Ref: 99980023 Title: Information on the PCS/1 Date: 1/1/88 Copyright 3Com Corporation, 1991. All rights reserved. NEW PRODUCTS -- PCS/1 The Personal Communications Server/1 (PCS/1) represents an important advance in the evolution of Personal Computer (PC) Local Area Network (LAN) products. Products from PC LAN vendors provide a mechanism to share disks and printers among a small group of PC users, while general purpose LAN vendors provide terminal emulation products for PC LAN users. Although EtherTerm is unique in combining terminal emulation with PC file service, the PCS/1 is revolutionary in providing a complete and powerful set of general purpose LAN services with the added ability to simultaneously participate in almost any PC LAN system, including 3Com or Novell networks. The advanced features of the PCS/1 integrate IBM and IBM-compatible personal computers into a corporate LAN environment so that PC users can access the entire spectrum of resources and services available on a local area network. The PCS/1 unlocks the time and effort saving capabilities that LAN technology makes available to personal computer users, such as file sharing, printer sharing, electronic mail, and minicomputer and mainframe communications. In this sense, the PCS/1 brings PC networking into the corporate LAN environment, where the PC can be used to its fullest extent. About the PCS/1 The PCS/1 offers a complete set of local area networking services for the personal computer. Some services are available directly to the PC user, while other services are available to PC application software that operates over the LAN. The PCS/1 provides basic asynchronous terminal access to minicomputers and mainframe hosts, but it also provides: .br;* File transfer capabilities .br;* PC 3270 emulation .br;* LAN network operating system compatibility .br;* NETBIOS support. The PCS/1 is made up of the ILANA hardware (see article titled "Intelligent LAN Adapter Card) and a variety of software pieces. This allows the customer to choose only those capabilities required for his specific application. The basic PCS/1 system comprises an ILANA board and the PCS/1 Software Engine. The Software Engine includes the TCP/IP protocols, Telnet and client FTP; a simple asynchronous terminal emulator; and the PCS/1 network management software. The memory-resident portion of the PCS/1 requires only 52 kilobytes (KB) of DOS RAM. Optional PCS/1 software includes PCSVT, a VT52/VT100 terminal emulator; PCS3270, a PC 3270 emulation package; and PCS NETBIOS, NETBIOS emulation software. The main features of the PCS/1 are: .br;* Multiple Session Support of the PC .br;* Multiple High-Performance File Transfer Capability .br;* PC 3270 Emulation with File Transfer .br;* Complete (NETBIOS) Interface .br;* 3Com/Novell Compatibility and Integration .br;* Participation in Bridge Network Management .br;* High-Performance Architecture .br;* Protocol Processing Offloaded from PC APPLICATION SOFTWARE The second component of PCS/1 software is the application software, which performs the actual presentation of PCS/1 services to the PC user. The PCS/1 application software is the portion of software most visible to the user, and has been covered thoroughly earlier in this article. All application software provided by Bridge, except the PCS/1 VT100 emulator, allows an escape to DOS with a single keystroke (ALT-D) and can be terminated with a single keystroke (ALT-X). Name service uses IEN116, as with other Bridge TCP/IP products. ASYNCHRONOUS TERMINAL SERVICE The PCS/1 lets PC users communicate with asyncrhonous devices through the network, including minicomputers, mainframes, modems, and printers. The standard PCS/1 TTY-terminal emulation program offers the simplest way to use this service, but more sophisticated, terminal-emulation software offering DEC, HP, TeleVideo, and other terminal emulations is also available. Well- known terminal emulators such as Persoft's SmarTerm product family; Walker Richer & Quinn's Reflections Series; or Softronics's SoftTerm PC all work with the PCS/1 asynchronous terminal service, letting the customer choose the terminal emulation software that meets their special needs and requirements. Best of all, the PCS/1 asynchronous terminal service allows up to eight concurrent connections. The PCS/1 Software Engine includes two versions of a simple asynchronous terminal emulator. One version, CONNECT, is invoked from DOS and provides a user interface similar to the standard Bridge user interface. The user can establish multiple connections, switch between sessions, and terminate connections using the normal CS/1-type commands. Sessions are maintained even if the terminal emulator is terminated. Restarting this terminal emulator or a third-party terminal emulator returns the user to exactly where he/she left off. The other simple asynchronous terminal emulator version, TTY, is invoked from a windowing package such as Microsoft's Windows, IBM's Topview, or Quarterdeck's Desqview. TTY supports a single session, with multiple sessions provided by invoking the emulator multiple times (one connection in each window). The advantage of using a windowed environment is that it allows multiple sessions to exist simultaneously. Thus, the user can be, in effect, working on two or mote hosts simultaneously. In addition, other appliations can be running in other windows on the user's screen. Bridge also provides an optional VT52/VT100 terminal emulator for the PCS/1, called PCSVT. This terminal emulator offers a menu- driven user interface, script capabilities, and text and XMODEM file transfer protocols. PCSVT runs under PC/MS-DOS, supports a single session at a time, and is similar to EtherTerm. It is primarily intended to provide current EtherTerm users with a familiar user interface and compatible scripting capability on the PCS/1. PCSVT will run in a Desqview window but has not been written to run in a Microsoft Windows or Topview environment. The PCS/1 also allows other terminal emulators to use the asynchronous terminal service through the Bridge Application Program Interface (BAPI), and extended version of the EtherTerm Interrupt 14H Emulation. Terminal emulators that have been modified for use with EtherTerm will also work with the PCS/1. A user of a third party emulator will see the CS/1-like user interface mentioned above, and will be able to establish multiple sessions as well. The script and file transfer capabilities or terminal emulation software for the PC are also compatible with the PCS/1. Scripts can be written that use the CS/1-like user interface to establish sessions, automating the connection process. Files can be exchanged between the PC and department or corporate computers using industry standard asynchronous file transfer protocols, such as XMODEM and KERMIT. Information available from many resources within a corporation can be transferred to the PC, so that it can be manipulated and analyzed or stored for future reference. PCSVT and these third-party emulators have been designed to be run under PC/MS-DOS. They will run in Desqview window but have not been written to run in a Microsoft Windows or Topview environment. The Bridge Application Program Interface lets customers develop special applications that communicate with asynchronous devices on the LAN to address their individual requirements. Fully documented in the PCS/1 manual, it allows custom applications to be written to work with the PCS/1 so that the customer's special communication requirements can be integrated into the LAN environment. PC 3270 Emulation Service The power of the PCS/1 lies in its ability to offer increased flexibility to PC users, allowing them to adapt the PC to the way they work. When access to IBM mainframes is needed, PCS/1 provides an optional PC 3270 emulator, PCS3270, that lets the PC work like the IBM PC/3270 without installing special 3270 hardware in the PC. Complete IBM 3278 Model 2 and 3279 Model S2A or S2B display station emulation along with PC/3270 File Transfer are standard features of PCS3270. The PCS/1 PC 3270 emulation service includes IRMA keyboard mapping and light-pen support. IBM file transfer is performed with mainframes running VM/CMS, TSO, or CICS by using the standard IBM 3270-PC file transfer program for the appropriate operating environment. Working in conjunction with the Bridge CS/ 1-SNA-T host interface, the PC 3270 emulation service lets the PC user access and exchange information in an IBM environment over the local area network. Bridge can provide extended features through the NETBIOS emulation service. The PCS/1 PC 3270 emulation product runs from PC/MS-DOS. It provides a single session with the IBM mainframe; multiple sessions are possible by escaping to DOS and invoking another copy of the PCS/1 PC 3270 emulation program, or by running PCS3270 in a Desqview (only) environment. TCP/IP FILE TRANSFER SERVICE In addition to the file transfer capability available in the asynchronous terminal service and the PC 3270 emulation service, the PCS/1 offers TCP/IP file transfer service as part of its Software Engine. Based on the standard File Transfer Protocol (FTP) specification, it lets the PC user transfer both binary and text files to and from any host computer with server FTP support, including computers running UNIX 4.X BSD or IBM TCP/IP under VM. The PCS/1 file transfer service provides a user interface similar to other popular implementations of FTP. An important feature of the Bridge FTP product is its ability to run in a windowed environment with one FTP session per window on the user's screen. In fact, one or more FTP file transfers can be initiated in a windowed environment, and they will execute simultaneously, even while the user is working in another window. NETBIOS EMULATION SERVICE The PCS/1 offers an optional NETBIOS emulation capability that lets NETBIOS-compatible applications use the power of the PCS/1 to perform network communications. Bridge has tested and verified the compatibility of the major NETBIOS compatible products available today. The NETBIOS interface requires only 10 KB of DOS RAM. With NETBIOS emulation server, application software written for NETBIOS can communication over the local area network and work in conjunction with other PCS/1 services such as the asynchronous terminal service or file transfer service. The user can run a windowed PC 3270 emulation program (such as CXI's PCO/3270 Windowing) and have an asynchronous terminal session in one window, a 3270 session in another window, and an FTP file transfer session in a third window. Or, a user can have IBM's PC LAN Program running and FTP a file from a VAX directly to the file server. NETWORKING OPERATING SYSTEM SUPPORT The most powerful feature of the PCS/1 is its ability to allow 3COM's 3Plus, Novell's Netware and Netware 286, IBM's PC LAN Program, or Torus' Tapestry software to operate with it. Flexibility is built into the PCS/1 to allow the customer to choose the Network Operating System that best suits his requirements for file sharing, printer sharing, or electronic mail. The PCS/1 integrates PC LAN and General Purpose LAN capabilities into a single, powerful solution for the desktop workstation. Departmental LANs can be combined and integrated in the corporate LAN environment, providing full access to the entire set of LAN resources. Whether a PC user wants to transfer a file from a minicomputer on the LAN and print it on a printer server; run an application stored on a file server that uses the PCS/1 asynchronous terminal service to communicate with a host computer; or access an IBM mainframe and transfer a file directly from the IBM host to a file server, the PCS/1 can handle the task. PCS/1 NETWORK MANAGEMENT SERVICES Another extremely important feature of the PCS/1 is participation in Bridge network management. The PCS/1 sends audit-trail information about all TCP/IP and NETBIOS activity to the Network Control Server. Full participation in the network map, statistics, and network names is also provided. Network management is a standard feature of the PCS/1 as part of the PCS/1 Software Engine. An application program, PCSMGR, is supplied to allow the use to view names, the network map, and ILANA statistics as well as set internet addresses for the primary and secondary name server, default gateway, and audit trail server. PCS/1 SOFTWARE INSTALLATION PCS/1 installation is very simple. Provided with each PCS/1 software product, including the optional software, is a setup program (called SETUP) that automatically copies the PCS/1 software and modifies (or creates) the necessary DOS startup files (CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT). Reboot the PC and you are off and running. PCS/1 HARDWARE The PCS/1 takes advantage of the Bridge Communications high- performance Intelligent LAN Adapter (ILANA). The ILANA works as a front-end processor for the PC, off loading data communications processing from the PC. The ILANA is the most powerful network adapter card on the market today. The large memory space and shared memory area of the ILANA board makes it possible for the PCS/1 to run all of the communications software on the board instead of the PC. The ILANA is available in both a PC/ATbus (PC/AT, PC/XT/286) version or a PC/XT bus (PC/AT, PC XT/286, or PC/XT) version. The ILANA/AT provides direct attachment to an Ethernet or Bridge Broadband local area network and the ILANA/XT offers direct attachment to an Ethernet or thin Ethernet local area network. Both versions include on-board power-up diagnostics that certify the proper operation of critical components during initialization. The PCS/1 is conveniently packaged to allow the user to choose only the services that he needs. The PCS/1 is available in either the PC/AT or PC/XT versions with a choice of media for each. Optional services may be conveniently added to implement individual LAN solutions. PCS/1 VT Emulator DEC VT100 terminal emulator for the PCS/1 asynchronous terminal service. Complete with VT52, VT100 terminal emulation, menu- driven user interface, and script capability. Includes documentation. PCS/1 PC 3270 Emulator Allows the PCS/1 to emulate a PC 2370. Includes 3278/3279 display station emulation and IBM file transfer. Documentation included. PCS/1 SOFTWARE ENGINE The PCS/1 Software Engine is the core of a PCS/1. Includes asynchronous terminal service (Telnet), File Transfer service (FTP), Network Operating System Support, Bridge Network Management service, and documentation. The complete TCP/IP protocol set with TCP, IP, UDP and ARP is also provided. INTELLIGENT LAN ADAPTER The ILANA network front-end processor, diagnostic diskette, and documentation. .br;ILANA-AT-E .br;ILANA/AT for Ethernet and documentation .br;ILANA-AT-BB .br;ILANA/AT for Bridge and documentation .br;ILANA-XT-E .br;ILANA/ST for Ethernet and documentation .br;ILANA-XT-TE .br;ILANA/XT for thin Ethernet and documentation. MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION 802.3 transeivers must be used for Ethernet versions of the ILANA board (heartbeat does not matter). The broadband version of the ILANA/AT board requires an RFM/5 broadband modem and broadband modem cable.