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                DECnet-20 V4.0 Doc File, TOPS-20 V6.1









                          DECnet-20 Doc File
                             TOPS-20 V6.1


                              23 Sep 85


                  DECnet-20 V4.0, TOPS-20 V6.1(7030)



                              Revision 2



COPYRIGHT  (C)  DIGITAL  EQUIPMENT  CORPORATION  1985.    ALL   RIGHTS
RESERVED.

THIS SOFTWARE IS FURNISHED UNDER A LICENSE AND MAY BE USED AND  COPIED
ONLY  IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH  THE  TERMS  OF  SUCH  LICENSE AND WITH THE
INCLUSION OF THE ABOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICE.  THIS SOFTWARE OR  ANY  OTHER
COPIES  THEREOF MAY NOT BE PROVIDED OR OTHERWISE MADE AVAILABLE TO ANY
OTHER PERSON.  NO TITLE TO AND OWNERSHIP OF  THE  SOFTWARE  IS  HEREBY
TRANSFERRED.

THE INFORMATION IN THIS SOFTWARE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE  WITHOUT  NOTICE
AND  SHOULD  NOT  BE  CONSTRUED  AS  A COMMITMENT BY DIGITAL EQUIPMENT
CORPORATION.

DIGITAL ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE USE OR  RELIABILITY  OF  ITS
SOFTWARE ON EQUIPMENT WHICH IS NOT SUPPLIED BY DIGITAL.
DECnet-20 V4.0 Doc File, TOPS-20 V6.1                           Page 2
                                                             23 Sep 85


                               CONTENTS
                                of the
                DECnet-20 V4.0 Doc File, TOPS-20 V6.1



        1.0     Description  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
        1.1       Adapative Routing  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
        1.2       Task-to-Task Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
        1.3       Network Utilities  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
        1.4       Down-Line System Loading . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
        1.5       Network Command Terminal . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
        1.6       Network Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
        1.7       Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
        1.8       DECnet-20 Operation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
        2.0     Utility Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
        3.0     Autopatching DECnet  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
        4.0     Beware File  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
DECnet-20 V4.0 Doc File, TOPS-20 V6.1                           Page 3
Description                                                  23 Sep 85


1.0  Description

     DECnet-20 allows a  suitably  configured  DECSYSTEM-2060/2065  to
participate  as  a  routing node or nonrouting endnode in Phase III or
Phase IV computer networks.  DECnet-20 is a Phase IV  network  product
and  is  warranted  for use only with supported Phase III and Phase IV
DECnet products supplied by Digital.  DECnet-20 V4.0 does not  support
communication with DECnet Phase II nodes.  DECnet-20 participates as a
Phase IV DECnet node only on links connected by an NIA20  or  a  CI20.
The  DECnet-20 communications front-end is a DECnet Phase III node, so
DECnet-20 participates as a Phase III DECnet node on links which  pass
through the communications front-end.

     DECnet-20  offers  task-to-task  communications,   network   file
transfer,  downline  system  load,  upline  dump,  network management,
network  command  terminals,  and  limited  network  resource  sharing
capabilities  using  DIGITAL  Network  Architecture  (DNA)  protocols.
Users access the network through TOPS-20 utilities and tools.

     The network functions available to a DECnet-20  user  depend,  in
part,  on  the  configuration of the rest of the network.  Each DECnet
product offers its own functions and its own set of  features  to  the
user.   Networks  consisting entirely of DECnet-20 Phase IV nodes have
all the functions described in this document.  Networks  that  combine
DECnet-20  nodes  with  other  DECnet products may limit the functions
available to the DECnet-20 user because some  DECnet-20  features  may
not be supported by all DECnet products.



1.1  Adapative Routing

     DECnet-20 nodes can function as routing nodes when multiple lines
are  in  use.   A  message received from one node addressed to another
node will be forwarded by intermediate nodes.

     DECnet-20 permits the configuration of networks to a  over  60000
nodes.    To  achieve  adequate  performance,  DIGITAL  suggests  that
significant  network  analysis  be  completed  prior  to  any  network
implementation.   The  size  limitation of any individual network will
vary based on specific DECnet products and configurations.



1.2  Task-to-Task Communication

     Using DECnet-20, a TOPS-20 user  program  can  exchange  messages
with  other  user programs in the network.  The two programs can be on
the same node or on any two nodes in the  same  network.   The  DECnet
messages sent and received by the two user programs can be in any data
format agreeed upon by the user programs.
DECnet-20 V4.0 Doc File, TOPS-20 V6.1                           Page 4
Description                                                  23 Sep 85


1.3  Network Utilities

     Using DECnet utilities, a  user  can  transfer  sequential  ASCII
files between DECnet nodes.  The DECnet-20 file transfer program (NFT)
supports sequential file transfers for all  DECSYSTEM-20  disk  files.
In  addition other types of files may be transferred where formats are
compatible between the DECnet nodes.

     The DIRECTORY, DELETE, SUBMIT, COPY, PRINT, and TYPE commands are
implemented.   Users  can  request  multiple  file transfers using the
wildcard capabilities.



1.4  Down-Line System Loading

     Initial memory images for DECnet-11s in the network can be stored
on  TOPS-20 file system devices and loaded on request into a DECnet-11
node connected to a DN20.  Load  requests  can  come  from  the  local
DECnet-20  host  or from the remote node.  Memory images for DECnet-11
systems to be downline loaded CANNOT be generated on a TOPS-20 System.

     Initial memory images and diagnostic images for DECSA  and  DSRVA
servers can be stored on the TOPS-20 file system and loaded on request
into any such servers on the same  NI.   Images  can  also  be  upline
dumped from these servers to a TOPS-20 system.  DECnet-20 can downline
load the DECSA's communications processor microcode in  order  to  run
the  DECSA's Remote Console Facility.  Load and dump requests can come
from  the  target  node  itself  across  the  NI  or  through  Network
management via DECnet.



1.5  Network Command Terminal

     DECnet-20  supports  Network  Command  Terminals   using   either
Digital's CTERM protocol or the TOPS-20 Network Virtual Terminal (NVT)
protocol.  This connection makes the user's terminal appear as  if  it
were  physically  connected  to the remote system and the user can use
the standard system and network utilities  supported  by  that  remote
system.  The user can make Network Command Terminal connections from a
remote system to a TOPS-20 system, from a TOPS-20 system to  a  remote
system, or both.

     DECnet-20 supports a subset of the CTERM protocol which  may  not
be  completely  transparent  to the user.  It may be inappropriate for
certain applications which use control characters for input.
DECnet-20 V4.0 Doc File, TOPS-20 V6.1                           Page 5
Description                                                  23 Sep 85


1.6  Network Management

     The Network Control Program (NCP) is a privileged  program  which
performs  three  primary  functions:  displaying statistical and error
information,  controlling  network  components,  and  testing  network
operations.   These  functions can be performed locally or executed at
remote nodes that support these functions.

     An operator can display the status of DECnet activity at any node
in  the network that is running Network Management V4.0.  The operator
can choose to display statistics related to the  node  itself  or  the
communication  lines,  including  traffic  and  error data.  The local
operator can also perform  many  network  control  functions  such  as
starting and stopping lines and down-line loading dependent systems.

     DECnet-20 provides network event  logging  to  the  system  error
file, to OPR, or to remote nodes.  NCP commands can be used to control
the event logging facility.

     NCP commands can also be used to test components of the  network.
NCP  commands  enable transmission and reception of test messages over
individual lines either between  nodes  or  through  other  controller
loopback arrangements.  The messages are compared for possible errors.
NCP commands provide a logical series of tests that aid  in  isolating
network problems.



1.7  Communications

     DECnet-20 uses the NIA20,  CI20,  DMR11,  DMC11,  or  KMC11/DUP11
communications controllers to interface with other network nodes.

     The NIA20, when used with the H4000 or DELNI transceivers, allows
DECnet-20  to  use  the  Ethernet(tm) as its data transmission medium.
The NIA20 is a DMA device in the KL10 backplane.  The CI20, when  used
with   the  SC008,  allows  DECnet-20  to  use  the  CI  as  its  data
transmission medium.  The CI20 is a DMA device in the KL10  backplane.
The  DMR11,  DMC11,  and the KMC11/DUP11 controllers, when used in the
DN20 communications front-end, allow DECnet-20 to use point  to  point
connections  as  its  data transmission medium.  Each of these devices
uses the DIGITAL  Data  Communications  Message  Protocol  (DDCMP)  to
provide   full-   or   half-duplex   (DMR   only)  communication  over
point-to-point synchronous lines.  The DMC11 and DMR11 are DMA  UNIBUS
peripherals which implement line control and error recovery procedures
in microcode.  The KMC11/DUP11 is a DMA UNIBUS device which depends on
the software implementation of DDCMP in the DN20 front-end.
DECnet-20 V4.0 Doc File, TOPS-20 V6.1                           Page 6
Description                                                  23 Sep 85


1.8  DECnet-20 Operation

     DECnet-20 consists of the monitor and front-end  components,  and
user-mode  utilities.   DECnet-20  resides within the TOPS-20 monitor.
The DN20 is not required for DECnet communications over the NIA20  and
the CI20.



2.0  Utility Programs

     The following utility  programs  are  provided  as  part  of  the
DECnet-20 package.

     1.  KNILDR -- Microcode loader for the NIA20

     2.  NETGEN -- Network Configuration File Generator  for  creating
         DN20 Front-end.

     3.  DNMAC  ---  MACRO-11  Cross-Assembler  for   compiling   DN20
         front-end system data bases.

     4.  TKB36 --- Task builder for building DN20 front-end system.

     5.  VNP36  ---  Virtual  Network  Processor  for  building   DN20
         Front-end systems from data generated by NETGEN.

     6.  NIPGEN  --  Command/Control  File  Generator  for   verifying
         network installation of DN20.

     7.  CTERM --- Server.  Provides user logged into  TOPS-20  system
         with  ability to become a virtual terminal on a remote system
         using CTERM protocol.

     8.  SETHOST -- Provides  user  logged  into  TOPS-20  sytem  with
         ability  to  become  a  virtual  terminal on a remote TOPS-20
         system using the NVT protocol.

     9.  NFT/FAL -- Network File Transfer/File Access Listner programs
         which  provide  file  transfer between the DECSYSTEM-20 and a
         remote system.




3.0  Autopatching DECnet

     DECnet is updated via the TOPS-20 Autopatch process.  The  DECnet
modules  that  are  part of TOPS-20 are updated via the normal TOPS-20
"REL file" replacement mechanism.  The front-end MCB *.TSK, *.MAP, and
*.STB files are replaced as necessary by the Autopatch mechanism.
DECnet-20 V4.0 Doc File, TOPS-20 V6.1                           Page 7
Autopatching DECnet                                          23 Sep 85


     NMLT20.EXE (the network management program) will be encrypted  as
it  is  delivered  on  the  Autopatch  tape.   The  DECnet Binary tape
contains a file NMLT20.KEY in the <SUBSYS> directory.  This  key  will
by the autopatch process to decrypt NMLT20.



4.0  Beware File

     The DECNET.BWR file should be read before installation and use of
DECNET-20.   It provides information on limitations which may impact a
specific use as well as other  important  information.   DECnet-20  is
also fully documented in the TOPS-20 Notebooks.