386 Unix Options (Summary, rather long)
Mark McWiggins
mark at intek01.UUCP
Thu Dec 1 12:15:05 AEST 1988
I may have asked for too much in this one posting; I got more responses
from those wanting the same information than from people offering information.
This posting summarizes their responses, and gives my analysis of the choices
available, along with a couple of extra questions.
Here's my original inquiry:
>We're upgrading from SCO Xenix 286 and are considering our options ...
>We've been quite happy with their product, but we have a number of criteria
>to meet and are pretty price-sensitive. Since SCO still seems "behind"
>the others (no NFS that we're aware of, etc.) and no longer will allow their
>products to be sold mail-order, it seems worth shopping.
>
>The machine would be used for
>
> (1) development by the resident Unix hack (that's me) regularly, and a
> few others sporadically
>
> (2) mail/news via UUNET & Telebit @ 19200 bps
>
> (3) TCP/IP connection to DOS (Netware) & maybe Mac
>
> (4) SCCS archiving of all our source
>
>Here's what we need:
>
> (1) Console multiscreens
>
> (2) ESDI disk support
>
> (3) TCP/IP, with the ability to let several clients login using
> a single board
>
> (4) Xenix software compatibility (I guess this means Sys V R3.2?)
>
> (5) Support for Telebit modem @ 19200 & dialing in/out on a single line
>
> (6) NFS
>
> (7) Support for Everex cartridge tape
>
> (8) RELIABILITY
>
>Here's what we'd like, but isn't essential:
>
> (1) VP/ix support
>
> (2) Diskless node support over NFS
>
> (3) Korn Shell
>
>I'd like to hear about:
>
> (1) your experience with a similar sort of setup: system/network board
> combinations, how much memory, how many/what kind users, how
> experienced you are at sysoping and how much of a pain installation
> was, etc.
>
> (2) the prices you paid
>
> (3) vendors and your experience with them
>
>I realize this sort of thing has been done before, but I'm not aware of any
>similar summaries about the latest greatest (Sys V 3.2, Xenix 2.3).
>
>Please reply by E-mail, and I'll summarize for the net. Thanks in
>advance.
Replies:
(1) From ken at gatech.edu (Ken Seefried iii):
Get in touch with Interactive (+1 800 346 7111). They have the latest version
of 386 Unix on the street (System V release 3.2), and 386/ix version 2.0 has
all of the things you are looking ffor, including TCP/IP and NFS (and X11.3,
if you are into that sort of thing).
These guys do good work, tho support isn't always the best. They've been in
the Unix buisiness almost as long as AT&T (welllll...1977, anyway). I've
never had any trouble with an ISC installation, but i do good things like only
spec peripherals that they recomend, etc.
-----
(2) From uunet!ispi!jbayer (Jonathan Bayer):
>
> Here's what we need:
>
> (1) Console multiscreens
SCO Xenix has it. Additionally, release 2.3.1 also has multiscreens
for serial terminals.
>
> (2) ESDI disk support
Use a WD-1007. It looks like an mfm drive, but is esdi. There
are also several caching controllers available which
work under Xenix
>
> (3) TCP/IP, with the ability to let several clients login using
> a single board
Comes with the Excelan board (an excellent product, we have sold a
number of them).
>
> (5) Support for Telebit modem @ 19200 & dialing in/out on a single line
Again, release 2.3.1 directly supports the Telebit modem. 2.2.3
supported it with a Telebit utilities disk from SCO (free)
>
> (6) NFS
Not yet, although I am told it will be available in the near future.
>
> (7) Support for Everex cartridge tape
Yes. While 2.2.3 had indirect support for the Everex (specify a
different tape), 2.3.1 directly supports the Everex.
>
> (8) RELIABILITY
How reliable do you want it? I keep seeing more reports about
problems with some other unnamed Unixs for the 386 than
with SCO Xenix.
>
> Here's what we'd like, but isn't essential:
>
> (1) VP/ix support
Vpix 1.1 (not the controlled release) is available and works very
well.
>
> (3) Korn Shell
Available from third parties (Aspen Software is one)
While SCO may seem a little slow at times, the quality of their product
is worth it. Likewise the cost. As the old saying goes, you get what
you pay for, most of the time.
We have installed Xenix on a wide variety of systems. In terms of memory
we use a rule of thumb of 1/2 meg per user, depending on what they
will be doing. As you know, the installation is painless but tedious.
Some features you didn't mention which are now available in 2.3.1 are:
HDB UUCP
Scheduled backups
Easy customizatin of system parameters
Menu-driven administration procedures
Mouse support, both on main console and on terminals.
Online help facility (not manual pages)
--------
(3) From {rtmvax,ucf-cs}!tarpit!rd (Bob Thrush)
[This guy recommended we look at the Sun 386i. I'd love to, but it's
waaaay out of my price range. I have his message if anyone is interested,
but I didn't think it really applied and am thus omitting it here.]
--------
(4) From gillisb at gsd (Brian Gillis)
Go with Interactive!!!! You will get real unix with most, if not all
of the things you mentioned. I just put up a 386/ix next to sco/386
and every program on sco works on 386/ix.
---------
ANALYSIS:
I've elminated Bell Tech (limited hardware compatibility) and Microport
(broken serial drivers). That leaves AT&T, Interactive, and SCO. I'd
be tempted by the Everex port just announced, but I need to make a decision
pretty quick now.
Here's a chart of the features I need (including at least 1 important one
I forgot to ask last time), along with what I know about each
(DO correct me if I'm wrong :), and the questions I still have.
AT&T:
Multiscreens: only if you get VP/ix, and only on the console
ESDI disk support: Yes?
TCP/IP: Yes
Xenix software Yes, in S5R3.2
compatibility
Support for Telebit ?
modem @ 19200
& dialing in/out
on a single line
NFS Yes
Support for Everex Yes?
cartridge tape
Reliability Good?
VP/ix support Yes
Diskless node support ?
over NFS
Korn Shell Available, but I don't think included
C compiler based on PCC, presumably very robust?
Price/Vendor/Release I've seen $700 quoted, from Elek-Tek;
don't know if that was 3.1 or 3.2, or
what other vendors carry this
Interactive:
Multiscreens: console only?
ESDI disk support: Yes
TCP/IP: Yes
Xenix software Yes, in S5R3.2
compatibility
Support for Telebit Yes
modem @ 19200
& dialing in/out
on a single line
NFS Yes
Support for Everex Yes
cartridge tape
Ease of installation Easy?
Weird peripheral ?
support
Reliability Good
VP/ix support Yes
Diskless node support ?
over NFS
Korn Shell Available, but not included
C compiler based on PCC ?, presumably very robust?
Price/Vendor/Release $?; they're advertising 3.2
SCO:
Multiscreens: any tty
ESDI disk support: Yes
TCP/IP: Yes
Xenix software N/A
compatibility
Support for Telebit Yes
modem @ 19200
& dialing in/out
on a single line
NFS No
Support for Everex Yes
cartridge tape
Ease of installation Easy
Weird peripheral Excellent
support
Reliability Excellent
VP/ix support Yes
Diskless node support No
over NFS
Korn Shell Available, but not included
C compiler based on Microsoft C; 286 version 2.2 flaky,
386 version unknown (see next posting)
Price/Vendor/Release List is $1495 or $1595 (can't remember which),
but developers can get a 30% discount after
filling out a reseller's application. SCO
is cutting off mail order business of their
products.
------
Any corrections, additional information, or other feedback would be
greatly appreciated. Thanks!
--
Mark McWiggins UUCP: uunet!intek01!mark
DISCLAIMER: I could be wrong. INTERNET: intek01!mark at uunet.uu.net
(206) 455-9935
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