| Folks
The discussions about whether we were going to announce SNA support has
created some hot debate. The following is extracted from Compterworld
August 24th front page. I know press articles are to be treated with a
grain of salt, but unless this is full of lies, BJ believes we are going
to make the move soon.
Cheers, Hugh
DIGITAL CLOSE TO SIGNING DEAL TO USE NET/MASTER
CANBERRA DECWORLD PUSHES NETWORKING THEME
DECworld '90, Digital Equipment Corp's $3 million-plus showcase of its
products and technology, was generally rated a hit last week in the
nation's capital, but one potential showstopper never made it to the
Canberra spotlight.
According to William Johnson jnr, DEC's US vice-president for
telecommunications and networks, the company had hoped to announce a deal
to incorporate a version of Australian-developed Net/master into its
multivendor solutions, but negotiations were not completed in time to take
DECworld's centre stage.
Net/Master, the leading thirdparty alternative to IBM's Net View for SNA
network management, was developed by Sydney-based Software Developments
International (SDI) and is now marketed by Virginia's Systems Center,
which merged with DDI earlier this year.
"We've had ongoing conversations with SDI, but we have no agreements with
them at all," Johnson said, adding: "We've started up discussions again."
He said later that DEC had hoped to announce a deal with Systems
Center/SDI in time for last week's opening of DECworld '90.
"I was hoping the agreement would be done by here", he said, "it would
have been really great." But he added that certain points remained to be
ironed out, and neither company wished to announce the agreement publicly
until all issues were settled.
However, Johnson remained confident that some form of Net/Master would
soon be incorporated into DEC's multivendor offerings.
He emphasised that negotiations were proceeding, and that there were no
major stumbling blocks. "It's just a matter of time," he said
Johnson was enthusiastic about Net/Master, saying it was "far better than
NetView".
He explained that the addition of sophisticated SNA mainframe networking
tools would round out DEC's offerings as it positions itself as the core
provider of multivendor solutions.
"If you think of multivendor environments, many data centres are tied
together with an SNA network", Johnson said.
He said that there were three critical aspects of managing multivendor
environments. The first is solved through DEC's DECnet and OSI offerings,
and the second through its TCP/IP support.
To offer a "full range" of solutions, however, Johnson said, "the other
major thing we would have to worry about is how to manage SNA networks".
Remainder deleted...[HM]
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| The following is posted, from a notice distributed by Colin Strutt.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
FYI, we signed an agreement with SCI (the parent company of SDI
that develops Net/Master - *the* alternate management for SNA networks)
last week. Under the agreement there is both joint marketing and joint
development - expect to hear more about the joint development over the
coming months
Colin
<<< ENUF::$1$DUA4:[NOTES$LIBRARY]DNT.NOTE;1 >>>
-< DIGITAL NETWORK TEAM NOTES FILE >-
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Note 2538.5 DECmcc SNA Announcement? 5 of 5
ENUF::GASSMAN 394 lines 8-SEP-1990 18:25
-< Press Release & Q&A >-
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The following is the press release and internal Q&A for the System's
Center announcement.
Kathleen Janson
Systems Center, Inc.
703-264-8000
David Farmer
Digital Equipment Corporation
603-884-4467
SYSTEMS CENTER AND DIGITAL REVEAL NET/MASTER PLANS --
JOINT DEVELOPMENT AND REFERENCE SELL AGREEMENTS ANNOUNCED
DALLAS, TX -- September 10, 1990 -- Systems Center, Inc. and
Digital Equipment Corporation today announced an ongoing
relationship to jointly develop, market and support products that
will enable DECmcc users to monitor and control SNA network
environments.
The two companies signed a joint development agreement to
enable the integration of System Center's NET/MASTER network
management software with DECmcc, and to enable the exchange of
network management information between IBM's NetView and DECmcc.
Under the Joint Development Agreement, Systems Center and
Digital plan to collaborate on the design and development of a
connection between DECmcc and the SNA management environment. The
purpose of the connection is to provide for the bi-directional
exchange of network management information between DECmcc
operators and both NET/MASTER and NetView operators in the syntax
that each operator understands, regardless of whether it comes
from the Digital or SNA network environment.
As a result of this development effort, DECmcc's consistent
approach for the structure of management information, common user
interface, and general purpose management applications will be
extended to the SNA environment. This will result in a lower cost
of operations for network users.
The two companies also announced their intent to develop the
capabilities to enable Digital's DECmcc and System Center's
NET/MASTER to interoperate as peers. With this new capability,
users of both systems will ultimately be able to manage each
other's networks, systems, applications and databases. "This
agreement provides an excellent technical template for any future
developments between Digital and Systems Center," said Gail
Daniels, Digital's Group Manager of Product Marketing,
Telecommunications and Networks.
The Reference Sell Agreement enables Systems Center to refer
customers to Digital for the sale of Digital's DECmcc family of
products. Conversely, where there is interest in SNA management,
the agreement enables Digital to refer customers to NET/MASTER.
The companies also announced their intent to evaluate
opportunities for joint demonstrations, development of pertinent
marketing materials and cross sales force training.
"This announcement formalizes the establishment of a
long-term relationship between our companies," said John Robinson,
Executive Vice President of Systems Center. "There is a great deal
of synergy between the Digital style of computing and the
NET/MASTER approach to heterogeneous management solutions. We have
long recognized that many of our customers are committed to
corporate information systems based on both SNA and DECnet/OSI."
Systems Center and Digital will also cooperate to implement
the OSI Common Management Information Protocol (CMIP) between
DECmcc and NET/MASTER, thus continuing the companies' commitment
to providing international standards-based solutions.
"This announcement continues to reinforce Digital's position
as the performance leader in open networks, providing network
managers with the tools they need to manage their information
resources at any time, across any configuration of multivendor
technology, from anywhere in the entire enterprise," said Daniels.
"It further illustrates that Digital's EMA architecture and DECmcc
products are the preferred approach for the management of this
environment."
Daniels added, "Digital has provided terminal connectivity to
SNA and NetView for several years. Through the suite of DECnet/SNA
Gateway products, customers are able to bring up color NetView
screens from the DECmcc Management Station. As a result of the
joint development agreement, we are moving customers to a new
level of truly integrated management for both SNA and Digital
environments."
The companies plan to announce product schedules over the
next several months.
Systems Center, Inc. (NYSE symbol:SMX) develops, markets and
supports network, systems, and relational database software. The
company offers over 50 products, including NET/MASTER for network
and systems management; Network DataMover for data transfer among
multiple operating environments; VMCENTER II for IBM's VM
operating system; AS/CENTER for IBM's AS/400; and relational
database products for IBM's SQL/DS and DB2.
Digital Equipment Corporation, headquartered in Maynard,
Massachusetts, is the world's leading supplier of networked
computer systems and services. Digital offers a full range of
computing solutions and systems integration for the entire
enterprise -- from the desktop to the data center.
Q1. Who is Systems Center?
A1. Systems Center, Inc. is a leading international developer and
marketer of software products that are used to manage and
control the operation of heterogeneous information systems,
data centers and networks. The company offers over 50
products, including NET/MASTER for network systems management.
Network DataMover for data transfer among multiple operating
environments, VMCENTERII for IBM's VM operating system,
AS/CENTER for IBM's AS/400, and relational database products
for IBM's SQL/DS and DB2. The company has also announced its
acquisition plans of Unitech Software, a provider of UNIX
utilities and a network backup product. Recently, the company
announced an agreement with Tandem Computers to provide
NET/MASTER products for Tandem NonStop systems.
Q2. Why did DEC and Systems Center enter into this agreement?
A2. Digital and Systems Center understand that their customers
want to manage multivendor networks and computers via an
integrated, standards-based product. This agreement will
enable the development of products to manage both SNA and
Digital network environments in a thoroughly integrated,
peer-to-peer manner. Customers will benefit from having a
common user interface, general purpose management applications
annd a consistent approach for the structure of management
information.
Q3. How long have Digital and Systems Center been working on this
joint development agreement?
A3. Joint development discussions involving NET/MASTER, EMA and
DECmcc have been conducted over the last year.
Q4. What are the financial arrangements for the agreement?
A4. Digital and Systems Center typically do not disclose the
financial aspects of their business relationships.
Q5. What is the size of the market for the DECmcc SNA Management
Modules that interface to NET/MASTER?
A5. The market opportunity driving strategic relationships and
joint development agreements for enterprise management is
fueled by the need to provide standards-based management for
multivendor enterprises. This market is expected to grow to
several billion dollars in the next three to five years. There
are over 20,000 SNA networks and over 60,000 DECnet
installations worldwide.
Q6. When will the initial products be available?
A6. Digital and Systems Center plan to make product availability
announcements over the next several months.
Q7. Have Digital and Systems Center identified any other products
that will be jointly developed and marketed to manage the SNA
environment?
A7. The currently outlined activity provides an excellent
technical blueprint for future cooperative development of
applications to enhance SNA network management.
Q8. Who will support the products?
A8. Digital and Systems Center will address this issue at the time
of product availability.
Q9. Who will own and market the products?
A9. Digital and Systems Center will jointly develop and market the
software that interfaces DECmcc to System Center's
InTer-NET/MASTER Connection software. Specific product
ownership will be announced at the time of product
availability.
Q10. How much will the products cost?
A10. We will discuss price at the time of product announcement.
Q11. Is the interface between DECmcc and NET/MASTER a turnkey
solution or will a customer have to write an application to
access the SNA network data?
A11. The plans are to make the interface between DECmcc and
NET/MASTER fully integrated within each product and thus
"turnkey". DECmcc customers will also be able to build new
applications that use information provided by both NET/MASTER
and DECmcc. Similarly, NET/MASTER customers can use System
Center's Network Control Language (NCL) to write new
applications on the IBM host accessing information from both
the DECmcc and SNA environments.
Q12. Will these products give DECmcc users the same functions as
NetView and NET/MASTER do in the SNA environment?
A12. The initial product offering will provide the exchange of
alarms, alerts, status information and a limited number of
control commands between the DECmcc and NET/MASTER or NetView.
Future releases will include additional NET/MASTER and DECmcc
applications to enhance SNA network management. However, it is
not the goal for DECmcc to replace NET/MASTER or NetView.
Q13. Will these products allow DECmcc users to monitor and control
the SNA environment?
A13. The intention is to provide products that allow DECmcc users
to monitor and control the SNA environment and allow NetView
users to have limited control (via a NET/MASTER EMA interface)
of certain DECmcc functions to be named at a later date.
Q14. Will these products allow NET/MASTER users to monitor and
control devices in the DECmcc environment?
A14. Yes. The intention is to provide a symmetrical, bi-directional
flow of information between DECmcc and NET/MASTER in a
peer-to-peer relationship.
Q15. How will DECmcc interface to IBM's future System View
products?
A15. As we get more details about their product announcements,
we will have a better understanding of the implications for
our development efforts. Just as NET/MASTER supports SNA, SAA
and APPC, it will take full advantage of System View, once the
implications have been clarified. Digital will have the
benefit of System Center's work in this area and have the
opportunity to implement it where practical.
Q16. There is a NET/MASTER UNMA application which sends fault and
configuration information to the AT&T Accumaster Integrator.
Will DECmcc have access to information from the AT&T
Accumaster Integrator as a result of its interface to
NET/MASTER?
A16. There are no current plans for DECmcc to have access to
information from the AT&T Accumaster Integrator as a result of
its interface to NET/MASTER.
Q17. Systems Center and Tandem Computers have announced an
agreement to jointly provide system and network management
products for Tandem NonStop systems. Will it be possible for
DECmcc to interface to NetMaster running on Tandem NonStop
systems?
A17. NET/MASTER and the Tandem implementation will interoperate as
peers. NET/MASTER and DECmcc will interoperate as peers. We
will evaluate whether to develop an interface between DECmcc
and the Tandem NET/MASTER implementation based upon customer
demand.
Q18. Why did you select the Inter-NET/MASTER Connection (INMC) for
direct communication between the DECmcc and NET/MASTER?
A18. The INMC protocol was specifically designed for reliable,
high-performance transmission of SNA management data between
NET/MASTER peers. Using the existing INMC protocol will allow
Systems Center and Digital to deliver initial product oferings
much sooner.
Q19. Will you use the OSI Common Management Information Protocol
(CMIP) in the future for direct communication between DECmcc
and NET/MASTER?
A19. Future product plans include the development of an OSI
interface between DECmcc and NET/MASTER.
Q20. Will you support an LU6.2 interface between DECmcc and
NET/MASTER?
A20. Systems Cneter has announced its intention to support Advanced
Program-to-Program Communications (APPC) running over LU6.2 in
NET/MASTER. While the initial implementations of the joint
development agreement will implement INMC over LU0, it can be
expected that Digital will have the benefit of SCI's work in
this area and have the opportunity to implement it where
practical.
Q21. Will DECmcc support a graphical user interface that displays
SNA devices?
A21. Yes. DECmcc's foundation, EMA, provides a structure allowing
the same presentation style and suite of management functions
to be applied to the SNA environment.
Q22. Will DECmcc be able to monitor and control Token Ring LANs?
A22. NET/MASTER works with IBM's LAN Manager to provide Token Ring
LAN monitoring and control information to DECmcc via the
Inter-NET/MASTER Connection software.
Q23. Will the DECmcc SNA Access Module be supported under a UNIX
operating system in the future?
A23. Yes, consistent with Digital's recently announced intentions
in the area of UNIX management, this management module will be
able to be used in a VMS and ULTRIX environment.
Q24. Is it possible to have DECmcc communicate with multiple copies
of NET/MASTER running on separate CPUs?
A24. It is our intention to provide communication between DECmcc
and NET/MASTER in either a centralized or fully distributed
environment.
Q25. Are you now competing directly with NetView for the management
of SNA networks?
A25. Together with NET/MASTER, we do provide an alternative
solution. Furthermore, as a result of the joint development
agreement, we are moving customers to a new level of truly
integrated management for both SNA and Digital environments.
For instance, we will have the ability to look at information
from both environments in one place for the management of
resources that are common between and shared by the two
networks (such as common transmission media, distributed
applications, etc).
Q26. Where does the DECnet/SNA Gateway fit into this scenario? Does
it go away?
A26. Digital and Systems Center plan to use the DECnet/SNA Gateway
will be used as a transport mechanism between the Digital and
SNA environments.
Q27. Will DECmcc interface to NetView/PC?
A27. It is our intention to allow DECmcc users to access NetView/PC
alerts and control commands via a NET/MASTER EMA interface and
NetView.
Q29. Where is the development work being done?
A29. The development work will be done by Digital and Systems
Center employees working at sites in Massachusetts and Sydney,
Australia.
Q30. What are the terms and duration of the agreement?
A30. You can be assured that this is a long term agreement,
however, we're not at liberty to discuss the specifics.
Q31. Will there be an exchange of money between Digital and Systems
Center for the reference sell leads?
A31. Digital and Systems Center typically do not disclose the
financial aspects of their business relationships.
Q32. Why are you using LU0?
A32. LU0 is a simple, efficient and well-established method for
task-to-task communications within the SNA environment. The
Inter-NET/MASTER Connection software runs over LU0.
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