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From: mouse@mcgill-vision.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip
Subject: Re: IP to DECNET translation ????
Message-ID: <784@mcgill-vision.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 31-May-87 02:41:05 EDT
Article-I.D.: mcgill-v.784
Posted: Sun May 31 02:41:05 1987
Date-Received: Wed, 10-Jun-87 05:02:16 EDT
References: <8705141842.AA28803@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Distribution: world
Organization: McGill University, Montreal
Lines: 27

In article <8705141842.AA28803@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>, JERRY@STAR.STANFORD.EDU writes:
> [...] Van Jacobsen at LBL developed an interface called DBRIDGE that
> allows IP packets to be sent over DECNET.  The way it works is the
> two hosts on either side of a DECNET link install this software that
> uses DECNET mailboxes to communicate between them.  The packets that
> they are transferring are IP packets.  Then a dummy interface is put
> into the kernel that knows to give IP packets to the dbridge process
> for transmission over DECNET.

Fascinating.  Sounds just like what I wrote to perform exactly the same
function (except I called mine `dnip').  Initial version looked like
point-to-point links; current version is a "virtual Ethernet" - a full
broadcast interface.  Not very efficient in its use of DECnet resources
though; it keeps O(n*n) DECnet connections open all the time, where n
is the number of hosts on the virtual Ethernet.  (Eventually, of
course, I intend to fix this.)

> Both Wollongong and SRI products make this software available.

And if anyone wants a non-commercial version (with the benefits and the
disadvantages thereof), send me mail.  At present I have it running
only on MicroVAX Ultrix 1.2; I can't promise anything else.  (Requires
source to install without nasty hackery.)

					der Mouse

				(mouse@mcgill-vision.uucp)