Return to BSD News archive
Xref: sserve comp.os.msdos.apps:10928 comp.os.msdos.misc:14968 comp.os.386bsd.questions:4696 comp.os.linux:54007 comp.os.misc:2420
Path: sserve!newshost.anu.edu.au!munnari.oz.au!news.Hawaii.Edu!ames!olivea!hal.com!darkstar.UCSC.EDU!cats.ucsc.edu!buhrow
From: buhrow@cats.ucsc.edu (Brian Buhrow)
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.apps,comp.os.msdos.misc,comp.os.386bsd.questions,comp.os.linux,comp.os.misc
Subject: SUMMARY: ARE THERE ANY ALTERNATIVES FOR PC-NFS BESIDES SUN'S OFFERING
Date: 28 Aug 1993 02:55:35 GMT
Organization: University of California; Santa Cruz
Lines: 216
Distribution: world
Message-ID: <25mhf7INN6fs@darkstar.UCSC.EDU>
NNTP-Posting-Host: hobbes.ucsc.edu
Summary: A collection of responses to my original question.
Keywords: NFS, PC, CLIENT
Here is my original question.
> I was recently asked to evaluate the various ways of connecting a
>collection of IBM compatibles together. We can use Novell, but I was also
>considering using a Unix nfs file server with PC-NFS clients running on the
>pc's. Would this scenario provide the same functionality with respect to
>file access as a Novell server? That is, can you make the network drive
>look like a local drive to the pc (g:, etc.)?
> What about MS-DOS nfs clients? Are there nfs client programs out
>there besides Sun's PC-NFS which, at last check, ran for $250.00, or there
>abouts, a station?
> Please e-mail any responses to: buhrow@cats.ucsc.edu as I don't have
>time to read all of these groups.
>Thank you very much in advance for any light anyone can shed on these
>questions.
> If interest develops from others, I'll summarize the results.
>-Brian
First, thank you everyone for your responses. They were helpful and
were able to get me on the road to a more speedy solution.
As you will see from the comments below, there are other things for
PC/TCP/IP than Sun's PCNFS. Most attractive seems to be Beam & Whiteside's
package which, if you are a largish sight, might be cheaper because of
their bulk rate discount. The Wat package also seems to be quite good,
except that it doesn't do NFS.
FTP software also offers a good package, and, for an extra fee, they do
offer NFS.
The most useful piece of information was, by far, the pointer to
comp.protocols.network, where, there was an entire FAQ addressing this very
subject. If you cannot find it in the news archives, mail me and I will
send you a copy.
Thank you again for your help and I hope that this summary is useful.
Note that the comments below are unaltered (except for deletion of some
lines) and are in no particular order.
If you requested a copy of this response via private electronic mail, then
it is en route.
-Brian <buhrow@cats.ucsc.edu>
========
From: vanepp@sfu.ca
Myself I would have a strong look at Novell (especially if these are only
PCs and not Unix boxes as well). The Novell clients and servers are
designed to run on PCs, not Unix semantics molded to fit DOS. The Novell
stuff can run on old machines (such as XTs) that would have trouble
supporting PC-NFS. We have converted from a mainframe to Unix around two
years ago, and run something like 21 Novell servers around campus (there
are around 2000 machines about half and half Macs and PCs out there).
Much of our Unix printing goes via lpr to a Novell server that then
spools it to one of 6 HP3si laser printers spread around campus. The
current growth industry in our machine room is not the Auspex NFS file
server (at some 24 gigs) but rather a Netframe running Novell that is
currently at 5 or 6 gigs, and is going to jump to 10 or 15 gigs over
the next year or so. We thought about exporting the Auspex file systems
out over the backbone, but performance and security concerns stopped us.
It looks like the customers are voting with their money for Novell, and
we are lagging along behind.
Peter Van Epp / Operations and Technical Support
Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C. Canada
From: qramaj@eras70.ericsson.se (Magnus Johansson AR/BH Sommar Praktikant 72725 )
Hello!
I've been evaluating Sun's PC-NFS (version 4 and 5) for the last couple of weeks here at Ericsson Radio System. The result is that it do work, but you might want to check out other possibilites.
With PC-NFS installed you can use network connected printers / harddrivers without any problems at all. The harddisks are used just like a local one, ie d: etc. And the same goes for the printers. The installation is quite straight forward. The software is windowised (except the installationprogramm), and it makes it quite easy to use.
I hope that this gives you some kind of usefull information regarding PC-NFS.
Please do *not* reply because this is my last day here (going back to school...)!
Med vdnliga hdlsningar
Magnus Johansson, KTH - Electronic Engineer
From: wjustice@pms860.pms.ford.com (Bill Justice)
Yes!!!! I have done this at a number of places of work. Personally, I have used SUN's PC-NFS, and FTP's, and even as we speak I am looking at Novels LanWorkPlace(LWP). I have heard bad things about WallenGongs (a year ago), I can not think of any others off hand, but I know there are many!
I think this is the may to go, especially if you already have UNIX around to act as servers. (Personally, I would not by into a single vendor (NOVEL) when you can by into a standard that many companies are following)
Just something to think about.
--
Thanks,
William J. Justice
(all above is opinion only)
justice@frith.egr.msu.edu
wjustice@pms860.pms.ford.com
From: Alan Cox <iiitac@pyr.swan.ac.uk>
Tons and tons is the quick answer: Beame & Whiteside, Chameleon (under
Windows only - we use this), PC/TCP etc...
ALan
From: morrow@cns.ucalgary.ca (Bill Morrow)
We are happy with Beame&Whiteside NFS, it's about $CDN 125 in
quantity, and does everything that you mention above, plus telnet,
ftp, and so on.
--
Bill Morrow Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary
e-mail: morrow@cns.ucalgary.ca voice: (403) 220-6275 fax: (403) 283-8770
HMRB 105, 3330 Hospital Drive NW Calgary, Alberta, CANADA T2N 4N1
From: af8t@aixfile1.urz.uni-heidelberg.de (Markus Nullmeier)
In article <23sfj6INN2ju@darkstar.UCSC.EDU> you wrote:
Just dive into the newsgroups comp.protocols.nfs (sounds strange, but...)
and comp.protocols.tcp-ip.ibmpc :-)
--
---------------------------------------------------
Markus Nullmeier af8t@ix.urz.uni-heidelberg.de
From: ianst@qdpii.ind.dpi.qld.gov.au (Ian Staples)
We use PC-NFS with a 486 server running SCO-Unix.
Yes, network drives can be made to look like a local drive. It's also
simple for individual users to set up their network directories as local
drives, which saves a lot of typing :-) E.g. g: rather than f:\usr\fred\me\
The only problem I've had has been in renaming network directories from
DOS. The various utilities/commands that do this seem to create a Unix-
style link, so you end up with two apparent directories (old and new)
but only one copy of the files. When you try to undo the problem (e.g.
by "removing" one of the directories [which means deleting the contents
first of course]) you end up with *no* files in the remaining dir :-(
You can usually get around these problems by logging on to the server
in Unix and doing any necessary directory maintenance from there (i.e.
using the Unix mv command to make the new directory from the old
structure). The normal DOS md, rd, cd, commands work OK; the only
problem is in attempting to *rename* directories.
Cheers, Ian S.
--
Ian Staples Email : ianst@qdpii.ind.dpi.qld.gov.au
c/- P.O. Box 1054 MAREEBA Phone : +61 (0)70 921 555 Home 924 847
Queensland Australia 4880 Fax : +61 (0)70 923 593 " " "
From: miguel@roxanne.nuclecu.unam.mx (Miguel de Icaza)
Currently, we use Wollowong's Pathway package, you need to packages:
Access (this is the TCP/IP) and the extra NFS package. I don't
remember how much they cost, but it's a low cost. They also sell the
software for the Mac and the Vaxes with VMS so you can use NFS in all
your machines!
Well, personally I like Wollongong's software, it works with the
drivers of clarkson, has SLIP support, remote printing, file sharing,
and it's easy to install. It ocuppies about 20-25k of RAM with all
options enabled.
Hope it works,
Miguel.
From: Ivo Jossart <FFAAB02%BLEKUL11.BITNET@FRMOP11.CNUSC.FR>
Maybe if you have enough money you could think about banyan vines.
It's very easy to maintain, but it costs $$$$$. Or you can try to use
lantastic or the very cheap little big-lan. (only 99$ for one network)
I hope this may help.
regards.
From: SEHepner%staff%MC@athena.manchester.edu
Assuming that I understand what you were asking for, Fou might look into
Banyan VINES. It is a good stable system (it is based on Berkley UNIX and is
more stable than Novel) that is fairly cheap. My site is sunning on a VINES
network and we are quite pleased with it. You also can have it running on a
SCO UNIX platform. If you have any questions/requirements let me know (I
didnt see your original net posting).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stephen Hepner | SEHepner%Staff%MC@athena.manchester.edu
Manchester College | shepner@nyx.cs.du.edu
Computer Technician/Analyst | (219)982-5079
Nothing is impossible, it just seems that way
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: poc@shaddam.usb.ve (Patrick O'Callaghan)
Take a look at FTP Software. Their PC/TCP package includes Interdrive,
an NFS client *and server* for DOS and/or Windows.
From: combssf@salem.ge.com (Stephen F. Combs)
Brian,
Here at GE Drives we use Sun's PC-NFS (co-existing with 3COM 3+Share),
and FTP Software's FTP-TCPIP package w/nfs support. Also available is
Beam & Whiteside's TCP/IP-NFS package (I don't know what the product name
is) which we have used on a couple of machines (again co-existing with 3com)
The FTP product we use is version 2.2 and runs on top of Novell's IPX
(dual protocol stacks, Novell apps talk IPX while FTP apps talk TCP/IP)
Thanx,
Stephen F. Combs
The General Electric Co
GE Industrial Systems & Services
Network Services
1501 Roanoke Blvd
Salem, VA 24153
Internet: CombsSF@salem.ge.com
voice: 703.387.8828