I'd like to announce that the Linux-SNA (yes, the Systems Network
Architecture) Project has just released a significant upgrade to both the
kernal and user space SNA code for Linux, allowing the code to run on
reasonably current Linux 2.2 and 2.4 kernels, including Linux for S/390 and
(as soon as I get to test it on some real hardware) also Linux on zSeries in
64-bit mode.
Example output from a test system:
LNXSNA.EHEAD nodeid:05D.33333 nodetype:Appn_En Appn_Nn RUNNING
maxlus:1000 curlus:0 luseg:off bindseg:off
datalink:lo type:loopback numports:0 RUNNING
Message from syslogd@develop at Fri Jun 28 16:17:18 2002 ...
develop kernel: af_sna.c:sna_create: init
datalink:eth0 type:llc2 numports:0 RUNNING
datalink:eth1 type:llc2 numports:0 RUNNING
lclu: sync_point:on limit:1000 UP
rtlu:LNXSNA.IBM parallel_sessions:off cnv_security:off UP
The package provides SNA network connectivity for applications running in
the Linux environment connecting to LEN (low entry networking), APPN, or LAR
networks, and provides basic LU6.2 and APPC libraries for applications to
use to connect to existing SNA-based applications, or port existing OS/2 or
Windows-based applications to Linux. The APIs are deliberately similar to
the C-PIC APIs to facilitate such ports.
It does *not* currently support classic subarea SNA (yet), but as IBM makes
more documentation on the packet formats available to the open source
community in a non-LY manuals format, supporting these features is in plan.
LLC drivers for common token-ring, coax and (soon) twin-ax adapters are
available at the same location, albeit are tested only on Intel systems and
don't much apply to Linux on 390...8-). Additional documentation will also
be forthcoming in the next major release -- I'm currently limited in daily
keyboard time.
The code is open-source and available for download from www.linux-sna.org.
Commercial support is available from Sine Nomine; contact us at
[EMAIL PROTECTED] for more information.
-- db
David Boyes
Sine Nomine Associates
PS -- to forestall the pundits asking "why?" -- because I can. Nyah. 8-P
Seriously, there's a lot of OS/2 apps out there where IBM sold APPC to
customers and they bought it for some reason. This makes migration of those
apps feasible -- and buys us desktop acceptance. No More MS SNA Server...8-)
