1. Introducing TCPware for OpenVMS

Introduction

TCPware for OpenVMS is a software product that provides TCP/IP standard networking services for HP's OpenVMS VAX, Alpha and Itanium computers.

Enterprise-Wide Networking

Computer systems from many different vendors can communicate with systems using the TCP/IP protocols. Almost all UNIX-based systems support TCP/IP, FTP, NFS, SMTP, and TELNET. This makes TCPware for OpenVMS components ideal tools for networking OpenVMS systems with other computer systems.

The below figure shows some systems networked using TCP/IP.

Fig1-1.gif

TCPware components operate with many other computers. TCPware components also operate with many network support devices that are compatible with TCP/IP, Ethernet, and other local area networks (LANs), as shown in the below figure.

Fig1-2.gif

TCPware for OpenVMS

TCPware includes services components designed exclusively for the VAX, Alpha and Itanium architectures and the OpenVMS operating system.

The below table lists the members of the TCPware family and the features of each.

Component

Features

FTP

File transfer service that lets you transfer files to or from remote hosts. Provides a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) client and server.  Includes the Remote Copy Program (RCP) (which includes optional Kerberos authentication). Also includes a subroutine library to develop FTP application programs. Token authentication is also available for FTP.

NFS Client

Network File System (NFS) service that lets you access NFS filesystems and store data on NFS systems. Provides an NFS client.

NFS Server

NFS service that lets remote NFS users access OpenVMS filesystems and use them for storage. Provides an NFS server.

SMTP

Mail transfer service that lets you send mail to or receive mail from remote hosts. Provides a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) client and server. The additional Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) and Post Office Protocol Version 3 (POP3) servers provide a way for remote PCs to retrieve OpenVMS incoming mail.

SSH

Secure Shell provides encrypted remote access to this system and other systems with SSH software.  Commands may be executed remotely or remote interactive sessions may be used.  Files may be transferred with the SCP command, which uses SSH for access to the remote system.

TELNET

Virtual terminal service that lets you have immediate access to remote systems. Provides a Virtual Terminal Networking (TELNET) protocol client and server. Kerberos authentication is also available.  Also includes a subroutine library to develop TELNET application programs. Token authentication is also available for TELNET.

TCP

TCP/IP base component that includes protocols for the network layer (IP, ICMP, ARP, and RARP) and transport layer (TCP and UDP).  Provides utilities for network management and control:

 

·         For Domain Name Services (DNS), Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) Services, Network Control Utility (NETCU), and Network Time Synchronization, see the Network Management entry in TCP/IP Services.

·         Berkeley R Commands - Access hosts in a TCP/IP network by logging in (RLOGIN), executing remote commands (RSH), and controlling remote tape drives (RMT) and CD-ROM drives (RCD).  Token authentication is also available for RLOGIN.

·         Line Printer Services - Manipulate local or remote print queue functions based on the client and server ends of the Line Printer Protocol.

·         Terminal Server Print Services - Send print requests to printers attached to TCP/IP-based terminal servers.

·         Subroutine Libraries - Facilitate application development using the Socket Library Services, FTP subroutine library, TELNET Subroutine Library, and SNMP Extendible Agent Application Program Interface (API) routines.

·         TCPDRIVER, UDPDRIVER, IPDRIVER, and INETDRIVER programming services, and UCX compatibility services (BGDRIVER) - Use QIO interfaces to develop network applications.  UCX compatibility allows applications such as PATHWORKS to work with TCPware. 

·         ONC RPC Services - Build distributed applications using Remote Procedure Calls (RPCs).

 

TCP/IP Services

All of TCPware’s TCP/IP services are fully integrated. The services range from the upper-layer Network Application Services to the lower-level components. These lower-level components handle the network controllers included in the TCP/IP services core component, TCP-OpenVMS.

The TCPware components use the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), User Datagram Protocol (UDP), and Internet Protocol (IP). TCP and IP provide a reliable and efficient means for moving information between computer systems.

TCPware supports Path MTU discovery to provide a performance improvement when large packets of data are sent over TCP.

The below table describes some of the TCP/IP functions supported by TCPware.

This Service...

Provides...

Cluster Load Balancing

Have the domain name server assign a connection to a specific host to balance the cluster load.  Analogous to the load balancing services the LAT terminal service provides.

Database Support

Connect Ingres, Oracle, RDB, Progress, and Sybase databases on OpenVMS and UNIX systems.

DECnet over IP

Send DECnet data link layer packets point-to-point over TCP/IP connection between two systems running TCPware.

DECwindows

Supports DECwindows graphics-oriented applications like Mail, File View, DECterm, and Bookreader.  A remote X display user can also log in using the X Display Manager Server.

Interface Support

Interface support, which includes:

·         Ethernet, Token Ring, and LAT interfaces - Send IP datagrams over Ethernet, Token Ring, LAN Emulation over Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), and Classical IP over ATM (CLIP) networks. Supports the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) and Reverse ARP (RARP).

·         Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) - Send IP datagrams over high-speed networks over FDDI controllers. Supports ARP and RARP.

·         HYPERchannel - Directly supports the UNIBUS, QBUS, MASSBUS, and BIBUS interfaces. Includes use of ARP to map host internet addresses to physical addresses.

·         IP-over-DECnet - Send IP datagrams over DECnet links to connect separate DECnet-over-IP TCP/IP LANs over WANs.

·         IP-over-X.25 - Send IP datagrams as data packets over X.25, enabling reliable worldwide communication.

·         Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) - Send multiprotocol datagrams over serial point-to-point links. PPP is common with line speeds from 14.4 to 28.8 kilobits per second (Kbps). Implemented through pppd command line options.

·         proNET - Supports the proNET-10 and proNET-80 token ring controllers provided by Proteon, Inc.

·         Serial Line IP (SLIP) - Send IP datagrams over serial lines instead of Ethernet cable. Supports both dedicated (hard-wired) and dialup SLIP lines. TCPware also supports Compressed SLIP (CSLIP).

·         HP Wide Area Network (WAN) Device Drivers - Supports the WAN Device Drivers synchronous interfaces that form a link between the hardware devices and TCPware.

Multicasting

Supports full IP multicasting, letting you send and receive datagrams addressed to IP multicast (Class D) addresses.  Implements the Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP).

Network Management

Network management and control functions include:

·         Domain Name Services (DNS) - Guarantees host connections using a distributed database.

·         Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) - Provides IP addresses and configuration data to hosts. Supports DHCP and BOOTP protocols.

·         Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) Services - Network management stations can obtain timely information about the network activities of OpenVMS server hosts. Supports MIB-I and MIB-II.  TCPware’s SNMP agent also supports subagents serving private MIBs, as well as the SNMP Multiplexing (SMUX) Service.

·         Network Control Process (NETCP) - Starts, maintains, and shuts down the network. NETCP also contains the Port Mapper that maps Remote Procedure Call (RPC) server programs to ports. A TCPDUMP utility is also included.

·         Network Control Utility (NETCU) - Provides commands so that the system manager can monitor and control various functions such as adding and removing servers and clients.

·         Network Time Synchronization - Use either the Network Time Protocol (NTP) or the Time Synchronization Protocol (TIMED), to coordinate time distribution between hosts.

Network Security

Includes Incoming and Outgoing Access Restrictions; Packet Filtering; user commands, management commands, and administration server; the IP Security Option (IPSO); and Token Authentication for login security.

Other Clients and Servers

Client protocols (DISCARD, FINGER, NSLOOKUP, PING, TALK, Trivial File Transfer Protocol [TFTP], TRACEROUTE, and WHOIS) and Server protocols (CHARGEND, DAYTIMED, DISCARDED, ECHOD, FINGERD, INDENT, QUOTED, and TFTPD).

PATHWORKS Support

Use TCPware as a transport for HPE’s PATHWORKS products running between the OpenVMS system and a PC.

Routing

Supports enhanced routing and multiple gateways, and includes the GateD protocol, which combines RIP, HELLO, OSPF, EGP, BGP, and the Router Discovery Protocol for distributing routing information.  Supports the Classless Inter-Domain Routing (CIDR) protocol for more efficient use of IP addresses.