Communicating with a DMR-11 board from VMS 6.2 Q-Bus system

[David Williams_17]

We have a PDP-11 running RSX-11M. It is currently communicating via DECnet DDCMP protocol to a VAX 11/750. I am trying to replace the VAX with an existing MicroVAX 3400 that is running VMS 6.2 and DECnet OSI.

We have a DMV11 board for the Q-bus, but it is not listed as supported in the DECnet OSI SPD. The VMS SPD does list it as supported with the WAN device drivers software.

I do not have any PDP experience but the person who is responsible for the system says that it is not practical to change anything on the PDP (for example adding an ethernet board).

How can we get the new VAX to talk to the DMR11? Should we deinstall DECnet OSI and load DECnet Phase IV with the WAN device drivers? Does anyone know the procedure for doing this?

Will DECnet OSI support the DMV11 even though it is not listed in the SPD? Should we get a DSV11 board to run with DECnet OSI?

[Ian Miller.]

long time ago for me but Isn't there a WAN drivers package for DECnet/OSI? I used it with X.25 systems.

In more recent DECnet/Plus versions I think the WANDD package was included

[David Williams_17]

As far as I understand, the WANDD is included with DECnet OSI, but the DMV11 is not on the list of supported devices.

[Robert Gezelter]

David,

What can be added to the PDP-11 depends upon the version of RSX-11 and DECnet.

The DMR-11, if memory serves me correctly, implemented a dedicated DDCMP link between two systems. The version that was most popular, n my experience, worked over a dedicated, coaxial cable link. I would have to check my old docs, but there may have been a remote (RS-232) version as well. DMR-11 units generally replaced DMC-11s.

There are several options as to how to do this. My recollection is that some Qbus ethernet adapters were supported on RSX, although I would have to check the docs. Alternatively, the VAX certainly supports serial ports, and RSX DECnet certainly supports serial ports as network devices speaking DDCMP (I have used this many times in the past).

If you want, drop me a note and we can speak further.

- Bob Gezelter, http://www.rlgsc.com

[Volker Halle]

David,

DMR-11 - what a long time ago... When I started to work for Digital nearly 26 years ago, I was involved in a project with DMC-11s connecting various PDP-11 systems (running RSX-11M and RSX-11S). It was before DECnet Phase III (routing) showed up.

I believe the DSV-11 would be the way to go. It's supported under DECnet-OSI, but needs the WANDD part of the kit installed. The WANDD kit is part of the DECNET_OSI PCSI kit and needs to be selected during installation:

Do you want to view the options: YES
...
VAX Widea Area Device Drivers: NO
...
Are you satisfied with these options? [YES] NO

then select WANDD...

For an existing installation, PRODUCT RECONFIGURE should allow you to change the options. Patches may need to be re-applied afterwards.

OpenVMS VAX DECnet Phase IV software does not seem to support any synchronous devices anymore.

Good luck,

Volker.