Re: Networking Options

[pault@xxxxxxxxx (Paul Tykodi)]

Booth Martin wrote:

>Booth:
>You do not need a server.  Just connect the AS400 to your hub like any
>other LAN device, config IP and you are there.  You could also run SNA
>over the same connection.
>Carl

>>our friend "Michael J. Guzak" <mguzak@ican.net> said:
>>
>>>I plan to install an NT server and connect it to the AS/400 via ethernet
>>>and run TCP/IP.

That's what I thought.  So, why do so many people say they "plan to
install an NT server" in order to access the AS/400?  I just do not
understand the extra step; it seems redundant and another potential
point-of-failure.  It isn't just one or two occasional people that say
this, either.

Dear Booth,

It is possible that people perceive their AS/400's and networks in different 
ways. 

Some people may start from the AS/400 and look out upon the world. They see 
LAN's and UNIX servers and mainframes that want to connect to the AS/400. These 
people will most likely look for AS/400 based solutions to connect to these 
other hosts.

Another group may start from a LAN perspective (ex. Win NT) and look out upon 
the world. They see many hosts that want to be part of the overall LAN 
topology. In this scenario, an AS/400 might be added to the LAN for its 
extremely robust database serving capabilities. A LAN literate person, without 
significant AS/400 background knowledge, is very likely to be moved in the 
direction of bringing the AS/400 into the LAN through some form of proxy server 
configuration. If Microsoft were to be consulted about AS/400 to LAN 
connectivity options, I'm sure that SNA Server would get mentioned at some 
point.

This could be why the server option for linking AS/400 to LAN gets mentioned as 
often as it does..... 

JMHO

/Paul
--
Paul Tykodi, Technical Director                 E-mail: pault@praim.com
Praim Inc.                                           Tel: 603-431-0606
140 Congress St., #2                                Fax: 603-436-6432
Portsmouth, NH  03801-4019


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