A Hobbyist DECnet Network

-----Original Message----- From: cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org [mailto:cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Robert Armstrong Sent: Thursday, December 08, 2005 5:41 PM To: 'General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts' Subject: A Hobbyist DECnet Network I'm interested in setting up a network of hobbyist DEC machines linked together in a DECnet phase IV network. Why? I suppose there's no really good reason, but it seems like it would be fun to be able to do "SHOW NET" or "NCP SHOW ACTIVE NODES" and see a whole long list of machines that aren't mine :-) Besides, it would be a good way to share access to real, non-simulated, VMS/RSX/RSTS and even, maybe, TOPS-10 or 20, machines. Does anyone else agree? Is anyone else interested in participating? I know I'm not the first to think of this; in particular, I've had a few email discussions recently with Johnny Billquist about HECnet, http://www.update.uu.se/~bqt/hecnet.html At some point I'd like to link up with HECnet, but right now Johnny is having ISP problems and it sounds like HECnet is down to one or two nodes. Are there any other hobbyist DECnet associations that are going strong? As for technology, it seems like the best thing would be to use the Internet as our communications medium. Nobody wants to pay for point-to-point leased lines anymore, after all. Multinet, TCPware, and even DECNet Phase V all have the ability to send DECnet traffic over IP. Right now I'm leaning towards Multinet - they have a free hobbyist license program, and Multinet can create point-to-point virtual DECnet circuits using UDP packets that can be routed over the Internet. They're simple to set up and administer. I have a fair amount of Internet bandwidth available at my location, and I can set aside a VS4000 VLC or model 90 to serve as a dedicated Phase IV routing node. Bob Armstrong