Documentary of MFENET, a national computer network
The national Magnetic Fusion Energy Computer Network (MFENET) is a newly operational star network of geographically separated heterogeneous hosts and a communications subnetwork of PDP-11 processors. Host processors interfaced to the subnetwork currently include a CDC 7600 at the Central Computer Center (CCC) and several DECsystem-10's at User Service Centers (USC's). The network was funded by a U.S. government agency (ERDA) to provide in an economical manner the needed computational resources to magnetic confinement fusion researchers. Phase I operation of MFENET distributed the processing power of the CDC 7600 among the USC's through the provision of file transport between any two hosts and remote job entry to the 7600. Extending the capabilities of Phase I, MFENET Phase II provided interactive terminal access to the CDC 7600 from the USC's. A file management system is maintained at the CCC for all network users. The history and development of MFENET are discussed, with emphasis on the protocols used to link the host computers and the USC software. Comparisons are made of MFENET versus ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Computer Network) and DECNET (Digital Distributed Network Architecture). DECNET and MFENET host-to host, host-to-CCP, and link protocols are discussed in detail. The USC--CCP interface is described briefly. 43 figures, 2 tables.
- Research Organization:
- California Univ., Livermore (USA). Lawrence Livermore Lab.
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 7209482
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-52317
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
COMPUTER NETWORKS
DESIGN
THERMONUCLEAR REACTIONS
CDC COMPUTERS
DATA PROCESSING
EQUIPMENT INTERFACES
JOINING
PDP COMPUTERS
COMPUTERS
FABRICATION
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEOSYNTHESIS
PROCESSING
990200* - Mathematics & Computers
700100 - Fusion Energy- Plasma Research