Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watnot!watmath!clyde!rutgers!dayton!umn-cs!wsmith From: wsmith@umn-cs.UUCP Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans Subject: Re: Beginner networking questions Message-ID: <57700002@umn-cs.UUCP> Date: Thu, 12-Mar-87 22:38:00 EST Article-I.D.: umn-cs.57700002 Posted: Thu Mar 12 22:38:00 1987 Date-Received: Sat, 14-Mar-87 01:49:35 EST References: <1612@bunker.UUCP> Lines: 34 Nf-ID: #R:bunker:-161200:umn-cs:57700002:000:1439 Nf-From: umn-cs!wsmith Mar 12 21:38:00 1987 About Excelan cards: In article <679@brl-sem.ARPA> ron@brl-sem.ARPA (Ron Natalie ) writes: >The TCP/IP on the EXCELAN board is INFERIOR. and in response to a question about non-BSD systems writes: >Well, first, when compared to the native 4.2 TCP code it is underwelming. >There is no real reason not to do it in software. > >Now for machines that do not have software TCP available, boards like >the Excelan and CMCs are the only way to go. I haven't had any experience >with the CMC board, but they seem to be a much sharper company. The >Excelan boards went through a number of different problems with the >firmware. Most of these were supposed to have been resolved (at least >it no longer crashes when it receives packets from off the local net), >however, our Silicon Graphics Iris processors have these boards still. >We have one 310 system with a CMC board and its been pretty well scrutinized >by one of the TCP experts, and he doesn't have much problmes with it. > >-Ron It should be noted that the software for the VAX/VMS on an Excelan card is quite a bit better than for the IRIS. When you buy for a VAX, you buy from Excelan and get the newest software. When you get an IRIS (we have several) you get the software SGI gives you (which is AGES old Excelan stuff). Silicon Graphics newest software release supposedly incorporates the newer Excelan code. Randy Smith wsmith@umn-cs.arpa ...!ihnp4!umn-cs!wsmith