- Email: [email protected]
Networking software on a card
ICL connection packages A software package that allows Data General computers to communicate with ICL mainframes is now fully available commercially. The DG/CO3 package comprises three major components: the protocol emulator, device emula-
tots and the operator interface. Emulating different ICL devices and ICL's full XBM CO3 protocol, these components together appear to the mainframe as one or as a group of remote peripherals on an ICL 7502 cluster controller.
Electronic mail service for life assurance industry A central quotation, information and electronic mail service based on viewdata technology has been developed for the life assurance industry by Homeview Data Services Limited. The Inview system is believed to be the first by which insurance brokers and others can have access to quotations from a number of insurance companies through a single source, The service will concentrate initially on providing intermediaries with company information, personalized quotations and elec-
tronic mail facilities. The programme will eventually be developed, however, to give intermediaries access to a range of routines to assist in the sale of products to clients and a continuing updating and servicing of those products. It is planned to create interfaces between the Inview service and other computer systems so that intermediaries may have access to insurance companies' records as well as access to other sources of market information.
(Homeview Data Services Ltd., Royal House, Bruton Way, Gloucs GLI I EP,
UK. Tel: (0452) 20284)
[]
Fan-out unit for IEEE 802.3 networks Clusters of up to eight items of data equipment can now be connected to an IEEE 802.3 Ethernet bAN by means of the Isolan active fan-out unit introduced by BICC Data Networks. The unit has been designed to meet the requirements of ISO~ IEEE and ECMA standards and can be used both to connect equipment onto an existing bAN without reconfiguration and as a selfcontained Ethernet bAN to link up to eight individual units. Where several devices need to be connected to an existing bAN, the fan-out unit eliminates the need for each device to be individually connected to the coaxial cable via a drop cable and separate transceiver. Instead, each device is plugged into one of the eight ports of the fan-out unit which is then connected to the cable via a
vol 8 no 2 april 1985
single transceiver. As well as reducing the number of transceivers required, the amount of Ethernet cable required for the bAN is also reduced. If eight devices were connected individually to the bAN, the minimum 2.5 m spacing required would demand excessive looping and snaking of the cable in a confined area. The fan-out unit can also be used as a standalone device. The unit contains eight transceivers and it can operate as a mini bAN giving IEEE 802.3 standard networking to up to eight devices connected to it. The devices may be anything from a printer to a mainframe, provided that they each have an AUl interface connection. (BICC Data Net-
works Ltd., 1 Frogmore Road, Apsley, Hemel Hempstead, Herts. HP3 9RJ, UK. Tel: 0442 218383) []
The software includes two device emulators and a library of program interface routines, which permit programs running on any Data General computer to communicate directly with the ICL mainframe. The protocol emulator acts as an interface between the device emulators and the communications controller. Operator commands in DG/ CO3 permit a configuration of up to 16 group addresses, which can be distributed over one or more synchronous communications lines, in any combination. The communications lines may originate from the same or different ICL hosts. DG/ CO3 communicates with DME/ George, VME/B and VM 2900 host software. (Data General Ltd., Hounslow House, 724-734 London
Road, Hounslow, Middlesex, TW3 1PG, UK. Tel: 01-572 7455) []
Networking software on a card Network Systems has announced two microprocessor-based interface cards for its high-speed data communication networks. Intelligent Processor Interface (IPI) cards have been designed for minicomputers and workstations used on the company's Hyperchannel and Hyperbus networks. One version of the card is for Multibus systems such as Apollo and Sun Microsystems, while the other is for Data General bus systems used in, for example, Data General's Eclipse minicomputers, and Computervision's range of CAD systems. The IPI functions as a coprocessor that performs various data communications tasks between different systems. On the network, this facilitates such applications as file transfer, job transfer and transaction processing in either single or multivendor environments, at high speed and on a real-time demand basis. (Network Systems Corporation Ltd, Kings Ride Court,
Kings Ride, Ascot, Berks SL5 7JR, UK, Tel: (0990)23399) []
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tots and the operator interface. Emulating different ICL devices and ICL's full XBM CO3 protocol, these components together appear to the mainframe as one or as a group of remote peripherals on an ICL 7502 cluster controller.
Electronic mail service for life assurance industry A central quotation, information and electronic mail service based on viewdata technology has been developed for the life assurance industry by Homeview Data Services Limited. The Inview system is believed to be the first by which insurance brokers and others can have access to quotations from a number of insurance companies through a single source, The service will concentrate initially on providing intermediaries with company information, personalized quotations and elec-
tronic mail facilities. The programme will eventually be developed, however, to give intermediaries access to a range of routines to assist in the sale of products to clients and a continuing updating and servicing of those products. It is planned to create interfaces between the Inview service and other computer systems so that intermediaries may have access to insurance companies' records as well as access to other sources of market information.
(Homeview Data Services Ltd., Royal House, Bruton Way, Gloucs GLI I EP,
UK. Tel: (0452) 20284)
[]
Fan-out unit for IEEE 802.3 networks Clusters of up to eight items of data equipment can now be connected to an IEEE 802.3 Ethernet bAN by means of the Isolan active fan-out unit introduced by BICC Data Networks. The unit has been designed to meet the requirements of ISO~ IEEE and ECMA standards and can be used both to connect equipment onto an existing bAN without reconfiguration and as a selfcontained Ethernet bAN to link up to eight individual units. Where several devices need to be connected to an existing bAN, the fan-out unit eliminates the need for each device to be individually connected to the coaxial cable via a drop cable and separate transceiver. Instead, each device is plugged into one of the eight ports of the fan-out unit which is then connected to the cable via a
vol 8 no 2 april 1985
single transceiver. As well as reducing the number of transceivers required, the amount of Ethernet cable required for the bAN is also reduced. If eight devices were connected individually to the bAN, the minimum 2.5 m spacing required would demand excessive looping and snaking of the cable in a confined area. The fan-out unit can also be used as a standalone device. The unit contains eight transceivers and it can operate as a mini bAN giving IEEE 802.3 standard networking to up to eight devices connected to it. The devices may be anything from a printer to a mainframe, provided that they each have an AUl interface connection. (BICC Data Net-
works Ltd., 1 Frogmore Road, Apsley, Hemel Hempstead, Herts. HP3 9RJ, UK. Tel: 0442 218383) []
The software includes two device emulators and a library of program interface routines, which permit programs running on any Data General computer to communicate directly with the ICL mainframe. The protocol emulator acts as an interface between the device emulators and the communications controller. Operator commands in DG/ CO3 permit a configuration of up to 16 group addresses, which can be distributed over one or more synchronous communications lines, in any combination. The communications lines may originate from the same or different ICL hosts. DG/ CO3 communicates with DME/ George, VME/B and VM 2900 host software. (Data General Ltd., Hounslow House, 724-734 London
Road, Hounslow, Middlesex, TW3 1PG, UK. Tel: 01-572 7455) []
Networking software on a card Network Systems has announced two microprocessor-based interface cards for its high-speed data communication networks. Intelligent Processor Interface (IPI) cards have been designed for minicomputers and workstations used on the company's Hyperchannel and Hyperbus networks. One version of the card is for Multibus systems such as Apollo and Sun Microsystems, while the other is for Data General bus systems used in, for example, Data General's Eclipse minicomputers, and Computervision's range of CAD systems. The IPI functions as a coprocessor that performs various data communications tasks between different systems. On the network, this facilitates such applications as file transfer, job transfer and transaction processing in either single or multivendor environments, at high speed and on a real-time demand basis. (Network Systems Corporation Ltd, Kings Ride Court,
Kings Ride, Ascot, Berks SL5 7JR, UK, Tel: (0990)23399) []
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