---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Florida SunFlash Third Party Product Announcements SunFLASH Vol 50 #15 February 1993 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Network Peripherals Dual-Attach SBus FDDI Interface Solaris 2 versions of Brixton (IBM comms, PPP) Products IFAD Announces The IFAD VDM-SL Toolbox Version 2.0 SoftNet Client announcement (UNIX host as a Novell Client) Sys Admin update ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Network Peripherals Dual-Attach SBus FDDI Interface From: Mitch Strobin Org: Network Peripherals Inc. Address: 1371 McCarthy Blvd. Milpitas, CA 95035 Tel: (408) 321-7300 Fax: (408) 321-9218 email: mstrobin@fastnet.com Network Peripherals wishes to announce the availability of a single card, dual slot SBus adapter providing Dual-Attach FDDI connectivity between all Sun SBus-based systems and 100 Mbps FDDI local area networks. Dual-Homing, by providing a redundant connection to the LAN, offers an additional level of fault tolerance for key network components (usually servers). This is often required for selling into mission critical commercial or scientific environment Features ---------- Features unique to the Network Peripherals Dual-Attach (DAS) SBus FDDI Interface include: o Single card, 2 slot adapter o Available with either 2 fiber-optic or 2 shielded twisted pair (STP) connectors, labeled 'A' and 'B'. Future plans include unshielded twisted pair (UTP) connectors (expected availability 2Q 1993) o Includes driver for SunOS 4.1.1, 4.1.2 and 4.1.3. Solaris 2.1 driver currently under development (expected availability 4/93) o Provides dual-homing, an additional level of fault tolerance whereby the SBus system connects to two concentrators o Enables direct connection of an SBus system to the FDDI network (without a concentrator) o Optical bypass switch support Dual-homing provides an additional level of fault tolerance / redundancy for critical network components (usually servers). Dual-homing works as follows: - Sun SBus server (w/ Dual-Attach SBus FDDI Interface) is connected to two concentrators. - One link is 'active' while the second link is in 'hot standby' mode (inactive). All communication to the FDDI network is through the first link. - If link one fails (i.e., cable breaks, concentrator fails), the second link is automatically activated. This process requires no intervention by the user. - The switch-over to link two occurs instantaneously so that there is no interruption of services between the server and its clients. The Network Peripherals Dual-Attach SBus FDDI Interface may be connected to the LAN either by O Dual-Homing Configuration: connection to two network concentrators or O Dual-Ring Configuration: connection directly to the network The Dual-Attach SBus FDDI Interface is 'intelligent' in that it automatically recognizes the installation implementation (Dual-Homing via concentrator or direct attachment to the FDDI network). FDDI Station Management (SMT) is provided. An imbedded processor implements FDDI Connection Management (CMT), relieving the host of real-time requirements. Network Peripherals also sells a Single-Attach (SAS) SBus FDDI Interface. The same set of software drives both cards therefore making it easy easy to administer heterogeneous networks composed of both Dual-Attach and Single-Attach interfaces. Features common to the Network Peripherals Dual-Attach (DAS) and Single-Attach (SAS) SBus FDDI Interfaces include: o DAS and SAS adapters fully compliant with ANSI X3T9.5 FDDI standard o One driver for DAS and SAS adapters o One installation manual for DAS and SAS adapters o Same high performance (throughput) for DAS and SAS adapters o DAS and SAS adapters compatible with all Sun SBus-based systems (SPARCstations, SPARCservers, SPARCcenter 2000) Availability ------------- The Dual-Attach and Single-Attach SBus FDDI Interfaces, with a driver for SunOS 4.1.x, are currently available and shipping. Solaris 2.X drivers are expected to be available by April 1993. Pricing -------- The Dual-Attach SBus FDDI Interface has a list price of USD $2,995. The Single-Attach SBus FDDI Interface has a list price of USD $1,995. The price includes both SunOS and Solaris drivers. For international pricing, please contact Network Peripherals (see below). Contacts ---------- For data sheets, sales information, or other inquiries, see contact information above. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Solaris 2 versions of Brixton (IBM comms, PPP) Products Contact: Donna White Mail: white@brixton.com Org: Brixton Systems Address: 185 Alewife Brook Parkway Cambridge, MA 02138 Tel: (617) 661 - 6262 x103 Fax: (617) 547 - 9820 Need IBM coms, PPP or Frame Relay for Solaris 2.x right away? Brixton Systems has finished their ports - ie products are available now. X.25 will be shipping towards the end of the month. Products with one line descriptions are attached as well as contact info. Enjoy! Product Description ------- ----------- BrxPU2.1 Server Base SNA Services - SDLC, QLLC, Token Ring DLCs. Brx3270X X-based 3270, EHLLAPI, IND$FILE, Printer LU 1 and 3. Brx3770 SNA/RJE, Reader, Printer, Punch and Console, Unattended Mode, and Compression. BrxLU6.2 APPC Services: CPIC and TPRM. BrxLUO/NetView Open API to IBM applications like CICS, IMS and NetView. BrxTN3270 Server TN3270 Base Service for other TN3270 Clients. BrxTN3270X Client X-based 3270, EHLLAPI, IND$FILE Telnet Client. BrxFR Frame Relay Service: TCP/IP over Frame Relay. BrxPPP Point-to-Point Protocol (Async and Sync). Available on Feb 25,1993: BrxX25 X.25 Services: PAD (Terminal and Host), and TCP/IP routing. For further information: Donna White ----------------------- Mail: white@brixton.com Brixton Systems 185 Alewife Brook Parkway Cambridge, MA 02138 Tel. (617) 661 - 6262 x103 Fax. (617) 547 - 9820 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: IFAD Announces The IFAD VDM-SL Toolbox Version 2.0 Contact: Poul Boegh Lassen Org: IFAD Address: Forskerparken 10 5230 Odense Denmark Telephone: +45 65 93 23 00 Fax : +45 65 93 29 99 E-mail: poul@ifad.dk IFAD Announces The IFAD VDM-SL Toolbox Version 2.0 The Toolbox is available on the SUN Sparc architecture and supports the development of formal specifications using the latest (December 1992) version of the complete VDM-SL standard. The Toolbox supports extensive semantic checks, latex pretty printing, execution and many debugging facilities. All tools can be elegantly operated through an Emacs interface. VDM-SL ====== One of the most mature formal methods, primarily intended for the formal specification and the subsequent development of functional aspects of software systems, is the Vienna Development Method (VDM). A central element of VDM is its specification language: VDM-SL. VDM-SL is a wide spectrum specification language: it can be used for both highly abstract specifications and for specifications at a very low level of abstraction. The increasing use of VDM, and the growing number of dialects in use has led to the recognition of the need for a VDM standard. The standardization effort is carried out under the auspices of the International Standards Institution (ISO) and the British Standards Institution (BSI). The standard is expected to become an ISO draft for comments standard at a working group meeting in April 1993. TOOLS Syntax Checker ============== The syntax checker supports the full VDM-SL standard. All syntax errors are displayed directly in the source specification through the Emacs interface. Interpreter =========== The interpreter supports execution of most VDM-SL constructs like Higher order functions and Currying, Lambda expressions, Looseness and Exceptions. The only constructs which can not be executed are implicit functions and operations and type-bindings. Given a specification the interpreter supports evaluation of expressions in the environment defined by the specification. One of the benefits of executing specifications is that testing techniques can be used to validate the specifications. In the development process small examples for parts of a specification can be executed to enhance the designer's knowledge of the specification. Furthermore an executable specification can form a running prototype. Pretty Printers =============== The IFAD VDM-SL Toolbox works on the ASCII syntax of VDM-SL. When including VDM specifications in written documentation it is useful to print the specifications in the mathematical syntax. The current pretty printing facility supports the Latex type setting system. It generates Latex macros (the standard NPL VDM-SL macros) which can be included in any latex document. Debugger ======== When working with executable specifications some kind of debugging facility is extremely helpful. A debugger has therefore been developed containing a number of the facilities found in debuggers for ordinary programming languages: - interactively evaluation of expressions - breakpoints - show values of variables - show the call stack with parameter values An emacs lisp interface to the emacs editor is supplied with the debugger, integrating it with emacs in a way very similar to the GNU gdb debugger. Static Semantic Analyzer ======================== An analyzer which supports the static semantics for the full VDM-SL standard has been developed. All detected static semantic errors are displayed directly in the source specification through the Emacs interface. IFAD VDM-SL Toolbox availability ================================ IFAD offers a worldwide release of the IFAD VDM-SL Toolbox. The Toolbox runs on SUN Sparc machines with 8MB of memory and requires 7MB of disk space. The following are the prices and sales conditions for the Toolbox version 2.0 Licenses and prices =================== Standard license costs 25.000 Danish Kroner for the first copy, -15\% for the 2nd and 3rd copy, -30\% for the 4th and 5th copy and -40\% for the following copies. Evaluation license costs 2.000 Danish Kroner. The product can be used for evaluation purposes only. The price covers handling costs only. Educational license costs 3.500 Danish Kroner. This license applies to universities and other educational institutions. The product may not be used in commercial projects under this license. All prices are excl. VAT and all licenses covers use of a copy of the toolbox on one machine/CPU only. Further Information =================== For further information please see contact information at start of article., Company Description =================== The Institute of Applied Computer Science is a private high technology institution established in 1986 on request from the industry. It is an economical independent non-profit organization supported by more than 40 companies. The central activity is research and development directed towards areas relevant to industry. A main objective is bridging the gap between the industry and academia. Since its start, IFAD has arranged numerous courses and seminars in the area of design and specification methods, especially methods based on formal specification techniques like VDM. Supported by the Danish government, IFAD has conducted a major survey of existing design and specification methods. IFAD is represented in the BSI Panel which is defining a VDM standard (ISO/ VDM-SL) and is furthermore involved in the standardization of design methods and related areas under the Danish Standards Association and ISO. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: SoftNet Client announcement (UNIX host as a Novell Client) From: jal@puzzle.com (James A. Leslie) Org: Puzzle Systems Corporation Address: 16360 Monterey Road, Ste. 250 Morgan Hill, CA 95037 Phone: (408) 779-9909 Fax: (408) 779-5058 PUZZLE SYSTEMS ANNOUNCES SOFTNET CLIENT Today Puzzle Systems announced a companion product to their highly successful SoftNet Utilities NetWare server emulation family. The product is called SoftNet Client. Whereas SoftNet Utilities allows UNIX platforms to emulate a Novell file SERVER to PC clients, Softnet Client allows UNIX workstations to directly log on and access Novell file servers as a NetWare CLIENT. While maintaining file security, SoftNet Client allows UNIX workstations to directly mount NetWare file servers and access the resident files. In addition, the UNIX workstation can fully utilize the NetWare printers. NFS support on the NetWare servers is NOT required. SoftNet Client will be initially available (March 1, 1993) for SPARC, HP 9000, and Silicon Graphics platforms. Both SoftNet Utilities and SoftNet Client will support the SCO environments in late March. Support for the IBM RS/6000 family is planned for the summer of 1993. Puzzle System's products are distributed by quality resellers, systems integrators and distributors in over 35 countries worldwide. Puzzle Systems Corporation specializes in high performance, reasonably priced UNIX/DOS/ PC network interoperability products. They can be reached at the address listed above. I. What are the network conditions in which SoftNet Client fits? Like SoftNet Utilities (NetWare 2.2 and 3.11 SERVER emulator), SoftNet Client is designed to be sold into mixed NetWare/UNIX environments. Whereas SoftNet Utilities allows selected UNIX platforms to emulate NetWare SERVERS to PC NetWare clients, SoftNet Client allows UNIX workstations to emulate NetWare CLIENTS by directly mounting NetWare servers. NFS support is not required on the NetWare servers. UNIX Workstation users would use SoftNet Client to mount NetWare file servers as well as send print jobs to NetWare printers. SoftNet Client provides these capabilities at reasonable cost and at high performance. It does so with the absolute minimum of tasking to UNIX and NetWare systems administrators. II. What's required on the UNIX side: A. Operating System/Memory/Disk/Kernel (SPARC-based systems): SunOS 4.1 through 4.1.3, 1 MB of RAM , 1 MB of disk space, and a generic kernel. Additional Ethernet ports are also NOT required by either the UNIX host or the NetWare servers. B. GUI On SPARC-based systems, Open Windows is required if you want to use our installation menus, but it can be installed from the command line if you have SunView or Motif. III. Is anything additional required on the PC NetWare servers? No. The workstation user simply loads SoftNet Client. They can then access and mount PC-based NetWare servers as well as send print jobs to both UNIX and NetWare printers. NFS support is also not required. IV. Installation Features Like SoftNet Utilities, SoftNet Client does NOT require either disk partitioning or UNIX kernel reconfiguration. Nothing additional is required of the target NetWare servers. Novell's NFS support is also NOT required for the NetWare servers to be mounted by the UNIX workstation. (SoftNet Client does NOT interfere with the UNIX platform's standard TCP/IP activities or in any way dedicate the machine to NetWare-only operations. In addition, another Ethernet port is, likewise, NOT required on the UNIX workstation or PC NetWare server.) A simple graphical menu system asks the workstation user a few general questions (i.e. "What's the name of the NetWare server you want to mount?", "What is your NetWare login name?", etc.). After these have been answered, the SoftNet Client application is then started as a UNIX process and the target NetWare server is mounted. After the UNIX user has mounted the NetWare drives, when the UNIX command "df" is invoked, all mounted drives including the mounted NetWare servers will appear in the listing. The installation procedure should take no longer than 5 minutes. V. How much does it cost? The product price is dependent on the number of user licenses. The U.S. list price for the single user version is $395.00; the 5 user version is $1495.00. The pricing schedule is consistent across all platforms. Availability? The product is orderable now and will be available for SPARC, HP9000, and SGI platforms in early March 1993. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Sys Admin update From: Jeff Dickey-Chasins Org: R&D Publications Address: 1601 W. 23rd St., Suite 200 Lawrence, KS 66046 Phone: 913-841-1631 FAX: 913-814-2624 email: jeff@rdpub.com "Sys Admin", the journal for UNIX system administrators, now reaches over 15,000 readers with every issue! Since its first issue in May '92, Sys Admin has provided technical, practical information on all aspects of keeping a UNIX system up and running. Although initial circulation was 5,000, strong demand by readers, both in the U.S. and abroad, has driven the paid circulation to its current high. All articles are written by working professionals. Subjects include performance tuning, shell script, disaster recovery, device drivers, backup, security, and kernel optimization. Sys Admin also includes a Question and Answer column where readers can present their own specific problems. Going to UniForum in March? See us at booth 6124! Our editor, Robert Ward, will be present during the show to answer questions and take suggestions. Sys Admin is published six times a year by R&D Publications. A year's subscription is $39 (US), $58 (Canada/Mexico), or $69 (all other countries). To obtain subscription or advertising information, contact R&D listed above. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ For information send mail to info-sunflash@Sun.COM. Subscription requests should be sent to sunflash-request@Sun.COM. Archives are on solar.nova.edu, ftp.uu.net, sunsite.unc.edu, src.doc.ic.ac.uk and ftp.adelaide.edu.au All prices, availability, and other statements relating to Sun or third party products are valid in the U.S. only. Please contact your local Sales Representative for details of pricing and product availability in your region. Descriptions of, or references to products or publications within SunFlash does not imply an endorsement of that product or publication by Sun Microsystems. John McLaughlin, SunFlash editor, flash@Sun.COM. (305) 351-4909.