A Year Of Transformations Comes To An End

Description: 

Innovations that were presented in 1987.

Main Article Text

The year 1987 was a period of advancement for several areas regarding communication and electronic equipment. On the telecommunications front, for example, all the main suppliers in the world gathered in Geneva at Telecom 87, for a periodic four-year review of phone systems and transmissions. On that occasion, the visitors were able to witness a number of connectivity experiments on ISDN networks. Integrated digital network technology services, if properly developed, will provide the ability to transfer voice and data on the normal telephone line, with efficacy greater than that permitted by the current asynchronous transmission systems (dedicated or dial-up modem). Instead, in large systems, Ibm has partially revealed the characteristics of a new application interface, the System application architecture (SAA), which allows the use of the same applications on different machines. It is the scope of the project to assist, the ability of mainframe, mini, and personal computers, finally to merge their resources in a single corporate informational structure. There has also been significant news about operating systems for personal computers. IBM and Microsoft have announced the Os 2, basic software that integrates numerous in-house communications and manages several programs simultaneously, (Multitasking). Operating system 2 will be accompanied by appropriate modules for communications and for the management of the local networks. In fact, Microsoft and 3Com have already initiated the development of the Lan Manager, an operatic network system capable of having workstations equipped with Os 2 and personal computers running under DOS coexisting on the same LAN. Even IBM has launched itself into the fray claiming to have in the pipeline two different projects. The first relates to the preparation of a
Communications Manager, which is a, software module designed to integrate the functions of various emulation programs within the terminals that IBM currently sells. The Communications Manager will be an integral part of the Extended Edition of Os 2, which IBM will make available to users of its systems. The second project, which was announced by Big Blue at the end of 1987, concerns an evolved network operating system, the Lan Server for Os 2. The package, created specifically for network types like Token ring and Pc Network, will provide similar functions to those of the Lan Manager, but will allow some of the applications running on the nodes, to move to the assisting station. In this way, one will be able to share all the resources of the server, including the CPU.

Also in the world of standard cones there was effervescent news. Several major systems suppliers have introduced software products to integrate different machines within a single e-mail system. Launched by the International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee (CCITT), the highest telephone and transmission advisory body, affirms that the standard is X.400.

For local area networks, however, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, an organization which ratifies electrical standards, still has to decide which model to adopt for the new Ethernet over shielded twisted pair networks that were announced at the end of last summer by Digital, 3Com, Synoptics and Hewlett Packard. As always Ieee will have to decide whether to accept or reject the request made by Datapoint, the American company that wants to transform their Lan,ArcNet, as an official reference for networks with the token passing bus network protocol.

In terms of strategies, finally, 1987 can be remembered as the year of coalitions and acquisitions. Digital Equipment has entered into a partnership with Apple defining their network architecture so that Macintosh and Vax can be joined, creating an alternative pole to the SAA from IBM. 3Com acquired the American company Bridge, thereby recognizing the need to add to its know-how about local networks in relation to specific skills regarding micro mainframe connections and communication gateways. Novell bought Cxi for the same purpose, DCA, however, already strong in the world of emulating 3270, decided to expand its field of interest to local networks acquiring Fox Research, producer of 10-Net.

Roberto Mazzoni