Introducing the Econet Acorn Computer Local Area Network
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Printer server station installed by cutting it to the required lengths and soldering it to 5 pin tso· din sockets mounted as The printer server software is supplied in an required. Any number of sockets may be fitted on EPROM which should be fitted in one of the the cable and computers can be plugged in or sideways ROM sockets in the BBC computer. Once unplugged at any time. Full details of wiring fitted in the station with a printer attached, the considerations are supplied with each cable or set printer server EPROM allows the other stations on of leads. the network to share the use of the printer. If the printer is in use by one station and another station attempts to print, then it will receive a 'not Clock and termination listening' message indicating that the printer is in Terminator box and power supply (AEH 15) use. The second station may then stop and try To prevent reflections on the line and to provide again later when the printer is free. It is signal conditioning, the Econet cable must be recommended that the EPROM should be fitted in terminated appropriately Therefore each network the computer by an approved dealer or service requires two terminators, one at each end of the centre. cable. Each terminator set consists of a terminator box and power supply The boxes and power When the printer server EPROM is fitted and supplies are each about 2" X 3" X 4" . As the power running in the printer server computing power is requirements of tl'iese units are minimal they can still available at the keyboard and user programs be left connected and switched on continually to may be run on the printer server station. The ensure that the network is available for use at any printer server, however, can be stopped by time. pressing the break key, and a dedicated printer server will therefore often be required. Clock box and power supply (AEH 14) The clock box generates a signal which Future developments include the possibility of synchronises all data transferred on the network. fitting the printer server in the file server station, The box and power supply are again about providing both shared filing and printing from one 2" X 3" X 4" and take minimal power in order that dedicated station. they may be left permanently connected. Cables Advice Acorn supply Econet cables in two ways For full details and advice on how Econet can help 10 station lead set (AEH 18) you contact your local dealer or: For a short network a set of cables and connectors Econet Sales Department may be used to provide a rapid and convenient Acorn Computers Limited system for wiring a group of computers together. Fulbourn Road The set consists of 10 lengths of cable lm long and Cherry Hinton 11 junction pieces and is sufficient to connect Cambridge CB14JN together a network of 10 stations including a file and printer server. One or two additional sets may Service be used to extend the network and the number of After sales service and advice by a machines. The junction pieces are a simple push national dealer network. I/ fit to the cables and no soldering is required to Retail Control Systems Limited establish or dismantle a network of 10 machines Gresham House quickly However, due to the mechanical nature of Twickenham Road these connections, this system of wiring is not .......... ~ - ~, - . - _· Felt ham ~CORN - .. --- .. -. - suitable for networks of over 30 metres. For longer . -- --·-- · -· - Middlesex TW13 6HA COMPUTER ~-- networks a more secure system of wiring is and required, and this can be done using lengths of our Acorn Computers top specification cable. 100 metres Econet cable (AEH 17) For long networks Acorn can supply cable to full Econet specification in 100m lengths. This cable is dual twisted pair with a conductor core diameter of Econet rs a Reg rstered Trademark The Econet" Sys tem IS desrgned. produced and drstnbuted rn the UK 0.9rnm , and is suitable for networks of up to 500m. by Acorn Computers Lr mrted This cable may be tested in a location and then February 1983 Introducing the Econet® Introducing the Econet® Acorn Computer local area network Acorn Computer local area network A M P09 available for performing functions associated with o BBC model B with disc and Econet interface Introducing the Econet® the network. The following commands are then (ANB 04) Acorn Computer local area netw·ork available to the user: o Dual disc drive (AND 02) o 6502 second processor (ANC 01) LOAD *DELETE *NOTIFY *INFO SAVE *VIEW *DRIVE *ACCESS The facilities of the Ievell file server are extended *CAT *REMOTE *PROT in the level 2 to include In addition the file server can be set to control the o Random access to data files Introducing the Acorn Econet contains the Network Filing System (NFS) and the maximum number of files allowed per user, and the o Hierarchical directory structures low level primitives that are used for network sections of the disc given to each user. o Control of public and private access to files Now there is a simple and cost-effective way to o Password protection at log on communications. Thus the user has a number of A section of the file server's disc is also made link up a series of microcomputers. It is the Econet o Extended library facilities system, created by Acorn Computers- the team commands available via the computer keyboard to available to all users to contain a library of control the storage of his file on the file server and o System privilege commands to control network who designed the BBC Microcomputer frequently used routines and programs the use of the printer server It is these routines facilities The Econet network system, which is only a which constitute the NFS. The Ievell file server uses discs in the same format o Unlimited number of files or directories up to fraction of the cost of comparable networks, allows as local disc storage on a BBC computer, so files maximum disc storage As the file server is not necessary for the control of may be readily transferred between Econet storage up to 254 computers to communicate with each The file server is supplied on disc with a number of Econet transfers it is possible to run a network and local disc storage. other and to share expensive resources such as additional utilities to assist in the management of printer or disc drives. without a file or printer server In this case most of the keyboard level commands will not be available With a single drive the file server can store up to the file server system, including facilities to create An Econet system consists of a number of units to the user. Network communication would then 31 files of up to lOK each in length up to a total new discs and copy files from BBC computer disc which are described in this leaflet. To set up a rely on calls to the network primitives from the storage of lOOK. format to file server format. network system you will normally need the user routines. The network primitives are available With a dual disc drive this increases to 124 files A second disc is supplied in file server format. This following items. via a number of operating system calls and may be with a total storage of BOOK. contains a number of demonstration programs and Econet work stations called either from Basic or from user machine code disc based utilities. routines. There is no limit on the number of users that may Usually BBC computers fitted with Econet be logged into a file server up to the network The commands available to the user are extended interfaces to allow communication both to other Each computer ordered with Econet interface is maximum of 254 stations. though, of course, the to include stations and to shared network facilities. supplied with a manual describing the user storage available to each user will be limited by *USERS Provides a list of current users A file server station commands available and also the use of the Econet the conditions given above. primitives *DISCS Provides a Jist of current discs in A BBC computer dedicated to running a program Any number of file servers may be used on one system called the file server, which offers shared access to network. *DlR Select new directory the file server's disc storage. File servers *LIB Select new library File server level 2 - the advanced file server Acorn currently support two levels of file server *SDISC Select new disc A printer server station With the addition of a 6502 second processor box which supply two distinct levels of service to the *PASS Change password A BBC computer fitted with EPROM containing the to the BBC computer With disc and Econet network user. The Ievel l file server will run on a *CDIR Create new directory printer server program, which offers shared access interfaces. the level 2 server would then consist of: to the printer server's printer. model B BBC computer, whereas the level 2 file *NEWUSER System command to create new user server runs on a model B fitted with the 6502 o File server level 2 software package on disc *REM USER System command to remove user Cable second processor. (AES 21) For short networks a modular cable system is File server available for rapid installation. For longer networks File server Ievell - the model B file server a high quality cable is available.