> On Fri, 25 Oct 1996, Erik E. Fair wrote:
> 
> > And to think that they had the sense to start with BSD UNIX on the RT, 
> > years ago...
> 
> That's not exactly the story I heard. I thought that they had something
> they called AIX even then (but, like the i386 or BigIron versions the name
> was what was most common between them). Then, when the three node setups
> used to build an early version of the internet (ARPAnet?) the customer
> demanded real BSD. (I can't remember what the setup was called either).
> So they ported 4.2, for "academic environments".

Boy is MY memory ever rusty.

The RT with AOS was one of my more "enjoyable" experiences with BSD UNIX..

I don't have the details handy, but I did at one point have a nice summary
of how the NSFnet was built using these boxes.  The RT's were used as
route processors, with specialized hardware to handle the routing itself.

Ahhhhhhhhhh...  here we go.


   Submitter: David Snearline <davids@engin.umich.edu>

   NSFnet used the 6151 desktop model RT systemss for the NSS's (Nodal
   Switching Stations).  Each RT in the group had two interface cards: 
   one IBM token ring, and one other interface (ethernet, T1, etc).
   A typical NSS would look like:
                          +---- local ethernet
                          |
                        +---+
                        |   | IBM RT
                        |   |
                        +---+
                         | |
                         | |  +---+ IBM RT
                         | +--|   |
        Token Ring ----> +----|   |---- T-1 to another NSS
                              +---+
        (more RTs here)

   Except for backup links in some places, most of the RT NSS's have been
   replaced by RS/6000's, which have all of the cards in one workstation.
   Most of the RTs are sitting around, waiting to be used for parts or
   dismantled.  ANS/Merit could probably give you more details on when this
   switchover occurred, but I believe that November 1992 was one of the
   official changeover dates.


I have seen a better description, but this may be suitable unless somebody
is really interested in making me _dig_...

... JG