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New format for computer yearbook
London-New York business link Mercury Communications and IRI (International Relay Inc.) have announced the first London to New York link using the recently introduced Intelsat Business Service (IBS). The link provides multiple leased 64 kbit/s digital channels
which can be configured for voice and data at speeds of up to 8 Mbit/s and specific business applications such as fast facsimile or full motion video teleconferencing. The first user is Associated Press, with two channels in operation now
Network telex manager A network telex manager to run on the IBM PC and compatibles has been announced by Braid Systems. The product has been developed to fill the telex niche in what Braid sees as a growing market for local area network (LAN) facilities in the business microcomputer market. The Braid manager runs on one PC, the server or supervisor station, and allows telex to be accessed by up to 32 users on remote PCs. The server station is dedicated to sending and receiving telexes and provides supervisory functions to the operator. The PCs on the network can log on and use the master telex functions at any time. Up to 32 remote users, on a wide range of proprietary networks, can
prepare, send and receive telexes on their own PC. Users can be sorted into as many as 12 different departments for ease of internal management. A telex log identifies the originators of all outgoing telexes, and the master station is able to determine the distribution of incoming telexes and therefore controls security. All other PCs on the network are permitted to access the Network Telex Manager by giving user name and password. They are able to use all functions except conversational telex and supervisory functions. (Braid Systems Ltd., 130 Buckingham Palace
Road, London SWlW 9SA, UK. Tel: 01-730 0736, Telex: 297218) []
Coax added to exchange series Logica VTS have added a coax connection to their Exchange series, a range of integrated communications packages for the IBM PC, XT, AT and compatibles, providing micro-to-micro and micro-tomainframe communications. The products were developed by Intelligent Technologies, a Logica company, based in Palo Alto, California. By plugging the Coax Exchange connection into any expansion slot on an IBM PC, XT, AT or PC-compatible computer, users have the power of a coax connected display terminal (IBM 3278 or 3279) without losing any functions on the PC. Coax Exchange allows users to communicate with IBM
156
host systems in a variety of mainframe environments, and no host hardware or software modifications are required. Using a single keystroke, users move from DOS to terminal mode - - and back - without interrupting the host session or PC work flow. Coax Exchange also offers processing functions not available on standard IBM terminals. For example, screen capture and screen print allow the user to perform highspeed, bidirectional menu driven file transfers. With the graphics option, the PC becomes a full function 3279 S3G colour graphics terminal. (Logica VTS Ltd., 84
Newman Street, London WlA 4SE, UK. Tel: 01-637 7761) []
between London and Rockefeller Plaza, New York. Associated Press is transmitting data and its new services, including the business information services marketed as AP Jones Telerate and AP Dow Jones Quotron. AP has also ordered a third channel, to be operational from March 1985. Among the first users will be the London Stock Exchange who will use a single channel to provide additional expansion capability for the Topic service in New York. Access to the service is via an 8 m antenna at Mercury's East Wood Wharf satellite communications centre and IRl's antenna at the UN Plaza, New York. End connections to UK users will be by direct digital backhaul to the City and to Mercury's growing national network and by local carriers in conjunction with IRI in New York. The business service provided by Intelsat is designed so that relatively small antennae can access dedicated satellite transponders. This is in contrast with Intelsat's standard service which is used primarily for bulk analogue transmission between single large antennae. Traditional earth stations of this type have been by necessity located in radio-quiet areas, remote from business centres. A major benefit of the I BS is that the smaller antennae can be located at or near customer premises and in urban areas. This eliminates long and costly backhaul links from remote earth stations. Mercury proposes to make increasing use of I BS facilities as business develops. (Mercury
Communications Ltd., 90 Long Acre, London WC2E 9NP, UK. Tel: 01-836 2449, Telex: 28846) []
New format for computer yearbook The latest edition of The Computer Users' Year Book has now been published in a new, two-volume, soft cover format. Volume 1 covers technical information, hardware
computer communications
and supplies, while Volume 2 is services oriented. A new house style has also been adopted, with a standardized introduction with contents page for each section. In addition to the usual information supplied by the CUYB, some improvements have been made to existing sections and some new departments have been added. • A geographical location coding system has been included. Suppliers can be located in any of 15 regions in the UK, which are defined by postcode areas. • The Guide to Computers and Peripherals now includes information on communications. The comparative tables remain but a descriptive listing has been introduced for some computer system areas such as word processing and network developers and suppliers. • Public relations consultants and services are listed for the first time. • The training section includes a new listing of seminar and conference organizers. Information about qualifications and examining bodies has been brought together, and college, polytechnic and university courses are now presented in tabular form. • The directory of computer installations has been sequenced geographically, andthe indexes include an extended list by manufacturer. • The salary survey now divides national salary levels into public and private sector so that trends can be monitored. • The established reviews of the Year in Computing include additional articles on programming languages and operating systems, the computing services industry, the contractual aspects of buying a computer or software and the implications of character code standards for the user. The yearbook costs £57.25 plus £2.20 p & p (Booksales Department, Computing Publications, 52-55 Frith Street, London W1A 2HG, UK. Tel: 01-439 4242) []
vol 8 no 3 june 1985
LAN management server provides record of session-level activity An Ethernet local-area network management server that provides an ongoing record of all network activity at the individual session level -- even alerting users to critical conditions on the network has been introduced by Bridge Communications. The NCS/150 Network Control Server compiles a real-time audittrail of network activity that can be viewed on a display console or in hard copy. A 'connection record', generated when a session is first established, records the time of connection and the two units involved (e.g. a Bridge CS/1 Communication Server connecting to a VAX host computer). At disconnection, another report provides the time the session ended, the status of the disconnection (e.g. 'normal'), the duration of the session and the number of packets and bytes transferred during the session. Responses of 'busy' or 'queued' on connection attempts are also logged. The network administrator can also set 'alarms' on the NCS/150 to
monitor critical network parameters; the system then notifies the administrator on the console or printer if a parameter threshold is exceeded (e.g. if more than 50 Ethernet alignment errors occur during a given period). In addition to individual events on the network, the audit-trail provides a log of network activity, from which the user can determine periods of peak activity and areas of overloading. The NCS/150 has an integral real-time clock, which time-stamps every network occurrence to maximize record-keeping precision. This time-server function also synchronizes all network nodes, automatically setting time and date when booting any unit; this becomes important when an event external to the network coincides with an extraordinarily large number of errors. The real-time clock is battery-backed to ensure uninterrupted operation. (Bridge Communications Inc., 1345 Shorebird Way, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. Tel: (415) 969-4400, Telex: 176544) []
Network management server produces real-time record of activity
157
which can be configured for voice and data at speeds of up to 8 Mbit/s and specific business applications such as fast facsimile or full motion video teleconferencing. The first user is Associated Press, with two channels in operation now
Network telex manager A network telex manager to run on the IBM PC and compatibles has been announced by Braid Systems. The product has been developed to fill the telex niche in what Braid sees as a growing market for local area network (LAN) facilities in the business microcomputer market. The Braid manager runs on one PC, the server or supervisor station, and allows telex to be accessed by up to 32 users on remote PCs. The server station is dedicated to sending and receiving telexes and provides supervisory functions to the operator. The PCs on the network can log on and use the master telex functions at any time. Up to 32 remote users, on a wide range of proprietary networks, can
prepare, send and receive telexes on their own PC. Users can be sorted into as many as 12 different departments for ease of internal management. A telex log identifies the originators of all outgoing telexes, and the master station is able to determine the distribution of incoming telexes and therefore controls security. All other PCs on the network are permitted to access the Network Telex Manager by giving user name and password. They are able to use all functions except conversational telex and supervisory functions. (Braid Systems Ltd., 130 Buckingham Palace
Road, London SWlW 9SA, UK. Tel: 01-730 0736, Telex: 297218) []
Coax added to exchange series Logica VTS have added a coax connection to their Exchange series, a range of integrated communications packages for the IBM PC, XT, AT and compatibles, providing micro-to-micro and micro-tomainframe communications. The products were developed by Intelligent Technologies, a Logica company, based in Palo Alto, California. By plugging the Coax Exchange connection into any expansion slot on an IBM PC, XT, AT or PC-compatible computer, users have the power of a coax connected display terminal (IBM 3278 or 3279) without losing any functions on the PC. Coax Exchange allows users to communicate with IBM
156
host systems in a variety of mainframe environments, and no host hardware or software modifications are required. Using a single keystroke, users move from DOS to terminal mode - - and back - without interrupting the host session or PC work flow. Coax Exchange also offers processing functions not available on standard IBM terminals. For example, screen capture and screen print allow the user to perform highspeed, bidirectional menu driven file transfers. With the graphics option, the PC becomes a full function 3279 S3G colour graphics terminal. (Logica VTS Ltd., 84
Newman Street, London WlA 4SE, UK. Tel: 01-637 7761) []
between London and Rockefeller Plaza, New York. Associated Press is transmitting data and its new services, including the business information services marketed as AP Jones Telerate and AP Dow Jones Quotron. AP has also ordered a third channel, to be operational from March 1985. Among the first users will be the London Stock Exchange who will use a single channel to provide additional expansion capability for the Topic service in New York. Access to the service is via an 8 m antenna at Mercury's East Wood Wharf satellite communications centre and IRl's antenna at the UN Plaza, New York. End connections to UK users will be by direct digital backhaul to the City and to Mercury's growing national network and by local carriers in conjunction with IRI in New York. The business service provided by Intelsat is designed so that relatively small antennae can access dedicated satellite transponders. This is in contrast with Intelsat's standard service which is used primarily for bulk analogue transmission between single large antennae. Traditional earth stations of this type have been by necessity located in radio-quiet areas, remote from business centres. A major benefit of the I BS is that the smaller antennae can be located at or near customer premises and in urban areas. This eliminates long and costly backhaul links from remote earth stations. Mercury proposes to make increasing use of I BS facilities as business develops. (Mercury
Communications Ltd., 90 Long Acre, London WC2E 9NP, UK. Tel: 01-836 2449, Telex: 28846) []
New format for computer yearbook The latest edition of The Computer Users' Year Book has now been published in a new, two-volume, soft cover format. Volume 1 covers technical information, hardware
computer communications
and supplies, while Volume 2 is services oriented. A new house style has also been adopted, with a standardized introduction with contents page for each section. In addition to the usual information supplied by the CUYB, some improvements have been made to existing sections and some new departments have been added. • A geographical location coding system has been included. Suppliers can be located in any of 15 regions in the UK, which are defined by postcode areas. • The Guide to Computers and Peripherals now includes information on communications. The comparative tables remain but a descriptive listing has been introduced for some computer system areas such as word processing and network developers and suppliers. • Public relations consultants and services are listed for the first time. • The training section includes a new listing of seminar and conference organizers. Information about qualifications and examining bodies has been brought together, and college, polytechnic and university courses are now presented in tabular form. • The directory of computer installations has been sequenced geographically, andthe indexes include an extended list by manufacturer. • The salary survey now divides national salary levels into public and private sector so that trends can be monitored. • The established reviews of the Year in Computing include additional articles on programming languages and operating systems, the computing services industry, the contractual aspects of buying a computer or software and the implications of character code standards for the user. The yearbook costs £57.25 plus £2.20 p & p (Booksales Department, Computing Publications, 52-55 Frith Street, London W1A 2HG, UK. Tel: 01-439 4242) []
vol 8 no 3 june 1985
LAN management server provides record of session-level activity An Ethernet local-area network management server that provides an ongoing record of all network activity at the individual session level -- even alerting users to critical conditions on the network has been introduced by Bridge Communications. The NCS/150 Network Control Server compiles a real-time audittrail of network activity that can be viewed on a display console or in hard copy. A 'connection record', generated when a session is first established, records the time of connection and the two units involved (e.g. a Bridge CS/1 Communication Server connecting to a VAX host computer). At disconnection, another report provides the time the session ended, the status of the disconnection (e.g. 'normal'), the duration of the session and the number of packets and bytes transferred during the session. Responses of 'busy' or 'queued' on connection attempts are also logged. The network administrator can also set 'alarms' on the NCS/150 to
monitor critical network parameters; the system then notifies the administrator on the console or printer if a parameter threshold is exceeded (e.g. if more than 50 Ethernet alignment errors occur during a given period). In addition to individual events on the network, the audit-trail provides a log of network activity, from which the user can determine periods of peak activity and areas of overloading. The NCS/150 has an integral real-time clock, which time-stamps every network occurrence to maximize record-keeping precision. This time-server function also synchronizes all network nodes, automatically setting time and date when booting any unit; this becomes important when an event external to the network coincides with an extraordinarily large number of errors. The real-time clock is battery-backed to ensure uninterrupted operation. (Bridge Communications Inc., 1345 Shorebird Way, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. Tel: (415) 969-4400, Telex: 176544) []
Network management server produces real-time record of activity
157