The integration of multiple OS-9 stations with a VAX/VMS host via Ethernet

In this paper a method for providing embedded microprocessors with virtual disk storage capacity and remote terminal access from a VAX/VMS host via Ethernet is described. The underlying Ethernet driver permits different network protocols to be co-resident in the microprocessors. The system described is in use in many experiments at CERN and elsewhere, and provides a cheap and effective method for sharing data and programs between microprocessors and VAX/VMS systems. Existing approaches to these problems required sole use of a dedicated intelligent network interface, and were biased towards VMEbus systems. One of the goals of the design was to provide a highly transparent and easy-to-use development environment such that users would appear to be working on dedicated microprocessor workstations, unaware of the underlying network connections