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From: hassler@wrtfac.UUCP (Barry D. Hassler)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip
Subject: Re: Lawrence Livermore IGP project?
Message-ID: <6449.8711240343@wrtfac.cdc.com>
Date: Tue, 24-Nov-87 01:43:36 EST
Article-I.D.: wrtfac.6449.8711240343
Posted: Tue Nov 24 01:43:36 1987
Date-Received: Fri, 27-Nov-87 22:52:06 EST
Sender: usenet@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The ARPA Internet
Lines: 48

Brad,

        The Intelligent Gateway Processor is a generic  term  for  software
originally developed at LLNL, and now commercially marketed by Control Data
Corporation's Professional Services Division as ASCENT.

        The software comprising this system  was  developed  as  a  generic
front-end  to  heterogeneous systems for scientists at the Lab. It consists
of two major pieces of software, the Network Access Machine,  and  a  menu-
oriented  user  interface.  Without  going into a great deal of detail, NAM
uses an interpretive language to initiate and manage "connections"  over  a
wide  variety  of  "communication methods": direct RS-232, TCP/IP networks,
X.25, dial-up phones, etc. This software strictly resides  on  a  UNIX  (or
perversion  thereof)  host, and requires no additional hardware or software
on the attached hosts.

        Basically,  the  software  is  used  to  insulate  users  from  the
complexities   of  various  network  configurations,  intermediate  devices
(dataswitches,  network  interface  units  for  broadband  LANs,   protocol
converts,  etc) and connection procedures in large, heterogeneous computing
environments. Additionally, it has the capability for handling portions of,
or  entire,  sessions  with  a  host  on  behalf  of  a  user. In a current
commercial implementation, we use this technology to support connections to
DEC  VAXES, CDC Cybers, NAS 5000 & 7000s, and Data General Workcenters over
TCP/IP and X.25 networks from users coming into the IGP  via  dial-up,  DDN
telnet, broadband LANS, and Fiber-Optic muxes.

        The IGP is being used currently by various DoD agencies, mostly the
Air  Force,  Department  of Energy, and the Defense Logistics Agency, among
others.

        Over  the  past  several  years  there  have  been  several  papers
published or presented concerning this technology. Although I don't have my
copies here at home, I'd be happy to supply a list of  references  to  them
and  where  you  can  get  copies  if interested.  I just recently (Friday)
completed the latest such paper (which is why I'm finally getting to my  EM
now) entitled "Connectivity and Beyond." I feel (somewhat biased naturally)
this paper gives a good overview of the reasons for  this  technology,  and
how  it   works  in  heterogeneous environments. As soon as it has complete
being cleared for public dissemination  (since  it  references  a  military
project), I will be happy to provide copies of it.

Barry D. Hassler                             ARPA/DDN: hassler@lognet2.arpa
System Software Analyst

Control Data Corporation 
Professional Services Division  
Integrated Information Services