Roamabout internetworking software

Digital Equipment Corp has launched a range of Roamabout wireless networking products. Roamabout Mobile IP is a software Internetworking Protocol that enables users to wander around their office building, while remaining connected to their network via a mobile device. It will be priced at $60 per client and $320 per server. The company has also launched a TCP/IP gateway under the name of Roamabout Transport Communications Software, which is designed to offer multiple, wide-area carrier support options. This will cost $200 per client and $800 per server. On the hardware side, it has launched the Roamabout Access Point, a bridge to connect portable devices to the local area network. The access point, which is available in stand-alone and hub-based configurations, provides connections between a wired Ethernet network and a PCMCIA interface. It starts at $600. To cover the PCMCIA issue, the company has released a PCMCIA network adaptor for a Type II slot. It uses spread-spectrum frequency modulation technology for wireless connection to the network. This will set you back $600. They’re all shipping now.

Microsoft gets the message

To deal with electronic messaging, Digital Equipment the Microsoft Mail driver for DEC MAILworks. Working through the Microsoft Mail user interface, the driver hooks into the company’s client-server messaging system and throws up new options onto the user’s desktop. These new options enable users to send and receive mail through DEC MAILworks, link into X.500 directory services directly, store their message on a DEC MAILworks-controlled server and conect to all gateways hanging off the MAILbus architecture. The driver will be shipping next month, and start at a price of $50 per desktop.

Linkworks object-oriented groupware

DEC has launched its Linkworks object-oriented groupware on the OpenVMS and OS/2 servers. The product, which is already shipping on DEC’s Ultrix system alongside Santa Cruz Unix, HP-UX, IBM AIX and DEC OSF/1. The product can hook a workgroup into most productivity applications, but with this release the company has gone a little further, adding support for five new workgroup applications; Lotus cc:Mail, Microsoft Mail, Teamlinks Mail and Lotus Notes, and access to the All-In-1 file cabinet. Shipping in May, it will cost $300 per user.

Accessworks middleware server

DEC’s middleware server package called Accessworks, has been launched for OSF/1, Windows NT and OpenVMS on the Alpha AXP environment, and offers Novell Inc IPX/SPX support. Included within the package is the Accessworks DB Integrator option that enables users to access data on a variety of different systems using Structured Query Language commands. The DB Integrator software, which was formerly shipping only on the VAX, will be available for OpenVMS on Alpha AXP this month, OSF/1 in June and Windows NT in December, costing from $1,070. In addition, users can now hook into a number of different databases including Digital Standard M, (formerly MUMPS), Database Management Systems and Sybase, and data can now be stored in Oracle, Sybase or Rdb databases. Accessworks is priced at $11,621 and is shipping now for OpenVMS and in April for OSF/1.

Polycenter enterprise management range

Not a shop for parrots, Polycenter is in fact a raft of different products designed to handle enterprise management. There are over a dozen products in the suite: Polycenter Manager on NetView v2.1 for DEC OSF/1 handles nework management for heterogeneous multivendor devices and open networks using SNMP Simple Network Management Protocol, while Polycenter PathDoctor v1.0 is a simpler network management product to evaluate the performance of SNMP networks. Polycenter Software Asset Management deals with census and inventory, software distribution and installation, licence management and software upgrade planning. The product can also detect over 3,000 software titles. Some modules within Software Asset Management have been made available for other platforms; Polycenter System Census for PC Lans v1.2

now supports OS/2 and Macintosh, while Polycenter Software Distribution v3.0 supports the OpenVMS AXP operating environment. The firm is also planning a Windows NT-based product to centralise, integrate and automate software asset management tasks. Polycenter ‘Lights Out’ computing covers automated fault management tasks, detecting faults in client-server systems, particularly those on local networks and wide area networks, and automates the necessary response. Also, Polycenter Console Manager v1.1 has been launched for OpenVMS on VAX and AXP, and OSF/1, to centralise control and communications of up to 200 system console and devices. Polycenter FullSail V1.3, is a Unix system management tool, now supports HP-UX and IBM RS/6000 support to the list of Unix operating systems supported. Storage management products announced include the Polycenter Hierarchical Storage Management v1.1 for OSF/1 automatically transfers files from magnetic storage to optical devices and back again. Polycenter Advanced File System and Utilities adds an on-line file defragement utility, while the Polycenter Networker Save and Restore v2.2 for OpenVMS VAX provides on-line, automated back-up for multivendor systems in a networked TCP/IP environment. The new version backs up Unix and MS-DOS clients to an OpenVMS VAX server and manage the process from a VAX.

DEC DBA Workcenter database management

The DEC DBA Workcenter software is a database management tool so that users can manage DEC, Oracle, Sybase, Informix and Ingres databases from a single point according to the firm. There are four components within the software; the ‘Director’ console, which discovers applications and nodes and displays them as icons. It also does a modest amount of operating system monitoring. There are knowledge modules for Rdb, Oracle, Ingres, Sybase and Informix, expert software for developing Rdb applications and DECtrace software, which enables users to tune database applications. The Open VMS and OSF/1 versions of the package will be available in June, and will start at $16,000. (The modules are out separately). There are Windows and NT versions planned.

Multi-Level Security Plus

DEC Multi-Level Security Plus v3.0 is a security-enhanced version of the OSF/1 operating system. It runs on Alpha AXP meets B1 and CMW security requirements, and includes Window-enhanced versions of the OSF/Motif v1.2 window manager and the X11.5 window server. It costs from $3,000, this spring.