UNIX to VMS-MAIL

[WSHB employee]

> I'm trying to find a way to automate sending and getting mail between an
> SCO XENIX machine and a DEC VMS machine.


Here is a summary of the responses I've gotten to my request for help
connecting SCO Xenix mail to VMS MAIL.

The most popular suggestion was to get some form of uucp running on the
VMS end. Specifically, quite a few people suggested the UUCP suite from
one of the DECUS tapes. Admittidly this is the most attractive solution
from my view point because it allows us to integrate the systems more
closely than some mechanism which just packages and transmits mail
would allow. This may not get through the sysadmins on the VMS side.
(A couple of people suggested the GNUUCP package as an alternative to
the DECUS one.)

The second most popular suggestion was a commercial package called TERM
from Century Software in Salt Lake City, Utah. The literature I received
describes it as a communications package similar to the various terminal
emulators for MS-DOS. It includes a scripting language which could 
automatically call my corporate headquarters, login, start mail, and send
the messages. This solution would require me to have the mail on my end
packaged and ready to go before cron starts TERM. This appears to be a
good solution if I can't get anything else going.

The third most popular suggestion, probably because of my posting stating
I have been given permission to transfer things with Kermit, was to
package the mail and call up with C Kermit under control of a Kermit
script. This is essentially a public domain equivalent of the TERM solution
without the ability of demanding technical support from the vendor.
(You get what you pay for.)

I got one suggestion to use a package called dnamail. I have no idea
what this is or how to implement it. I have also lost the address of the
person who made the suggestion so I can't make any comment of the
appropriateness of this suggestion.

I had one suggestion to write a custom command interpreter for my
login on the VMS machine. The VAX guys shot this down right away.
They also shot down the suggestion to write a custom interface 
to the VMS Mailer.

The last suggestion I received was from Bob Hallissy in Texas.
He provided me with source code for a program to collect my outgoing
mail, convert it to something VMS can understand, call the VAX,
deliver the mail, get the mail waiting there for me, and deliver it
on my machine. I haven't had time to look at the stuff closely yet,
but on the surface it seems to be a very good solution. I have sent
mail to Bob asking permission to redistribute the code. If I can freely
distribute the code I'll send it to anyone who asks. If there is enough
interest I'll post it to the net.

Several people gave suggestions about TCP/IP and DECnet solutions.
As my system is in South Carolina and the VAX is in Boston, I haven't
seriously considered these. I'm sorry if my original posting didn't make
it clear that I was using a dialup connection.


In summary, the most frequent, and probably wisest choice, is to
get uucp running on the VAX. This is the avenue I plan to pursue
most vigorously. If I cannot get enough cooperation from the sysadmins
on the other end to get this solution, then I will try to use the program
from Bob in Texas. If I find both of those options unworkable I will
begin pursuing the other suggestions.


As a start of my quest to get uucp running on the VAX I would like some
more help. Can I please get details from people who have installed
uucp on a VMS system about exactly what is required on the part of the
sysadmins. The VAX guys want a description of what is involved before they
commit to using uucp. Also, I would like details from people who have
gotten a unix machine to talk to a VMS box running uucp. What problems,
if any, did you have getting the mail to flow correctly. Particularly,
do I need to install some other mail package than the the one which comes
with SCO XENIX 386 and, if so, what do I need to find and get running.
XENIX comes with rmail as the remote mail interface. Do I need something
like sendmail or smail.


Again thanks for the help. I'll summerize what I find to the net.

-- 
Michael Batchelor -- Systems/Operations Engineer
WSHB - An International Broadcast Station of
          The Christian Science Monitor Syndicate, Inc.
uunet!wshb!michaelb                 803/625-4880