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Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!burl!codas!mtune!mtgzz!bba
From: bba@mtgzz.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans
Subject: Re: NFS for 3B2's - where?!?!
Message-ID: <3294@mtgzz.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 10-Nov-87 22:03:09 EST
Article-I.D.: mtgzz.3294
Posted: Tue Nov 10 22:03:09 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 14-Nov-87 10:49:49 EST
References: <2821@sdsu.UUCP>
Reply-To: bba@mtgzz.UUCP (XMRJ40000[pjc]-b.banerjee)
Distribution: na
Organization: AT&T Information Systems, Middletown NJ
Lines: 46
Keywords: NFS, AT&T, 3B2
Summary: So let's write the sucker

In article <2821@sdsu.UUCP> cademy@sdsu.UUCP (Robert Cademy) writes:

>> I have been looking for an implimentation of NFS for the AT&T 3B2
>> computers that  run system  V.[2,3]. I called  Lachman Associates
>> and they  told me that they  don't sell to individual  end users.
>> Does anyone know of such a product  exists, and if so where I can
>> get it and how much it is?
>> 

I think that some of us should  get together and write an NFS for
a generic system that  supports RPC. It's pretty straightforward,
given the specifications. In fact,  the server could work in user
mode, allowing any with sufficient disk  storage to act as an NFS
server.

The client  would need  hooks into  the file  system in  order to
recognise the remote-request vs. local calls situation.

One way around that is something we're running locally called PDU
(Portable distributed  Unix). Since I'm  not sure whether  or not
this stuff is  proprietary, I can't discuss it  here. However, as
they  claim  inspiration  from  the  Newcastle  Connection,  I'll
discuss that instead :-) [I just  started work here, and I've got
to cover my rear end...]

Essentially,  one  makes a  new  libc.a  where the  system  calls
related to files (open, read,  write, etc.), are replaced by code
containing the intercept logic. You can then recompile and relink
your  (user)  code  with  this  new  library,  giving  it  remote
capabilities.

RPC and  XDR have  been made publically  available by  Sun (Don't
remember if  they placed  it in  the Public  Domain or  not). One
problem is that RPC  runs on top of UDP. It would  be nice if the
SysV networking stuff had some  sort of datagram service (Or even
a decent virtual circuit).

I estimate  about 25 person-hours to  write the server on  top of
RPC. I'm  willing to  contribute 10  person-hours of  that total.
Anyone game for the rest?

Regards,

	Binayak Banerjee
	{allegra, ihnp4}!mtgzz!bba
	bba@mtgzz.ATT.COM