Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!seismo!sundc!pitstop!sun!amdcad!ames!claris!apple!han
From: han@apple.UUCP (-- Byron B. Han --)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.appletalk
Subject: Re: AppleTalk
Message-ID: <7258@apple.UUCP>
Date: 23 Jan 88 21:37:56 GMT
References: <4480@sdcsvax.UCSD.EDU> <558@udccvax1.acs.udel.EDU> <4779@pyr.gatech.EDU>
Reply-To: han@apple.UUCP (-- Byron B. Han --)
Organization: Communication Tools Group - Apple Computer, Inc.
Lines: 47

In article <4779@pyr.gatech.EDU> ken@pyr.UUCP (Ken Hall) writes:
>
>	I have two Mac +s linked together with appletalk cable.  An 
>Imagewriter II printer is hanging of one Mac.  One Mac has a hard disk,
>one does not.  What networking software is recommended to share the hard
>disk and the printer?
>
You may wish to purchase an AppleTalk card for the Imagewriter II.
Then Imagewriter II can then be shared by any Macintosh on your AppleTalk
network.  The IW II would not be directly attached to either Mac - 

    Mac+    Mac+    IW II
    |       |       |
    O-------O-------O

is a sample configuration.  The O's are LocalTalk system connector kits
(formally AppleTalk Personal network system connection kits).

Sharing the hard disk can be done by purchasing a copy of Tops 2.0 for
each Mac+ (one for the client, one for the server).  Tops 2.0 is
supposed to be fully AFP compatible.  Some degradation of the server Macintosh
(the one with the hard disk) will be noticed and the overall performance
is not the same as having two locally attached hard disks, but the Tops
solution is very nice and elegant for your problem.

I personally run Tops between my two work machines in addition to AppleShare.
My server machine is a Mac II with 100M online, and 80M via AppleShare.  
The client is a Prodigy SE with 20M online, 100M via Tops, and 80M via AShare.

AppleShare is more practical when the work group is larger.  For smallar
setup, Tops is better.  Also, Tops allows any hard disk on any Tops enabled
machine to be shared.  AppleShare only allows a central volume(s) to be
shared on a dedicated server.  Depends on your use.

Anyhow, this is NOT meant to start a religious Tops vs AppleShare war.  Each
has its niche.

This is not a product advertisement for AppleShare.  This is not an official
Apple review or endorsement for Tops.

The usual other disclaimers.

-- 
------------------------ Byron Han,  Communications Tool ----------------------
     Apple Computer, Inc.  20525 Mariani Ave, MS 27Y  Cupertino, CA 95014
 ATTnet:408-973-6450    applelink:HAN1    domain:han@apple.COM     MacNET:HAN
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