Re: Oracle SQL*Net <==> TCP/IP over Novell IPX/SPX !!??

jmr_at_motown.allied.com (John M. Ritter) writes:

[situation: Novell LAN (on Token Ring) running SPX/IPX, with DOS clients that connect to certain Unix boxes (on Ethernet) that have TCP/IP.]
>One Novell server has both a Token Ring and Ethernet
>card. Using the LAN support packet driver, a DOS workstation on the
>Novell network can telnet to the UNIX hosts.
 

>We must set up a machine running Oracle, and the DOS workstations must
>use SQL*Net. We prefer a UNIX machine with Oracle, but were told the
>only way the connection can be made is to either add an ethernet card
>to each DOS workstation or run LAN Workplace for DOS on each
>workstation.
 

>Any thoughts, comments, nightmares or anecdotes would be appreciated!

Ignore anyone who tells you "the only way to ..." when it comes to Oracle networking.

Running LAN Workplace for DOS (which gives TCP/IP services to each DOS machine without requiring a second card or two entire protocol stacks in DOS RAM) would work, though it's expensive.

For example, you could run SQL*Net SPX/IPX on a Unix box, if it's one of the Unix boxes that has that support. (Tell me what brands you have and I can check into it.) I know for certain that the hot AViiON boxes from Data General can do this, and I think Sun as well.

There may be some issues with using the Novell file server with the two cards as a poor man's bridge (it's really a gateway) -- such things are slow. I'd put in a Cisco box myself, but I'm that way.

It's been a while since I did this stuff, so more recent info is doubtless available.

I'll be at IOUW later today; I'll try to ask around for ideas at the Novell booth.

>jmr_at_motown.allied.com {att,bellcore,princeton,rutgers}!motown!jmr

Cheers.

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