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From: timm@Sed.Novell.COM (Tim Myers)
Subject: Re: IPX corruption possible across routers
Message-ID: <1991Jun3.212342.4603@npd.Novell.COM>
Sender: news@npd.Novell.COM
Organization: Novell, Inc.
References: <1991Jun3.142905.29531@aio.jsc.nasa.gov>
Date: Mon, 3 Jun 91 21:23:42 GMT

In article <1991Jun3.142905.29531@aio.jsc.nasa.gov> 
steve@kn5f.jsc.nasa.gov (Steve Price) writes:
> I have heard rumors that data integrity is in jeopardy when transfering 
> files across routers using IPX.

You've been talking to those IP-on-the-backbone-or-bust bigots again,
haven't you?

> I performed my own little test...
[story deleted]
> The problem was first seen when our multiuser database files were
> getting corrupted by users across one router while in the presence
> of a noisy lan segment at that location.
       ^^^^^
I see, so IPX is somehow at fault. :-)

> I read that IPX does no error checking, but depends on the 802.3 CRC
> checking.

Software CRCs are redundant since Ethernet interface cards do it for you in
hardware.  IPX was designed to NOT waste any time computing redundant CRCs.

> Should we expect errors with IPX when using routers or are
> we chasing a wild goose?

Do your cisco routers route packets with CRC errors?  Our cisco routers don't.
If yours do then go get a new router. Put a network analyzer on each port of each cisco and check it out.

Do your Ethernet drivers pass on packets with CRC errors to an application?
Our drivers don't. If your drivers do then go get a new driver.

++Tim

===========================================
Tim Myers
Senior Software Consultant
Novell, Inc.
"Macintosh: the only GUI that doesn't SUCK."