DECnet

DECnet is a homogeneous local network that the company Digital Equipment Corporation ( DEC short ) introduced in 1975 to connect their minicomputer. It consists of a number of networking protocols, which are collectively referred to as a Digital Network Architecture ( DNA). DECnet was compatible with Ethernet, X.25 and IBM's SNA made ​​so that can be networked so that the DEC computer with computers from other manufacturers.

Ported to DECnet Digital Ultrix, the Apple Macintosh and IBM -compatible PC with DOS or Windows under the name DEC Pathworks ( later Advanced Server ). These systems are integrated as DECnet end node in a VAX network. An open source implementation of the free operating system Linux also exists.

History of development

Protocols

DECnet used at layer 2 (OSI model) the DDCMP (Digital Data Communications Message Protocol ), which is functionally very similar to HDLC, but differs in formats and processes it. For layer 3 and 4, there is the summary NSP (Network Service Protocol ), which also contains functions for setting up and dismantling of connections for routing, flow control, and troubleshooting (eg, the Maintenance Operations Protocol, MOP). The three lower DECnet layers are collectively referred to as the transport subsystem. It sits a dialogue layer with user-centric services, such as file transfer.

DECnet Phase IV protocol stack