CAP/contrib/AsyncATalk

Asynchronous AppleTalk for UNIX/CAP hosts - Request For Comment. 17/10/88
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The Department of Computer Science at The University of Melbourne has
developed and is currently testing a version of Asynchronous AppleTalk
for remote AppleTalk access via UNIX/CAP hosts. 

This system is based on the code presented in the October 1987 issue of 
"Dr. Dobb's Journal of Software Tools" by Richard E. Brown and Steve 
Ligett of Kiewit Computer Centre, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New 
Hampshire, and contains later protocol extensions. The UNIX code uses some 
library routines and database files from the Columbia AppleTalk Package 
(CAP) developed by Charlie Kim, Center for Computing Activities at 
Columbia University.

The purposes of this document are to discuss the problems encountered and
the solutions used in implementing Asynchronous AppleTalk capability
on a UNIX host and to solicit comments from interested parties. 

Background:

Asynchronous AppleTalk replaces the normal Link Access Protocol (LAP)
used on LocalTalk networks with an Async AppleTalk LAP (AALAP) which
sends AppleTalk frames over an async link such as a modem or twisted pair.
To achieve this, one usually needs to purchase extra hardware to connect
to the other end of the link and to bridge to a normal LocalTalk network.
After some discussions and experimentation, it was decided that it was
possible to use a UNIX host which already had ample dial-up facilities
to perform this function. This naturally left some problems to solve ...

1. How to use the Macintosh to perform the functions of dialling a modem
	and allowing a normal login. Most async implementations could
	dial modems but fell short of giving a login window.

	SOLUTION: massage the Async code from Dartmouth to provide a window
	and speed/parity dialog box. At the same time, it was felt that
	the system should conform to current Apple standards for choosing 
	alternate LAPs, therefore implement as 'atlk'/'adev' resources.
	NB: the window currently emulates a VT52.

	STATUS: complete.

2. How to get AALAP packets onto LocalTalk networks.

	SOLUTION: repackage packets from the serial line as UDP
	encapsulated DDP packets (otherwise known as KIP format) and 
	send them via ethernet to the local gateway (a Multigate in this
	case but Kboxes should do).

	PROBLEM: How do we know who the local gateway is and who we are ?
	The current solution is to use the file 'atalk.local' with a new
	(4th) line. The file now looks like this ...

--------------------atalk.local-------------------------------
# myNet		myNode		myZone 
93.30		26		unimelb-CompSci	# host information
# bridgeNet	bridgeNode	bridgeIP
93.20		23		128.250.1.23	# bridge information
# nisNet	nisNode
93.30		26				# Name Info Server info.
# asyncNet	asyncZone
170.26		unimelb-Async			# Async Info (***NEW***)
--------------------------------------------------------------

	See below for explanations of Async information.

3. How to get packets back to the UNIX host to send via AALAP.

	This is a bit trickier because we need to allow Async Macs to
	have different node numbers and KIP/CAP has no mechanism for more
	than one node number per host (yet). 

	SOLUTION: Map Mac node numbers into a UDP user port range and have 
	the gateway forward anything destined for node N on an Async network 
	to the host UDP port = N + PortOffset [PortOffset has notionally 
	been assigned the value 43520 (0xaa00)]. This port is monitored by 
	our user process. Additionally, we have to assign a new AppleTalk 
	network number to our UNIX host and make a suitable entry in the 
	file atalkatab to tell the gateway of this arrangement. IE:

------------------portion of atalkatab------------------------
# Test Asynchronous AppleTalk network
170.26	A	128.250.1.26	unimelb-Async	# async net running on munnari
--------------------------------------------------------------

	Where:
		"170.26" is the Async AppleTalk net number on this host
		'A' indicates this is an Async net
		"128.250.1.26" is the host IP address.
		"unimelb-Async" is the zone assigned for testing the code.

	PROBLEM 1: gateways won't normally do this, we have to modify the
	gateway KIP code. The modification is minor but requires the
	acceptance and cooperation of the network community. The 'A' flag
	is equivalent to the 'H2' flag not currently in use. We have
	modified 'atalkad.c' to recognise 'A', the modification is trivial.


	PROBLEM 2: Broadcast packets! We obviously can't have a gateway
	sending to all the 254 possible UDP ports (node numbers). The
	current solution to this problem is to assign a Well Known Socket
	for broadcast packets (currently 750). An Async daemon running on 
	the host monitors this port for:

		1. notification from user processes that they have
		started and are using node number N.

		2. broadcast packets sent from the gateway for
		redirection to the port N + PortOffset.

	STATUS of 2 & 3: Complete and testing.

Please send comments, request for information to ...

	djh@munnari.oz.au

	David Hornsby
	Professional Officer
	Department of Computer Science
	Richard Berry Building
	University of Melbourne
	Parkville 3052
	Victoria, Australia