X-no-Archive:yes
Permit me to interrupt a survey in progress, but I wish to point out the
premise for the survey is flawed, or a least, incomplete.

DHCP, Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol for those who are unsure of the
acronym, is a nice utility provided with NT Server.  You know, one of the
things that make up the difference between NTS and NTW.  What this service
does is to keep track of currently in-use IP addresses in its pool, and
assigns an address to any node that requests an address.  Along with the IP
address, it also provides for ancillary information, such as gateway
address, DNS server addresses, domain name, WINS server address, etc. . .

So, when a system which can use DHCP data is connected to the network, it
requests an address from any DHCP server.  If there is a DHCP server on the
network, within "earshot" of the request, it will respond with a brand
spanking new address (a lease in DHCP parlance) and all the information it
has about the network.  The requesting node then says that it either
accepts of rejects the proffered lease.  If it accepts it, it configures
its TCP/IP stack with the information and away it goes.

So far, so good.  Now one of the problems of not having a nailed IP address
is that you can't have a HOSTS file with valid addresses.  After all, the
address Alpha has today, may be different tomorrow and Beta may have
Alpha's IP address tomorrow.  So to help with this, NT Server also comes
with something known as WINS, Windows Internet Naming Service.  What this
does is that it keeps track of the IP leases handed out by DHCP and also
captures the computer name to which this addressed has been leased.  Thus
it is able to provide an address to resolve the name when someone wants to
talk to Alpha or Beta.

So DHCP, without some form of WINS on the HP 3000, is not very useful.

However, things change.  With Windows 2000, WINS goes away and is
completely replaced by DNS.  DNS on Windows 2000 will be able to keep track
of leases.

So maybe the 3000 can do the same thing, which is to offer DNS with the
ability to keep track of dynamically leased addresses.

Now back to the survey.

We have a need for DHCP.  We have it running on the NT Server.

I would vote no on DHCP on the 3000.  I do not believe it wise to try and
have the HP 3000 do everything.  I believe the resources would be better
utilized in other areas of MPE.

I would definitely not want to pay for it on the 3000, as I already have it
for free with NTS.

Kind regards,

Denys. . .

Denys Beauchemin
HICOMP America, Inc.
(800) 323-8863  (281) 288-7438         Fax: (281) 355-6879
denys at hicomp.com                             www.hicomp.com



-----Original Message-----
From:   Tony Furnivall [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent:   Friday, 26 March, 1999 12:49 AM
To:     [log in to unmask]
Subject:        traceroute, bootp and .... DHCP Survey

Hi there,

I'd be very interested in starting a discussion on the need (whatever it
may
be) for DHCP on the HP3000. The reason for this is very simple. When I go
to
a site to do an MPE Training class, I sometimes need to have an NT server
available to provide DHCP services to attendees who may be connecting to my
HP3000 via the network.

It is particularly frutrating to be standing there extolling the many
virtues of the HP3000 and to have to admit that, "No, I need this NT box
just so you can connect more easily". It leaves a bitter taste, and also
means that NT gets in the door.

On a recent HP Distributed Classroom presentation, about NT
interooperability, Alvina Nishimoto observed that NT had snuck into data
centers by providing simple services first, and then making itself more and
more useful. With the recent explosion of interoperability services on the
HP3000, I wonder how many, like myself, would be interested in adding DHCP
to the list?

So, a couple of quick questions:

1.  Do you have an immediate or short-term need for DHCP capabilities?
(Please desrcibe to the extent that you can)

2.  Do you presently have an NT server, or other existing mechanism for
meeting that need?

3.  Would you be interested in having DHCP available on the HP3000?

4.  Would your interest extend to actually paying for DHCP (shudder! ;-)

Thanks for you interest - please make certain that "DHCP Survey" appears in
the subject of your repsonse, so I can summarize and post the results.

Tony