Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cs.utexas.edu!natinst!cutter!markh
From: markh@cutter.UUCP (Mark Hebets)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip.ibmpc
Subject: Re: PC-NFS VAX and 3-Com (a marriage made in H***)
Summary: Better to skip NFS and stick with NetBIOS?
Keywords: PC-NFS VAX 3-Com
Message-ID: <637@cutter.UUCP>
Date: 26 May 89 13:30:16 GMT
References: <1551@sdcc15.ucsd.edu>
Lines: 31

In article <1551@sdcc15.ucsd.edu>, pa2183@sdcc15.ucsd.edu (John Clark)
asks about "seamles integration" between PCs on a 3+Share network 
and a VAX 3600.  I've been looking for a long time for a way
to do this between PCs and Suns, and NFS isn't any help.  NFS 
and NetBIOS have pretty incompatible views of what files are.

If you're using the right Ethernet boards in the PCs you can set
them up so they run 3+ and PC-NFS simultaneously.  But the 
memory requirements are pretty bad.  Or you can set the PC to boot
either on 3+ or PC-NFS.  Inconvenient, but we have a lot of users
doing this.  

You might do a little better by trying to make the VAX look like
a 3+ server.  I know of two products that claim to do this, 
although I have not seen them in operation.

Syntax Systems sells a product called SMBserver that lets your 
VAX act as a NetBIOS-compatible server, using either 3Com's 
variant of XNS or (I think) TCP/IP.  Phone was 206-833-2525
a year ago.

If you talk to your local 3Com sales rep, he can point you to a second
alternative.  3Com resells a Network Coprocessor board from
Virtual Microsystems.  Don't know about availability on a 3600. 

Good luck!
-- 
   Mark Hebets, Software Applications Department, Radian Corp.
   PO 201088, Austin, TX  78720     (512)-454-4797
              sun!texsun!radian!markh
   cs.utexas.edu!natinst/