Integrated idly toward im- plementing large- scale strategic systems that integrate all components of an enterprise. These complex systems will be based on the installation of net- works capable of supporting large num- bers of PCs, file servers and links to mainframe systems. Both data and pro- cessing modules will be distributed throughout the network in cooperative- processing and client/server appli- cations. | Large corporate networks of comput- ers are being implemented both to com: puterize entire organizations and to es- tablish intercorporate links with suppli- ers, retailers, customers, dealers, distributors and financial organizations. Among the communications mecha- nisms used are E-mail for person-to-per- son interfaces; electronic data access for. person-to-application interfaces; and electronic data interchange for applica- tion-to-application interfaces. Many corporations have greatly in- creased the strategic value of their com- puter systems through intercorporate networks used for electronic data inter- change. These networks have enabled them to reduce trading delays, provide better customer service, increase their competitiveness in the market and re- duce costs. In addition, these networks can reduce transportation expenses, im- prove production scheduling and de- crease waste, In addition to building networks of PCs and mainframes, organizations will link other communications functions and make them accessible through the PC. Voice mail, E-mail and fax will all be accessible through the individuals PC. Gateways to outside networks will newsletters and be used to tie into real-time news wires, syndicated databases. PG WEEKNAPPLIGATION DEVELOPMENT. — APPLIED INTELLIGENCE communications protocols, problems still exist in linking hardware and software from different vendors. The illustrates the type of inter- connections that are available to link both IBM and non-IBM systems. The ex- arople shows coramunications interfaces between SAA applications, applications running under AIX (IBM's version of Unix) and other systems (such as Sun workstations under Sun OS, Unix workstations under Unix System V or DEC VAX computers under VMS). To communicate effectively among these diverse systems, it's necessary to specify multivendor architectures that define a standard set of networking ser- ments, together with OSI international protocols, implement the SAA coramuni- ao geussed in a previous article, SAA provides a comprehensive set of facilities to distribute both process and data across IBM PS/2, AS/400 and Sys- tem/370 computers. Interprocess com: munications between IBM machines is supported by SNA conventions, includ- ing Synchronous Data Link Control ; (SDLC), LU 6.2 peer-to-peer communica: tions protocols and Token-Ring LAN protocols. Access of data located on re- mote, non-IBM computers is supported within SAA through the use of standard OSI protocols including X.25 packet Standard Networking Services Reguired For Enterprisewide Interconnections The Standard Data-Tratisfet Protocol Is Based on sok; Standard Commuticatioris Protocols itielude SNA, TCP/IP atid OSi Nu, TCPJIP, OSI JAN Ni Sa nei John Avaklan. Many corporations have greatly increased the strategic palue of their computer sistems through intercorporate networks used for electronic data interchange. vices, data-transfer protocols and data- ment. O EJ utilize transfer media. The figure illustrates a Servers 100M bps. representative multivendor architecture mo ei Services pel based on SOL-compatible data-access letworks (ISDN: poke open in- standards and communications proto- terconnections across dna ae Cols supported by IBM's SNA, TCP/IP spread use of ISDN will facilitate PEN o ugane Nia H: AA OLI commi tions pro! vide simpler access to high-speed se SNI Neurnk Pene pri pre a (SNA) has been ineorporated within To implement a h larture major commitments to international corporatewide commu- and is nications networks, the curren s used to support comm: patibilities between hardwaxe plaki. between distribu unications ware systems must be resolved. Despite ted SAA applicati orking architecture jaka Years to intercon- "These SNA ele. switching, X.400 electronic mail and IEEE 802 Token-Ring. TCP/IP is widely used to support net- works for military applications, univer- sities, research laboratories and manu- facturing applications. Implementations of TCP/IP include the Ethernet LAN based on the Berkeley variant of Unix, as well as wide area networks using X.25 packet-switehed networks for a wide variety of popular computers. 'The OSI communications model is based on standards defined by the Inter- national Standards Organization. The or- £anization has defined a seven-layer OSI model that forms the basis for a net: JNE 11, 1990 Multivendor Solutions Are Crucial to Networking Pe se pr Omise! protocols can be iraplemented for each layer Standard protocols defined using the OSI model include X.25 packet switch- ing, X.400 E-mail, JEEE 802 Token-Ring and Connectionless Network Protocol used in factory-floor manufacturing op- erations. TCP/IP is widely used to support Ethernet LANs; the OSI model is fre- guently used for X.25 packetswitched networks. It's likely that the OSI model will grow in importance relative to TCP/IP. Supporting Communications The three applications environments shown in the figure—SAA, AIX and non: IBM applications—generally support one or more of the communications environ- ments shown in the figure—SNA, TCP/IP and OSL The cormmunications-support ca- pabilities of the three applications envi- ronments are summarized below. SAA applications utilize the SNA net- working architecture to provide connec- tivity between PS/2, AS/400 and Sys- tem/370 computers. TCP/IP and OSI protocols are used to support communi- cations with non-IBM machines. IBM AIX is a variant of Unix that supports a basic multiuser, multitasking environment. In addition, it provides support for virtual memory, enhanced file management, dynamic configuration, support in the DOS environment for multiple users, multiple interactive ses- sion management and National Lan- guage Support. Communications support for AIX in- eludes TCP/IP, X.25 packet, switching, Sun Network File System (NFS), Ethernet and Token-Ring LANS, and electronic-mail protocols. These commu- nications facilities enable AIX applica- tions under Unix to integrate well with SAA applications under OS/2. Broader integration between IBM and non-IBM machines may be obtained through support of TCP/IP and OSI net: work architectures. Many computers, such as engineering workstations and Digital VAX systems, provide support for TCP/IP and OSI protocols. The use of . standard communications protocols and standard data-access conventions should be strongly encouraged to provide interoperability between widely diverse computer environments. Next week, [Il discuss how these ma- jor trends in computer hardware, soft- ware, database and communications en- vironments are affecting the evolution of computer drchitectures. N The concepts embodied in this article are described in the High-Productivity Technology volume in The James Mar- tin Report les. For more informa- tion on this volume, call (617) 639- 1958. For information on seminars, contact (in the United States and Can- ada) Technology Transfer Institute, 741 10th St, Santa Monica, Calif. 90402 (213) 394-8305. In Europe, con- a a 5 je St., Carnforth, nes. nited Kingdom (0524) 734 505.