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Choosing HP Networking Software  



Choosing HP Networking Software for OpenVMS Systems describes the HP layered networking software for OpenVMS systems. The software is available for you to install during the OpenVMS operating system installation or upgrade procedure. Or, you can install the software separately as layered products.

Table 1   Choosing HP Networking Software for OpenVMS Systems
Product Description
HP TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS
TCP/IP Services is the HP implementation of the industry-standard Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) suite of protocols and Internet services for OpenVMS VAX, Alpha, and I64 systems. If your OpenVMS system needs to communicate with heterogeneous networks (such as the Internet, UNIX systems, and Windows NT systems), you should choose HP TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS software. With TCP/IP Services, you can connect to remote hosts and access files, exchange messages, develop applications, monitor the network, and perform other important tasks.

You can use TCP/IP Services on your system as your only networking software. OpenVMS does not require that you use DECnet software.

TCP/IP protocols can coexist with DECnet-Plus protocols. You can install TCP/IP Services to serve as your network backbone and install DECnet-Plus as well, so that you can continue to use DECnet applications and functionality. For information about using DECnet protocols over an IP backbone, see Using DECnet Over TCP/IP.

For an introduction to installing, using, and managing TCP/IP Services software, see Understanding HP TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS.
DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS (Phase V)
DECnet-Plus is the HP Phase V implementation of the Digital Network Architecture (DNA). The software provides full backward compatibility with the older DECnet Phase IV product as well as the ability to run DECnet (NSP) and OSI over a DECnet, OSI, or TCP/IP network backbone. For information about using DECnet and OSI protocols over an IP backbone, see Using DECnet Over TCP/IP.

If your OpenVMS system needs to communicate using DECnet (Phase IV and Phase V) or OSI applications and protocols, and if your system needs to coexist with TCP/IP or OSI protocols, or both, you should choose DECnet-Plus software.

If you are gradually upgrading your network from DECnet Phase IV, the DECnet-Plus features help you by allowing you to use Phase IV functionality as well as the newer OSI features and advantages.

For an introduction to installing, using, and managing DECnet-Plus software, see Understanding DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS Networking Software.

Note: Because DECnet-Plus contains both DNA Phase IV and Phase V protocols, you cannot run the separate DECnet Phase IV software product on the same system on which you install DECnet-Plus.

For information about upgrading to DECnet-Plus, see the Decnet-Plus Planning Guide.
DECnet for OpenVMS (Phase IV)
DECnet Phase IV is the HP Phase IV implementation of the Digital Network Architecture (DNA). The product does not include the OSI protocols and the TCP/IP communications capability of the later DECnet-Plus (Phase V) product. You can run TCP/IP Services software on your system along with DECnet Phase IV, but you cannot run IP as the network backbone.

If you intend to use your OpenVMS system to communicate in the traditional OpenVMS environment rather than a heterogeneous environment, you might want to choose DECnet Phase IV, the older DECnet product.

This chapter does not contain summary product information about the older DECnet Phase IV product. For information about using DECnet Phase IV, refer to the DECnet for OpenVMS Networking Manual and the DECnet for OpenVMS Network Management Utilities manual (available on the OpenVMS Documentation CD-ROM).

HP Networking Software Interoperability Options lists possible networking software combinations for communication between OpenVMS systems.

Table 2   HP Networking Software Interoperability Options
If System A has... And System B has... Systems A and B can communicate using...
TCP/IP Services
TCP/IP Services
TCP/IP applications
DECnet Phase IV
DECnet Phase IV
DECnet applications
DECnet-Plus
DECnet-Plus
DECnet applications

OSI applications
DECnet-Plus
DECnet Phase IV
DECnet applications
DECnet-Plus
OSI
OSI applications
TCP/IP Services and DECnet Phase IV
TCP/IP Services
TCP/IP applications
TCP/IP Services and DECnet Phase IV
DECnet Phase IV
DECnet applications
TCP/IP Services and DECnet-Plus
TCP/IP Services
TCP/IP applications
TCP/IP Services and DECnet-Plus
DECnet-Plus
DECnet applications

OSI applications
TCP/IP Services and DECnet-Plus
TCP/IP Services and DECnet-Plus
OSI applications

DECnet applications

DECnet applications using DECnet over TCP/IP

OSI applications using OSI over TCP/IP

TCP/IP applications
TCP/IP Services and DECnet-Plus
OSI (supporting RFC 1006) and TCP/IP Services
OSI applications

OSI over TCP/IP

TCP/IP applications
TCP/IP Services and DECnet-Plus
OSI (not supporting RFC 1006) and TCP/IP Services
OSI applications

TCP/IP applications


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