[HECnet] DECnet et al

[Johnny Billquist]

On 2011-07-16 17.23, Steve Davidson wrote:

Mark,

When I install DECnet on VMS I always use the DNVETRTG license. This way
I do not have to care about the system's role - I may change it at will

Assuming you have that license, it obviously makes your life easier, yes.

On another note, the node SGC:: is an emulated system that is always
running as an area router. This way I always have a gateway to the rest
of HECnet and the cost to run the system is minimal. DECnet has limits
as to the total number of area routers so just adding a router may not
be the best answer. The HECnet backbone is not at that limit yet... If
you were to use an emulated system as a router then it would not matter
which of the other systems you brought up - they would all be able to
see the rest of HECnet.

As far as I know, there is no limit on the number of area routers in a DECnet. But for a specific node, there is a limit on how many adjacent broadcast routers it can keep track of. But that is both level 1 and level 2 routers. And it just becomes a "problem" for you locally in that you might not be using the optimal route to destinations if there are more routers available, as your machine will not keep track of all of them in that case, and might miss the optimal one. But the network will still work just fine.

I should mention though that a cluster with a cluster alias MUST be a
router. It can be a level-1 or level-2 (area) though...

Indeed.

	Johnny