[Info-vax] Rethinking DECNET ?

[David Froble]

Jan-Erik Soderholm wrote:
> David Froble wrote 2014-09-05 05:16:
>> Kerry Main wrote:
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: Info-vax [mailto:info-vax-bounces at info-vax.com] On Behalf Of
>>>> David Froble
>>>> Sent: 04-Sep-14 8:50 AM
>>>> To: info-vax at info-vax.com
>>>> Subject: Re: [New Info-vax] Rethinking DECNET ?
>>>>
>>>> Jan-Erik Soderholm wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> My point and question was actualy, "do you realy need DECnet?" :-)
>>>>>
>>>>> I have no problem running VMS without DECnet and the
>>>>> customer will never ask for it, that is for sure...
>>>> As some have mentioned, "do you really need VMS?"
>>>>
>>>> DECnet IV is useful on a single VMS system, and if you have two or more
>>>> VMS systems in-house it is very useful.
>>>>
>>>> But yeah, I've seen more than one stubborn person who won't install
>>>> DECnet on their VMS system(s).
>>>
>>> Even if not used for production  purposes, having DECnet available is
>>> also a useful tool for troubleshooting purposes when there are TCPIP
>>> issues. In mission critical environments issues need to be resolved 
>>> ASAP.
>>> The more tools one has on their belt, the better the carpenter.
>>>
>>>
>>> Regards,
>>>
>>> Kerry Main
>>> Back to the Future IT Inc.
>>>  .. Learning from the past to plan the future
>>>
>>> Kerry dot main at backtothefutureit dot com
>>
>> Say you normally Telnet (sorry Steve) into a VMS system.  But you need to
>> modify TCP/IP, and will need to take it down and re-start.  From your
>> Telnet session?  Good luck.
> 
> Of course. Then I telnet into the terminal server connected to
> the console serial port. Solved. Or put TCPUP$SHUTDOWN/STARTUP
> into a COM file and submit it...
> 
>>
>> But if you can SET HOST to the system then you can do the TCP/IP mods.
>>
> 
> That requires that you have something else to SET HOST from!
> I can't from *my* laptop at least...
> 
>> And if you need to modify dECnet to the point of taking it down, there 
>> is a
>> Telnet session ....
> 
> SET HOST/LAT... :-)
> 
> Jan-Erik.

You can always come up with rationalization to support your favorite 
prejudices.

The fact is, when 2 or more VMS systems are on a local network, having 
both DECnet and TCP/IP provides more flexibility.