From: waltje@metallica.uwalt.nl.mugnet.org (Fred N. van Kempen) Subject: Re: Novell IPX under DOS emulator? Date: Fri, 12 Feb 1993 02:06:12
df@eyrie.demon.co.uk (Derek Fawcus) wrote:
> I wasn't seriously suggesting that anyone does this, although possible
> I consider it to be a ugly hack. A much better solution would be to
> implement IPX/SPX sockets in the kernel network code (type AF_NOVELL)
> and then presenting the IPX/SPX API from the dos emulator. This would
> have the advantage that no IPX (or PKTIPX) would need to be loaded.
Actually, AF_NOVELL (isn't that AF_IPX ?) will be a breeze when I am
done with the new NET layer of LINUX. You need a serial line or Ethernet
link to your NOVELL server (anyone doing ISDN and/or FDDI drivers, guys?),
and some kernel protocol code that converts between sockets (either
stream or packet mode- I believe IPX uses both) and the actual IPX
protocol. Should be easy for someone who has the NOVELL protocol
specs on his desk...
> Implementing as I originally suggested would require working raw
> sockets, (I can't remember what state they are currently in) and code
> in the dos emulator to present the packet driver interface.
socket->state = "OK";
> As IPX/SPX is (I believe) the only part of Netware that is publically
> documented it should not be too hard. I happen to have a Novell book
> (picked up in a book shop one lazy weekend) that describes the packet
> format and that could be used as a starting point.
See above. Start coding a program that, on one end, can accept (and
transmit) NOVELL IPX/SPX packets (this will be the "driver" end), and,
on the other side, implements entry points for the NOVELL documented
"system calls". When DDI is done, this module can be put into the
kernel quite easily, using sockets with AF and PF == NOVELL...
Then you need a program that converts between DOS calls and the
kernel's AF_NOVELL sockets, that's all...
> Anyway, this is all so much pie-in-the-sky, no one would actually be
> sick enough to implement this, would they?
Yes, they actually would be. The is a _lot_ of interest in getting
Novell on top of LINUX, and I think it would be worth forming a working
group on the matter.
Fred.