1748151 Members
3614 Online
108758 Solutions
New Discussion юеВ

Re: Why uise multinet ?

 
SOLVED
Go to solution
Wim Van den Wyngaert
Honored Contributor

Why uise multinet ?

I wonder why certain clients buy multinet tcpip ? History ?

Wim
Wim
16 REPLIES 16
Ian Miller.
Honored Contributor

Re: Why uise multinet ?

historically it worked better and had more features than UCX.
____________________
Purely Personal Opinion
Garry Fruth
Trusted Contributor

Re: Why uise multinet ?

I remember reading somewhere that Multinet has a friendlier hobbyist program... but I cannot recall where. Perhaps this has influenced a few.
Lawrence Czlapinski
Trusted Contributor

Re: Why uise multinet ?

Wim: 1. It is used by local applications.
2. We also use it because it allows our customer's users to do automatic login without a password from a PC by checking the TCPIP addresses. We can't do that with HP TCPIP because HP also puts port info in the string that is authenticated by ALF.
Lawrence
Galen Tackett
Valued Contributor

Re: Why uise multinet ?

I haven't used MultiNet in a very long while, but one of the reasons we used to like it was that you could restart the MultNet server without losing connections.

Though I don't recall details, back in the old days (early 90's?) it offered some functionality that wasn't readily available in UCX. I suspect that this is much less the case today.

It was also a HUGE improvement over Network Research's Fusion TCP/IP, which was what we'd started out with.
Doug Phillips
Trusted Contributor

Re: Why uise multinet ?

UCX did not always come bundled with VMS, and when that was the case, Multinet (and TCPware) offered the better deal (more features, cost competitive). And, trying to buy *anything* from DEC was difficult and time consuming, to say the least. You were holding the software in your hand but the PAK could take weeks to get to you (and you hoped it was the right PAK). TGV (then Cisco, then Process), however, would get everything you needed to you in a couple of days. Once you had the software media, and only needed another license, they would FAX that to you with a simple phone call.

Early UCX was also very primitive compared to Multinet or TCPware. Once UCX started coming bundled, though, the only reason to go to something else was if UCX was missing a feature you needed.
Craig A Berry
Honored Contributor
Solution

Re: Why uise multinet ?

TCP/IP Services has improved a lot technically in recent years, and of course now having it bundled with the OS makes it very attractive price-wise. However, new features tend to arrive years earlier and in a more complete form in Multinet than in TCP/IP Services. A current comparison is here:

http://www.process.com/tcpip/multicompare.html

So, for example, IPSEC is available now in Multinet, but as I understand it still some ways off in TCP/IP Services. Also, a lot of people like the Multinet management interface better.

Having said all this, TCP/IP Services is certainly adequate for many purposes and is getting better all the time.
comarow
Trusted Contributor

Re: Why uise multinet ?

Now tcpip is vastly improved. 5.4 as an eco 5. One major reason is you have one company to deal with. This always makes provlems solving easier.

Now obviously TCPIP has evolved as the
standard, so you can be sure it is a focus of VMS engineering and elevations.

At one time Digital focused on DECNET. I miss it. However, even the collection of tcpip products is evolving because of security concerns. TCPIP is right with the transition.


I'm sure other companies make fine products.

Bob
Thomas J. Klotzbach
New Member

Re: Why uise multinet ?

Good thread. We have used Multinet on our Oracle dataservers since 1993 and have been very pleased. The recent issue that we have noted is that Oracle is starting to become resistant to Multinet, especially in regards to support issues reagarding SQL*Net. At least for us, Oracle is telling folks to move to TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS if they experience TNS listener problems.
"Free advice is worth every cent"
Art Wiens
Respected Contributor

Re: Why uise multinet ?

I think Doug's point is probably most valid, UCX wasn't free (either monetarily or of bugs ;-) ... the competition had a better product. Besides, how could you go wrong with "Two Guys and a Vax" !

We used Multinet at a previous job, it had all the "bells and whistles" at the time and worked very well.

We currently use TCPware here ... IMHO it's as good as Multinet but personally I find it easier to manage, and I still think it's better than TCPIP Services YMMV.

Cheers,
Art