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Personal Computer Networks A111Q2 b23flb2 NATL INST OF STANDARDS & TECH R.I.C. Computer Science A1 11 02623862 Barkley, John F/Personal computer networ QC100 U57 NO.500-140 1986 V19 C.1 NBS-P and Technology NBS Special Publication 500-140 NBS PUBLICATIONS Personal Computer Networks John Barkley 00 n n QC 100 U57 #500-140 1986 . TM he National Bureau of Standards' was established by an act of Congress on March 3, 1901. The m Bureau's overall goal is to strengthen and advance the nation's science and technology and facilitate their effective application for public benefit. To this end, the Bureau conducts research and provides: (1) a basis for the nation's physical measurement system, (2) scientific and technological services for industry and government, (3) a technical basis for equity in trade, and (4) technical services to promote public safety. The Bureau's technical work is performed by the National Measurement Laboratory, the National Engineering Laboratory, the Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology, and the Institute for Materials Science and Engineering The National Measurement Laboratory 2 Provides the national system of physical and chemical measurement; • Basic Standards coordinates the system with measurement systems of other nations and • Radiation Research • furnishes essential services leading to accurate and uniform physical and Chemical Physics chemical measurement throughout the Nation's scientific community, in- • Analytical Chemistry dustry, and commerce; provides advisory and research services to other Government agencies; conducts physical and chemical research; develops, produces, and distributes Standard Reference Materials; and provides calibration services. The Laboratory consists of the following centers: The National Engineering Laboratory Provides technology and technical services to the public and private sectors to Applied Mathematics address national needs and to solve national problems; conducts research in Electronics and Electrical 2 engineering and applied science in support of these efforts; builds and main- Engineering tains competence in the necessary disciplines required to carry out this Manufacturing Engineering research and technical service; develops engineering data and measurement Building Technology capabilities; provides engineering measurement traceability services; develops Fire Research 2 test methods and proposes engineering standards and code changes; develops Chemical Engineering and proposes new engineering practices; and develops and improves mechanisms to transfer results of its research to the ultimate user. The Laboratory consists of the following centers: The Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology Conducts research and provides scientific and technical services to aid Programming Science and Federal agencies in the selection, acquisition, application, and use of com- Technology puter technology to improve effectiveness and economy in Government Computer Systems operations in accordance with Public Law 89-306 (40 U.S.C. 759), relevant Engineering Executive Orders, and other directives; carries out this mission by managing the Federal Information Processing Standards Program, developing Federal ADP standards guidelines, and managing Federal participation in ADP voluntary standardization activities; provides scientific and technological ad- visory services and assistance to Federal agencies; and provides the technical foundation for computer-related policies of the Federal Government. The In- stitute consists of the following centers: The Institute for Materials Science and Engineering Conducts research and provides measurements, data, standards, reference Ceramics materials, quantitative understanding and other technical information funda- Fracture and Deformation 3 mental to the processing, structure, properties and performance of materials; Polymers addresses the scientific basis for new advanced materials technologies; plans Metallurgy research around cross-country scientific themes such as nondestructive Reactor Radiation evaluation and phase diagram development; oversees Bureau-wide technical programs in nuclear reactor radiation research and nondestructive evalua- tion; and broadly disseminates generic technical information resulting from its programs. The Institute consists of the following Divisions: Headquarters and Laboratories at Gaithersburg, MD, unless otherwise noted; mailing address Gaithersburg, MD 20899. ! Some divisions within the center are located at Boulder, CO 80303. 'Located at Boulder, CO, with some elements at Gaithersburg, MD. Computer Science and Technology NBS Special Publication 500-140 Personal Computer Networks John Barkley Systems and Software Technology Division Center for Programming Science and Technology Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology National Bureau of Standards Gaithersburg, MD 20899 Issued July 1986 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Malcolm Baldrige, Secretary National Bureau of Standards Ernest Ambler, Director Reports on Computer Science and Technology The National Bureau of Standards has a special responsibility within the Federal Goverment for computer science and technology activities. The programs of the NBS Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology are designed to provide ADP standards, guidelines, and technical advisory services to improve the effectiveness of computer utilization in the Federal sector, and to perform appropriate research and development efforts as foundation for such activities and programs. This publication series will report these NBS efforts to the Federal computer community as well as to interested specialists in the academic and private sectors. Those wishing to receive notices of publications in this series should complete and return the form at the end of this publication. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 86-600564 National Bureau of Standards Special Publication 500-140 Natl. Bur. Stand. (U.S.), Spec. Publ. 500-140, 58 pages (July 1986) CODEN: XNBSAV U.S. Government Printing Office Washington: 1986 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402 ABSTRACT Personal computers are widely used in today's office to support clerical, administrative, and managerial functions. Because communication between individuals in a office and between groups in an organization is vital to the organization's ability to deliver products and services, it naturally follows that the personal computers used by the individuals in an office need to be able to communicate. This organizational requirement for communications is often met by networking personal computers. Personal computer networks are grouped into those networks which are designed for personal computers and those networks, such as those based on a telephone system, which can connect personal computers but were designed for a different purpose. Networks which can connect personal computers but were designed for a different purpose include: networks which connect personal computers to personal computers, personal computers to computer centers, and personal computers to bulletin boards by means of public and private telephone systems; networks which connect personal computers to computer centers by means of direct wire in the same manner that terminals are directly connected to computer centers; and networks which connect personal computers to networks designed for large computers. A personal computer network model, which embodies the needs and expectations of personal computer users, is described. Each personal computer network type is compared to this model according to the level of service provided. The generic types of service used for the comparison include: file and print service, mail, messaging and conferencing, login, remote task execution, outside communication, and network configuration. A discussion of options available to those who have an immediate need for a personal computer network is presented. Personal computer networks can improve productivity in the office. However, there is the possibility of installing a personal computer network which in the future becomes isolated from the mainstream of networking technology. Informed planning can prevent this isolation from happening. iii Contents 1 Introduction 1 2 A Personal Computer Network Model 7 2.1 File Service 7 2.2 Print Service 9 2.3 Mail 9 2.4 Messaging and Conferencing 10 2.5 Login 10 2.6 Remote Task Execution 10 2.7 Outside Communications 11 2.8 Network Configuration 11 3 Ad Hoc Personal Computer Networks 13 3.1 Telephone Systems 14 3.2 Direct Wire to Computer Center 18 3.3 Network Designed for Large Computers 19 4 Networks Designed for Personal Computers 21 4.1 Comparison with Network Model 21 4.2 Implementations 23 4.2.1 Servers 23 4.2.2 Services Provided without Servers 25 4.2.3 Configuration 26 4.2.4 Other Characteristics 31 5 Summary 39 5.1 Current Implementations 39 5.2 Future Implementations 42 5.3 Networking Now 44 A References and Related Reading 47 B Personal Computer Network Testbed 51 v List of Tables 1.1 Comparison of networks designed for large computers and networks designed for personal computers 5 3.1 Features of a personal computer to personal computer network 16 3.2 Features of a personal computer to computer center network 17 3.3 Features of a personal computer to bulletin board network 18 3.4 Features of a direct wire to computer center network 19 3.5 Features of a network designed for large computers 20 4.1 Features of a network designed for personal computers 22 5.1 Features of current personal computer
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