[Linux-decnet-user] Well, i think i need help :)

[<sa...@ba...>]

Regards to all, first thing: sorry about my bad english
well i have one prity nice duty to make connection between 
old vax-es and new IS:)

Situation is as follow:
We have old mashines:
Iskra Delta 4850 / VAX/VMS v4.2 (ex yugoslav version on Digital VAX)
Digital VAX 6000-310 / VAX/VMS v5.4-2
Digital micro VAX 3100/310 /VAX/VMS v5.4-2
Terminal servers Digital DSRVF-B ( 2 peaces for users)

all this equipment is networked in some old kind of network
DECnet protokol, but there is no normal Eth. card (exept micro VAX)
I think they call this netowk somthing like "fat" Ethernet. In tehnical
manual for micro VAX is information about that computer have port for Thin
Ehernet (like BNC port for 10Mbps networks). Also terminal servers have
ethernet ports like that. (i do not have any addtional old network cables
ecept used cables). 
There is no any version of MiniNET on that VAX-es. I can make serial
connection with speed 1200 bps :(. But problem is there
is no kermit on that mashines and there is no C compiler on that mashines,
so i can not transfer source of cermit, and recompile it, and use kermit
for binary transfer. I can only connect acros serial port and receive/send
ASCI
files. Ofcourse i don't have uuencode/decode. But dabases have almoust 1GB
of data. How i can transfer that onto slow serial port !!!

Several days i try find on internet way how to connect those dinosaurs 
on normal network for exchaning of files. 

Old IS is in function now, but maintenance is very expensive and one day
that system must die. 

My idea is : put one linux server into room with that old mashines with
instaled DECnet for linux, which will be used for commucations between
old mashines and rest of world :)
But the questions are :

1. Can i install normal 10Mbps network card with BNC conector on linux
server and with coax cable connect to micro VAX (with terminators
ofcourse), install DECnet onto linux an be able to send and recive files ?
between micro VAX and linux server.

2. Or i need to find ( i do not now how and where ?) network interface
card for that old Ethernet and install that card into linux mashine and
driver for that card, and connect on to exist DECnet network, and send
and recive files.

3. I use suse linux 7.0 and kernel 2.2.14 it is prity hard (beacause my
home is in bosnia ) to order new
version of suse. Is DECnet work on my version of suse. On which
distribution DECnet is work 100 %, how i can find that distribution ?

4. Is that all what i need. Is that good idea at all ? Or i need somthing
more and diferent ?

5. My i use that linux mashine like some kind of gateway, for example if i
need some users to have terminal session onto old VAX-es. My i use TELNET
service to connect ont linux and from linux I_DO_NOT_KNOW_WHAT to connect
ont VAX logging and work ? My i create for example VAX user on linux and
write small script for connecting onto VAX/VMS ?

6. I am able to write CON scripts on VAX sides, and shell scripts on
linux side for transparent sihronization of folders VAX-linux. Do you
think it is good idea ? Or i can find some exting tools for that ?

Thats all for first calling. Thanx to all good poeples who reads this
message and who are ready for answer :)

regards,

Sasa Buric