price/performance ratio.  However, to
> >Apollo Users the price/performance is infinity.
> 
> Exactly! Software issues aside, HP doesn't even offer an ATR option on the
> 700 series so for those of us who spent zillions dollars (or hours if your
> boss is cheap) setting token ring cables, we couldn't hook up the 700 series
> into our existing network even OSF/1 and DCE would have been available. 
> 
> An unconfirmed rumor is that HP contracted someone else to make a ATR board
> for the 700 series. I hope this is true and HP will make it available in
> similar fasion on the 400 series.

  Ok folks, rumor control time. ATR is not an option on the 700 series
WHEN RUNNING HP-UX. HP-UX has no idea how to talk to any kind of token
ring board.
  However ATR -IS- an option for the 700 series under OSF. HP/Apollo
has said time & again that they -are- going to support OSF on ATR;
even to the extent of running both Domain/OS & OSF machines on the
same net. The 700 series hardware can run an ATR, it is just a matter
of the OS software drivers.

  All the 700 series machines can take at least 1 EISA bus card.
The 750 has a cage with 4 EISA slots, the 730 has 1 standard EISA slot,
and the 720 has one optional EISA slot. On the 720 it is down by
the power supply and if you don't order the optional adapter for it,
then it is hidden by a cover plate.

  Given that HP/Apollo already has a source of ISA bus ATR boards
I doubt that they need to go to somebody else for them. Maybe they are
looking for a new source of IBM token ring boards (16 megabit maybe?).

  We are ordering ATR with our 750 ;). Our salesman did not have the
part number for it in his current catalog but he assures us he will find it,
even if he has to call Chelmsford. (no we are not buying it to run HP-UX ;).

> Like many have said before, the 700 series bears nothing of Apolloism except
> the label. To current Domain users, it's just another fast box (I'm impressed
> with the speed though).

  Gee, I thought that I detected a strong familial resemblance between the 700
series and the 400t/s series; even to "das blinken lites" ;=). It is true that
Domain/OS is not available for them but OSF/1.0 is due out, Real Soon Now.
The 400 series is next on the OSF development list.

Dave Funk

PS:
  It is true that the new low cost 425e (woody) does not have ATR capablilty.
This box was designed to be as cheap as possible and does not have any kind
of slots at all. Everything is designed into the mother board (e-net, display,
SCSI, etc) and it even uses PC type memory SIMMs to keep the cost down.