[Info-vax] booting vaxstation off alpha

[Hans Vlems]

On 11 feb, 13:44, Stephen Hoffman <seaoh... at hoffmanlabs.invalid>
wrote:
> On 2013-02-11 07:54:11 +0000, Hans Vlems said:
>
> > DECnet over DSSI works fine, provided you get the incantations right.
> > All I tried was CTERM and FAL and both worked as expected (reliable
> > albeit slow).
> > Another example of an undocumented, unsupported feature that works
> > alright.
>
> Not that there is even a remote chance of seeing DSSI gear around, nor
> any likelihood of IP over FC nor connections, but...
>
> If you ran any tests[1] with that, how well does that "albeit slow"
> connection perform as compared with slow Ethernet?  CI wasn't known for
> its network performance, as compared with DECnet over even then-current
> 10 Mb Ethernet, and usual recommendations back then had CI at higher
> cost as a backup connection.  I can't see DSSI being much better in
> that regard.
>
> ————
> [1]DTSEND (DTS) and DTRECV (DTR) were the testing tools for DECnet.
> Those were documented in the network management manual.
>
> --
> Pure Personal Opinion | HoffmanLabs LLC

No I didn't run the tests you mentioned Hoff.
The DSSI bus is between two VAX 4000 model 100A's and just one RF73 on
that bus. Neither VAX
was used for anything than this little test.
What I remember (and you know the value of that ;) is that CTERM
worked without delays.
I cannot recall how well file transfers went. Tomorrow evening I'll
power them up and try to do some
simple measurements.
These two systems haven't been up for three years, both were
manufactured in week 50 of 1993.
Nearly twenty year old hardware may spring nasty surprises on
neglecting owners...

Hans