============================================================================== RED CIENTIFICA PERUANA BIG-LAN ============================================================================== BIG-LAN DIGEST Tuesday, 13 October 1992 Volume 4 : Issue 67 Today's Topics: BIG-LAN Frequently Asked Questions Moderated by John Wobus, Syracuse University Relevant addresses: Internet BITNET Submissions: big-lan@suvm.acs.syr.edu BIG-LAN@SUVM Subscriptions: big-lan-request@suvm.acs.syr.edu BIG-REQ@SUVM LISTSERV/Archives: listserv@suvm.acs.syr.edu LISTSERV@SUVM Moderator: jmwobus@syr.edu JMWOBUS@SYREDU Anonymous ftp archives: syr.edu Note: BIG-LAN is redistributed through many mailing lists at other sites run by other individuals. If you subscribe(d) through such a "redistribution" list, you will need to remember its owner. syr.edu also has a copy of the BIG-LAN "FAQ" memo (answers to frequently asked questions) under the path information/big-lan/big-lan.faq ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 16:04:42 EDT From: BIG-REQ@SUVM Subject: BIG-LAN Frequently Asked Questions BIG-LAN Frequently Asked Questions Last Updated: October 13, 1992 Acknowledgements: A lot of people provided information for me and I freely admit that I have not recorded the list of names. Thanks to all. Contents - -------- I. About BIG-LAN II. Explanation of this Memo III. Sources of Information on Campus Networks 1. Must-Read Sources 2. A Few General Sources 3. LISTSERV Mailing Lists 4. Internet Mailing Lists 5. USENET/Netnews Groups 6. Anonymous FTP-based Archive Sites 7. LISTSERV-based Archive Sites 8. RFCs (Internet "Request For Comments") 9. Other Useful Online Papers 10. Sources of Protocol Documents 11. Useful Free Software 12. Books 13. Periodicals 14. Training Courses 15. Conferences IV. Basic Glossary on Campus Networks V. Frequently Asked Questions on Campus Networks 1. What is the difference between Ethernet and IEEE 802.3? 2. What is encapsulation? What do I have to know about it? 3. How do I know whether to use a router or a bridge? 4. How do I know whether to use a bridge or a repeater? How many repeaters may I put on an Ethernet? 5. Should I use "manageable" hubs, concentrators, etc on my LAN? 6. Which LAN technology should I use? Arcnet? FDDI? Token Ring? 10BASE-T? 7. What is the ideal cable to install in a new building? 8. What is the ideal cable to install between buildings on a campus? 9. Whose routers are recommended? 10. Whose bridges are recommended? 11. Whose Ethernet equipment are recommended? 12. Whose Token Ring equipment are recommended? 13. Whose FDDI equipment are recommended? 14. What PC network software is recommended? 15. What protocols should run on a campus-wide LAN? 16. What software is recommended for managing a campus-wide LAN? 17. What terminal server is recommended? 18. Whose troubleshooting equipment are recommended? 19. What security products should I buy? 20. Should the names of devices on my campus LAN have subdomains? 21. Should client stations use POP? Should they use just SMTP? Should I use some non-TCP/IP protocol for mail to/from client stations? 22. Should I enable SQE/heartbeat? I. About BIG-LAN BIG-LAN is a mailing list for discussion of issues in designing and operating Campus-Size Local Area Networks, especially complex ones utilizing multiple technologies and supporting multiple protocols. Topics include repeaters, bridges, routers and gateways; how to incorporate smaller Personal-Computer type LANs into the campus-wide LAN; how to unify the mail systems, etc. This is an ideal list in which to debate the relative merits of bridges vs routers. All requests to be added to or deleted from this list, problems, questions, etc., should be sent to BIG-LAN-REQUEST@SUVM.ACS.SYR.EDU (Internet) or BIG-REQ@SUVM (Bitnet). Those familiar with LISTSERV can subscribe with LISTSERV@SUVM.ACS.SYR.EDU (Internet) or LISTSERV@SUVM (Bitnet). Archives are available through LISTSERV and anonymous ftp. Coordinator: John Wobus II. Explanation of this Memo Since BIG-LAN is not specific to any protocol family, it will not cover any particular protocol family in detail, e.g. this is not a TCP/IP/Internet FAQ Memo. Fortunately, there are some good TCP/IP FAQ Memos which are listed in the sources of information below. Suggestions, corrections, and contributions welcome. Please send them to: big-lan-request@suvm.acs.syr.edu BIG-REQ@SUVM.BITNET III. Sources of Information on Campus Networks This list favors "network" sources of information: available on the Internet and/or BITNET and other similar networks; if you have access to BIG-LAN then you have access to one of these networks; and these sources are not the kind which you can discover through vendors, books, bookstores, or libraries. 1. Must-Read Sources These are documents that you definitely should get and read if you have questions about Campus Networks. a. Charles Spurgeon's reading list (see below under "Other Useful Online Papers"). b. RFCs 1175, 1206, and 1207 (see below under "RFCs"). 2. A Few General Sources These are network resources & mechanisms for getting all kinds of information--not just on Networking; thus we can't cover them very thoroughly in this memo. a. LISTSERV - mailing list servers & file servers on BITNET, accessible via e-mail. Can be reached and used from a lot of networks. Mail the command INFO to any LISTSERV for help. Also have database commands (i.e. search commands) for archives they store. b. Usenet News/Netnews: distributed bulletin board with discussions on lots of topics. Distributed through the Internet and through UUCP. c. Anonymous ftp: the main way to make files available on the Internet. ftp to a site using username "anonymous". A password is always demanded--sometimes a banner tells you what to use--otherwise "guest" almost always works. d. Archie servers - network-accessible databases of where to get files via anonymous ftp. Access is through telnet, rlogin, mail, or a special "archie" protocol. To use via telnet, enter username archie. Some servers: archie.ans.net, archie.sura.net, archie.mcgill.edu, archie.unl.edu. e. WAIS - Internet-accessible databases on different topics. Available via WAIS protocol (basically Z39.50). Client (and server) software is collected on quake.think.com as well as a WAIS database of WAIS servers. f. ftplist.txt - collected list of anonymous ftp sites. Stored lots of places in anonymous ftp including syr.edu. g. Internet gopher - something like anonymous ftp only more advanced: to get started, I suggest ftping boombox.micro.umn.edu and getting information on gopher. A number of sites have servers. h. Internet List of lists: available by anonymous ftp from ftp.nisc.sri.com, or through a mail-based file server at mailserver@nisc.sri.com. i. LISTSERV internal list of lists. Available by mailing the command LIST GLOBAL to any LISTSERV. j. news.answers - newsgroup that distributes Frequently Asked Questions memos for lots of Netnews groups. k. FAQ archive available via anonymous ftp on pit-manager.mit.edu From the archives of news.answers, Frequently Asked Question memos for lots of Netnews groups. l. news.announce.newusers - has periodic postings about how to use Usenet/Netnews and also a lot about mailing lists. m. BITFTP. A BITNET server that allows BITNET sites to use the Internet's File Transfer Protocol to send/receive files to ftpable Internet sites. For more information, send mail to BITFTP@PUCC with HELP as the message body. n. Database of lists managed by LISTSERV@VM1.NODAK.EDU. Use through LISTSERV's database interface. o. Maas files--Indexes & abstracts about various services available via Internet & BITNET including some related to campus networks. Available via anonymous ftp from ftp.unt.edu. p. NETSCOUT@VMTECMEX.BITNET mailing list. A list to exchange information on the location of network resources. LISTSERV-based so use instructions below to subscribe, etc. 3. LISTSERV Mailing Lists Send a "SUBSCRIBE" command to LISTSERV@foo, e.g. SUBSCRIBE BIG-LAN John Doe a. BIG-LAN@SUVM.BITNET/SUVM.ACS.SYR.EDU b. NOVELL@SUVM.BITNET/SUVM.ACS.SYR.EDU c. CDROMLAN@IDBSU.BITNET/IDBSU.IDBSU.EDU d. BANYAN-L@AKRONVM.BITNET e. CW-EMAIL@TECMTYVM.BITNET (Campus Wide E-mail) f. CWIS-L@WUVMD.BITNET (Campus Wide Information Systems) g. IBM-NETS@BITNIC.BITNET h. LWUSERS@NDSUVM1.BITNET (LANWatch User List) i. TN3270-L@RUTVM1.BITNET j. 3COM-L@NUSVM.BITNET h. HELP-NET@TEMPLEVM.BITNET (Help re networking software) 4. Internet Mailing Lists Send a subscription request for list foo to foo-request@blah a. big-lan@suvm.acs.syr.edu (gives you 2 ways) b. cisco@spot.colorado.edu c. p4200@comet.cit.cornell.edu (Proteon routers) d. tcp-ip@nic.ddn.mil e. netblazer-users@telebit.com f. info-appletalk@andrew.cmu.edu g. net-ops@nsl.dec.com h. nfs@tmc.edu i. wellfleet-l@nstn.ns.ca j. ospf@trantor.umd.edu (OSPF IP routing protocol) k. pop@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu l. bind@ucbarpa.berkeley.edu m. pc-ip@udel.edu n. drivers@sun.soe.clarkson.edu (Packet Drivers) 5. USENET/Netnews Groups a. comp.dcom.* lans, modems, sys.cisco, telecom, ... b. comp.protocols.* appletalk, tcp-ip, ibm, ppp, ... c. comp.sys.proteon d. comp.sys.novell e. comp.sys.mac.comm f. bit.listserv.big-lan (Note: these groups give Netnews g. bit.listserv.novell readers a way to read the corresponding h. bit.listserv.cwis-l LISTSERV lists) i. bit.listserv.cw-mail j. bit.listserv.3com-l k. alt.dcom.* catv, telecom, ... 6. Anonymous FTP-based Archive Sites a. syr.edu: BIG-LAN mailing list; NOVELL mailing list; a collection of network-oriented papers. b. spot.colorado.edu: cisco mailing list & some other network stuff c. hsdndev.harvard.edu: (in pub/rtests/10.91) Results of Scott Bradner's router benchmarks. d. ftp.uu.net: a treasure trove of software. e. wuarchive.wustl.edu: a treasure trove of software. f. vax.ftp.com: packet drivers, some Unix software, other stuff. g. ftp.utexas.edu: collection of networking info & software. h. ftp.slc.is.novell.com: files Novell makes available. i. ftp.cisco.com: files Cisco makes available & some interesting applications. j. gatekeeper.dec.com: a treasure trove of software & stuff (the stuff that was on decwrl.dec.com). k. lux.levels.unisa.edu.au: files that 3Com distributes via Compuserve. l. ftp.unt.edu: Maas files and other goodies. m. simtel20.army.mil: a treasure trove of software, including packet drivers (pd1:). Mirrored on ftp.uu.net and wuarchive.wustl.edu. n. osi.ncsl.nist.gov: online copies of GOSIP & related documents. 7. LISTSERV-based Archive Sites The brave can mail the command "INFO FILES" and/or the command "INFO DATABASE" to the LISTSERV for instructions. a. LISTSERV@SUVM.BITNET: BIG-LAN & NOVELL mailing list archives. 8. RFCs (Internet "Request For Comments") Some anonymous ftp sites for RFCs: nic.ddn.mil, ftp.nisc.sri.com, nis.nsf.net, nisc.jvnc.net, venera.isi.edu, wuarchive.wustl.edu. There are also some mail-based file servers: mailserver@nisc.sri.com, info-server@nnsc.nsf.net, and sendrfc@jvnc.net. a. RFC1147: FYI on a network management tool catalog: Tools for monitoring and debugging TCP/IP internets and interconnected devices b. RFC1175: FYI on where to start: A bibliography of internetworking information c. RFC1206: FYI on Questions and Answers: Answers to commonly asked "new Internet user" questions d. RFC1178: Choosing a name for your computer e. RFC1207: FYI on Questions and Answers: Answers to commonly asked "experienced Internet user" questions f. RFC1244: Site Security Handbook g. RFC1118: Hitchhiker's Guide to the Internet h. RFC1122 & RFC1123: Requirements for Internet Hosts i. RFC1208: A Glossary of Networking Terms j. RFC1180: A TCP/IP Tutorial k. RFC1173: Responsibilities of Host and Network Managers: A Summary of the Oral Tradition of the Internet l. IAB Official Protocol Standards (Currently RFC1250 but it is periodically updated & given a new RFC number) m. Assigned Numbers (Currently RFC1060 but it is periodically updated & given a new RFC number; Includes field-values for protocols in the TCP/IP family as well as some others) 9. Other Useful Online Papers a. Charles Spurgeon. "Network Reading List: TCP/IP, UNIX, and Ethernet". Available via anonymous ftp from ftp.utexas.edu in directory pub/netinfo/docs as net-read.txt and netread-ps. Also available via electronic-mail-based archive server. Send the word "help" in the subject header or body of a message to archive-server@ftp.utexas.edu for more information. b. Charles Hedrick. "Introduction to the Administration of an Internet-based Local Network". Available via anonymous ftp from cs.rutgers.edu as runet/tcp-ip-admin.doc (also .ps). c. Charles Hedrick. "Introduction to Internet Protocols." Available via anonymous ftp from cs.rutgers.edu as runet/tcp-ip-intro.doc (also .ps). d. Unofficial lists of codes used on 802.3 & Ethernet networks. Portions of the official list are not released, so various people compile unofficial lists. One that is available via anonymous ftp is Michael Patton's pub/map/EtherNet-Codes on ftp.lcs.mit.edu. See also RFC: "Assigned Numbers". e. Scott Jenkins: "Frequently Asked Questions for NOVELL@SUVM Mailing List." Available via anonymous ftp from info.umd.edu in the info/Computers/Novell/Information directory. f. Brendan Kehoe: "Zen and the Art of the Internet: A Beginner's Guide to the Internet." Available via anonymous ftp from ftp.cs.widener.edu in the pub/zen directory. 10. Sources of Protocol Documents a. Ethernet V2 DEC-Direct; 1-800-344-4825; DEC Part Number AA-K759B-TK. b. IEEE 802 (802.3, Token Ring, 10BASE-T, etc) IEEE; 1-800-678-IEEE. c. TCP/IP RFCs. See RFCs (above). d. Appletalk APDA; 1-800-282-APDA. Now a book in the "Inside" series. e. OSI Omnicom Inc.; 1-800-666-4266. f. DECNet DEC. g. SNA IBM. h. Novell(IPX) Built on XNS; rest is designed by Novell. i. FDDI ANSI; 1-212-642-4900. Also Global Engineering Documents; 1-800-854-7179. 2805 McGaw Avenue; PO Box 19539; Irvine, CA 92714; 1-714-261-1455. j. CCITT United Nations book shop in New York k. GOSIP NTIS Sales Dept; (703)487-4650; Document FIPS 146-1; See also Anonymous FTP-based Archive Sites l. XNS Xerox. 11. Useful Free Software (see also RFC1147; listed above) a. CUTCP (TCP/IP client for PCs) sun.soe.clarkson.edu, omnigate.clarkson.edu b. NCSA Telnet (Telnet clients for PCs & Macs) ftp.nsca.uiuc.edu c. Eudora (POP3 Client for Macs) ux1.cso.uiuc.edu d. POPmail (POP3 Client for PCs & Macs) boombox.micro.umn.edu e. PCROUTE (Makes IP router out of PC) accuvax.nwu.edu f. PCBRIDGE (Makes bridge out of PC) accuvax.nwu.edu g. Packet Drivers (Drivers for various PC LAN cards) simtel20.army.mil h. WinQVT (IP clients for Windows) ftp.cica.indiana.edu i. ka9q (TCP/IP for PCs and Macs) ucsd.edu j. PC/IP (TCP/IP client for MS-DOS) husc6.harvard.edu k. charon (Pegasus/smtp gateway) omnigate.clarkson.edu l. CAP (AppleTalk for Unix systems) rutgers.edu, munnari.oz.au, gatekeeper.dec.com m. Popper (POP3 server for Unix systems) ftp.cc.berkeley.edu n. Trumpet (PC Newsreader) simtel20.army.mil o. bootpd (Bootp Daemon for Unix) lancaster.andrew.cmu.edu p. NUPOP (POP3 daemon for MS-DOS) ftp.acns.nwu.edu q. PC netwatching program [I don't know name or site] r. iupop3 (POP3 server for VMS) mythos.ucs.indiana.edu 12. Books The following books were mentioned by responders to the 12/91 BIG-LAN Reader Survey as good books for administrators of Campus-sized LANs: a. Douglas Comer. Internetworking with TCP/IP. b. Marshall Rose. The Simple Book. c. Caroline Arms. Campus Networking Strategies. Digital Press. d. DEC Telecomm. & Network Buyer's Guide. f. Marshall Rose. The Open Book. g. Carl Malamud. Analyzing Novell Networks. h. Andrew Tanenbaum. Computer Networks. i. Martin A. W. Nemzow. Keeping The Link (McGraw-Hill). j. William Stallings. Local Networks: an Introduction. k. John McCann. NetWare Supervisor's Guide. l. William Stallings. Handbook of Communications Standards. (?) m. Nemeth, Snyder & Seebass. Unix System Administration Handbook. Other interesting looking books: n. Mark A. Miller. Troubleshooting Internetworks. 13. Periodicals The following periodicals were mentioned by responders to the 12/91 BIG-LAN Reader Survey as good periodicals for administrators of Campus- sized LANs: a. LAN Times b. Communications Week c. Network Computing d. ConneXions e. Data Communications f. Network World g. LAN Magazine h. Info World i. SunExpert j. Telecommunications k. Computerworld l. DataCommunicationInternational m. Datamation n. Digital Review o. LAN Technology p. Lightwave q. MacUser r. MacWeek s. MacWorld t. Networking Management u. PC Week 14. Training Courses The following providers of tutorials were mentioned by responders to the 12/91 BIG-LAN Reader Survey: a. Interop b. ACM SIGComm c. Learning Tree d. Novell e. PSI f. Usenix 15. Conferences The following conferences were mentioned by responders to the 12/91 BIG-LAN Reader Survey as good conferences for administrators of Campus- sized LANs: a. Interop b. Usenix c. ComNet d. NetWorld e. ACM SIGComm f. DECUS g. IETF IV. Basic Glossary on Campus Networks Another glossary is RFC1208. See "Online Papers" above. ANSI "American National Standards Institute" - A definer of standards of all kinds, including FDDI. Appletalk - A protocol family developed by Apple Computer to implement LANs serving Macintoshes. ATM "Asynchronous Transfer Mode" - a method for switching little fixed-size packets (cells) around. Like T1 and DS3, digitized voice was a major consideration in its design, but it can be used for data. It is designed around fixed speeds too, roughly 150MBS and 600MBS. The fixed cell size is 53 bytes. Though ATM is really designed for voice and WANs, there are schemes to use it in LANs. ATM is a big buzzword these days but it is still very new. AUI "Attachment Unit Interface" - the Ethernet/IEEE 802.3 term for the interface between a MAU and a station. A special kind of cable known as an "AUI Cable" can attach a MAU to a station at a distance (up to 50 meters). BNC Connector "Bayonet Neill-Concelman connector" - a type of connector used for attaching coax cable to electronic equipment which can be attached or detached quicker than connectors that screw. ThinWire Ethernet (IEEE 802.3 10BASE2) uses BNC connectors. Bridge - A network "relay" which reads, buffers, and sends data to relay it from one data link to another, but makes the two data links appear as one to levels higher than the data link layer. CDDI "Copper Data Distribution Interface" - essentially a way to use electrical communications cables in an FDDI network. Several companies have worked out ways to do this but ANSI has yet to standardize one. I think CDDI was coined by Crescendo corporation for their scheme, but it may well be adopted by ANSI as the name. So far there are schemes that work on Coax, on STP and UTP, but the front runners look like they will be able to run on UTP for about 100 meters. CMIP "Common Management Information Protocol" - An OSI protocol for management of network equipment. Not widely implmented. See SNMP. CMOT "CMIP over TCP/IP" - A protocol consisting of CMIP running under TCP/IP. An alternative to SNMP. Coaxial Cable - any of a number of kinds of electrical communications cable designed so one conductor is in the center and the second conductor forms a ring around it. Depending upon who you talk to, someone might have a specific kind of coaxial cable in mind. Some well known kinds are various Cable TV cables, cables used by IBM 327x terminals and ARCnet, and cables used by Ethernet & IEEE 802.3. DECnet - Trade name of Digital Equipment Corporation for some of their networking products. It is a kind of network built out of Digital Equipment Corporations own networking protocols (with some standard protocols also used). Dialup Modem - Modem used over ordinary dial-up telephone lines as opposed to private or leased lines. Ethernet - LAN data-link protocol developed by a consortium of vendors; later standardized as IEEE 802.3 with a few modifications. For many applications, users have not adopted all the IEEE 802.3 differences. Ethernet/802.3 now can be run on two types of coaxial cable as well as multi-mode fiber and unshielded twisted-pair. "Raw" rate of data transmission is 10 megabits/second. ------------------------------------------------------- End of BIG-LAN Digest ********************* ----- End Included Message ----- .