WVNET in the Early '90s
1990
January 1990
WVNET began to experiment with NFS files. We installed the the NFS feature of VM TCP/IP and tested FTP Software's Interdrive product. WVNET committed to running the PROBLEM software as our problem management system. A connection was created with ISS's CICS in Charleston so that anyone with access to WVNET IBM systems could logon there and access the Vendor Registration file. This was another step in the direction of making WVNET applications available to ISS users and ISS applications available to WVNET users.February 1990
WVNET created a Communications Futures committee to study the removal of DCA equipment and design a plan for future access to WVNET. The committee includes WVNET communications personel, Unisys system programmers, an IBM system programmer, and DEC system programmers.March 1990
WVNET installed the BANNER Student Information System's Alumni software on the VAX at Glenville State College. Several meeetings of the Communications Futures Committee were held. Several Vendor presentations were also scheduled.April 1990
WVNET moved datasets on the private Wylbur disk volumes to STORAGE volumes. The WYLxxx volumes were eliminated. These volumes under those names and other names have long been a feature of WVNET computing for Wylbur users.June 1990
A VAX 8250 was installed as part of the central site VAXcluster. The VAX 8250 was donated by Digital to replace the original Software Valley VAX 11/780. WVNET staff installed a Vitalink TransLAN 350 Ethernet bridge at the central site. This bridge, which supports two T1 connections, is used to connect both sites of WVU's Concurrent Engineering Research Center (CERC) to the statewide Ethernet. WVNET assisted the University of Waterloo in creating a release of Waterloo SCRIPT which will run under VM/XA in extended architecture (XA) mode. The XA-compatible release is now in production. Changes were made to the Top Secret security system to separate user ID's and account numbers. This will allow the creation of user ID's which do not conform to the current "Uxxxx" or "VMxxxx" format. WVNET's BITNET line is now running on top of the T1 TCP/IP line going to the University of Maryland. The old Software Valley VAX 11/780 was deinstalled. This was the last VAX 11/780 in use at the central site; the first one was installed in 1980.July 1990
WVNET assisted in the final deinstallation of the remaining PDP-11/44 computers at the institutions. All PDPs except the one which will remain at Shepherd have now been deinstalled. As part of the deinstallations, all remote DCA equipment (except at Shepherd and WVU) were removed. WVNET installed JNET VMNET software on the central site MicroVAX II. This software is used to provide a VMNET link between the MicroVAX and VM. This new link will soon replace the 56kb communications line between the MicroVAX and our MVS operating system, which currently handles all NJE traffic between the institutional VAXes and MVS. The new link will provide improved job submission turnaround between the VAXes and MVS.August 1990
The first non-central site TSO users were added to our MVS system. These users are from Micro Integration. Special procedure, program, and help libraries were set up to accommodate these users. A special Top Secret profile was created for outside TSO users. These users will be testing software for TSO and are a very limited use of TSO. Version 3 of WVMAIL has been written and is currently being tested by the IBM systems group. This new version is based on the IBM product ISPF and makes full use of 3270 terminals. Digital's VAX RDB database software was installed on the central site VAXcluster. RDB is a relational database with an SQL interface. The BITNET link between the central site JNET MicroVAX and IBM systems was converted to an Ethernet based VMNET link. The line speed between WVNET and IS&C has been increased from 9.6k baud to 56k baud.September 1990
WVNET staff installed TSO/Extended on MVS. This software adds the following features to MVS (1) the Debug command; (2) the REXX language; and (3) SEND and RECEIVE files to BITNET. TSO/Extended was needed to install ORACLE and will be used at some future date to deliver TSO to WVNET's MVS users. Two RA90 disk drives were installed on the VAXcluster.October 1990
WVNET has installed ORACLE, ISPF, and ISPF/PDF on MVS. This version of ORACLE will be used to run the BANNER system. The ISPF and ISPF/PDF products will be used to install and maintain ORACLE, MVS, and other applications. At some future date, WVNET will use ISPF and ISPF/PDF to deliver TSO to it's MVS users. Shepherd was upgraded to 56KB line. This leaves only one school (Potomac State) on a slow analog line for Ethernet.November 1990
WVMAIL Version 3.0 was released to the public in test status. WVNET announced the availability of personalized userids to users. Users can now select their own 1-7 character userids, subject to certain restrictions.December 1990
WVNET installed an IBM 3090-300E mainframe super-computer. This computer will soon replace WVNET's 3081D and 3081KX. The 3090-300E has 32 channels, 128 megabytes of central storage, 128 megabytes of expanded storage, and 3 vectors for high performance computing. The 3090 will deliver to WVNET's IBM users approximately twice the computing power as both previous computers. The 3090 is rated at about 45 MIPS, versus 10 MIPS for the 3081D and 15 MIPS for the 3081KX. WVNET started planning an upgrade to VM/ESA and MVS/ESA. |
IBM 3090-300E
Standing taller than a grown person, the IBM 3090 consisted of a main unit and three "vectors," which added the supercomputing capability. This mainframe provided continuous service through Janary 1997. |
1991
January 1991
The last problems associated with running most CMS users in XA mode have been addressed and this change is scheduled for the middle of February. The RPF to upgrade WVNET communication has been awarded and the implementation plan is being developed. This communication upgrade will replace WVNET's DCA switch with a terminal server solution. The complete replacement of the DCA 375s will take many months. In the future all former DCA users will be routed to WVNET services over an Ethernet LAN.February 1991
NETNEWS was installed on VM/CMS and ANUNEWS was installed on VMS. These are network news systems which allow users to read both local and international news sources. Work is in progress to install the Xyplex terminal servers which will replace WVNET's DCAs. WVNET is now running an IBM RISC/6000 POWERserver 930 and the initial group of WVU adminstrative users are developing several applications under the System Z software develpment environment from Zortec, Inc. This computer was named EXODUS.March 1991
MSC/NASTRAN Version 66 was installed on MVS; this new release makes use of our IBM 3090's vector facilities for large performance improvements. WVNET and WVU are now in the process of testing the MVS version of BANNER.April 1991
TCP/IP Version 2 was installed on VM. This release provides print services for the EXODUS machine. CONCORD was added to the WVNET domain name space to enable TCP/IP traffic to Concord College. With the removal of the Unisys 1100/90 system from service at the end of April, the WVNET Unisys systems division will cease to exist. Former Unisys systems staff members were reassigned to support WVNET's Unix systems.May 1991
Three accounts have given access to the TSO system; WVNET plans to make TSO available to the public in the near future. We installed a Token Ring MAU (multi-station access unit) and connected our EXODUS Unix machine to the Token Ring and bridged the Token Ring to WVU's Stewart Hall. WVNET is planning Token Ring support for any interested school, and plans to bridge Token Ring and Ethernet at WVNET. This will allow Token Ring users access to the Internet. A MicroVAX 2000 has been installed to provide IBM Linemode support for users of the new Xyplex communication system and the Xyplex Maxservers are now in production. This equipment replaces most of the WVNET DCA equipment. The last of WVNET's DCA equipment is scheduled to be removed in July of 1992.June 1991
WVNET has completed the setup of print capabilities for the EXODUS machine. Users can now print to any MVS printer or any Ethernet printer using the same print command, including special forms requests. CMU's TCP/IP X-windows support has been installed on the VAXcluster. This software will be used at West Virginia Southern Community College.July 1991
A new version of the TAPEEDIT utility was installed under MVS/XA. It includes support for migration of reel tapes to tape cartridges. WVNET plans to encourage all users to migrate to tape cartridges. A RS/6000 Model 530 has been used to test Banner on a Risc Architecture Machine. WVNET will also run this benchmark on a DEC Risc machine. WVNET has installed UniREXX and UniXedit on our RISC/6000 machines. These products mimic the powerful programming language and full-screen editor available on VM, providing a more familiar environment for users coming to the AIX platform from the IBM mainframe.August 1991
Printing from VM has been redesigned and simplified. Support for TCP/IP network printers has been included. A new session manager (NVAS) was installed and placed into production; NVAS replaced SIM3270.September 1991
Our systems staff began the initial work on the installation of the NOTIS library system which will be used by WVU, Fairmont State, and Shepherd. It will take a period of months to bring this system up and into production for all three campuses. We installed DECwindows Motif on our WVNET VAXcluster and Local Area VAXcluster. WVNET began to make plans for installing AIX/370 on the IBM 3090-300E mainframe.October 1991
IBM's Professional Office System (PROFS) was removed from WVNET's VM/CMS system. We announced the forthcoming phaseout of IBM 3420 tapes; on July 1, 1992, we plan to reduce the number of 3420 tape drives to two. We encouraged users to migrate to 3480 cartridge tapes as soon as possible.November 1991
WVNET installed a DEC VAX 6000 model 520 super-minicomputer, which will soon replace both the VAX 8650 and the VAX 8550 in our central site VAXcluster. The 8550 was removed and the new machine installed in its place. Our DEC systems staff worked on converting RPRINT and system BACKUPS to use Interlink software. When this work is done the 8650 will be removed.
We assisted Fairmont State College in moving all of their VAX accounts from our VAXcluster to their local VAXes.
A production version of IBM's CSP product was installed on VM for the WVU School of Dentistry. This will allow them to convert the ODONTICS application from Unisys to CSP. WVNET installed "POOL DASD" on MVS to help us move users from private disks to storage volumes.
December 1991
WVNET installed a major DASD upgrade for its IBM systems, increasing our IBM systems disk storage capacity from 85 gigabytes to 150 gigabytes. In the process of this upgrade, all single density and double density 3380 disk drives were replaced with triple density disk drives, and we also converted most of our private packs to storage volumes.
WVNET now supports 9600 baud service for those users with a modem capable of these speeds. We plan to support error correction and data compression in the next fiscal year. We installed an 8209 bridge to connect the Token Ring traffic at WVU and WV Graduate College to the WVNET Ethernet. This will provide our Token Ring users with direct access to the Internet.
WVNET installed Vitalink's WANmanager software on a DECstation 3100. This software will be used to monitor problems on the Vitalink WAN. The Interlink DATAstore 1000 software was installed on the WVNET VAXcluster and MVS system. This software will be used to backup VAX Disk drives.
1992
January 1992
We configured MVS to support IBM 6262 printers, a 3172, and the 7171s for the NOTIS library system. We replaced our old STK printers with new IBM 6262 printers. We also installed the 7171 protocol converters which will be used by the libraries at WVU, Shepherd, Fairmont State, Potomac State, Parkersburg, and West Liberty to access the NOTIS library system. RPRINT on the WVNET VAXcluster was modified to use Jnet for job submission. This was done as part of the conversion to the new VAX 6000 model 520.
February 1992
WVNET installed WV CONSULT's MicroVAX 3100 at WVNET. The VMS operating system and Digital Standard MUMPS were installed on it and WV CONSULT's MUMPS database was transferred to it from our VAXcluster. A Cisco X.25 gateway was installed on the WVNET Ethernet; this will be used to provide access to the WV CONSULT database, which will furnish doctors across the state with medical information.
April/May 1992
SQL*Net was installed on MVS. This package will be used to test offloading SQL*Forms to a front end for WVU Banner use. The NOTIS Library databases were installed and loaded for Fairmont State, Shepherd, and WVU. GTO workstations and 3164 terminal support were installed for the NOTIS system. The Interlink software is running via an IBM 3172 instead of on a Microvax. This has improved performance and reliability dramatically.
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| WVNET named its Internet Gopher "MountainGopher" |
WVNET now supports a Token Ring link to West Virginia Graduate College. This link gives the AS/400 and PC users at WVGC access to the Internet. WVNET converted the statewide Ethernet from DEC-compatible Spanning Tree to IEEE 802.1d Spanning Tree. WVNET installed a PC server to act as a gateway between AIX print services and Novell printers. Running a public domain package called Charon, this PC will accept TCP/IP print requests and direct the print output to a Novell print server.
WVNET installed Banner, Oracle, and SQL*NET on two RISC/6000 systems to benchmark distributed processing for Banner. Benchmarks will be performed between the two RISC/6000's, and between a RISC/6000 and MVS.
June 1992
The WVFIMS project is underway. Some printers were defined and WVNET staff began to investigate what will be necessary to interface CUFS to WVFIMS. Multinet TCP/IP software was installed on our MicroVAX 2000. This will be used as the primary TCP/IP domain name server for the WVNET Internet domain.
July 1992
VM/ESA was installed as our production VM/CMS operating system. One of its most significant features is the Shared File System, which allows more efficient allocation of disk storage, substantially reducing disk storage costs. A new version of the 3172 software, which allows Token Ring as well as Ethernet access to our IBM mainframe, was installed. It will be used to support SNA access. The NOTIS Library system is now in production.
August 1992
The WVU Fiber backbone to WVNET was installed and lighted, and some WVU traffic was moved to fiber. IBM's TSO is now one of our production timesharing systems. We installed VAX RDB on the central site VAXcluster. This software will be used by database classes at WVU. The Clarksburg campus of Fairmont State is now connected into the statewide Ethernet network. The connection to Clarksburg is via a 56Kb line using Xyplex and Vitalink bridges. This was the last location of the WVU NOTIS library project to be connected.
September 1992
WVNET system staff participated in an AIX to MVS Banner benchmark. IBM loaned a RS/6000 model 560 to WVNET to run the benchmark. WVNET tested SQL/NET communications between the RS/6000 and MVS and Banner on the RS/6000 stand alone. The results of this benchmark will be used to answer questions for WVU on where and how they will run the Banner student information system.
October 1992
WVNET is now getting a Usenet news feed directly from SURANET. WVNET provides feeds to Marshall and WVU CERC. WVNET is now providing direct access (without logon) to the LEXUS and Penn Pages Internet services from the WVNET Xyplex terminal servers.
November 1992
The MVS/XA operating system was upgraded to be compatible with the DFP for MVS/ESA. A new verison of VMTAPE and CA1 version 5 were installed. These actions are part of our getting ready for our MVS/ESA conversion. Twenty eight Multi-Tech 14400 modems have been received, tested, and setup. These modems are part of WVNETs upgrade of dialups to higher speeds.
December 1992
The IBM Graphical Display and Query Facility was installed under VM/ESA. This package is a major part of WVNET's plans to provide desktop to mainframe graphics capabilities using the X-Windows standard. Upgraded memory on the Genesis RS/6000 from 16M to 96M. Upgrade was necessary to run the Interleaf publishing software.
1993
January 1993
The contents of the WVNET Communications Guide were made available through the Gopher server on WVNVM. The installation of the UCLA Mail System for TSO has begun. This system will give TSO users access to Internet and Bitnet mail. Installed GOPHER and Netnews software on TSO WVNET upgraded its its dialup modem pools to support 14.4 KBPS.
A Thinking Machine CM-5 parallel processor has been installed in the WVNET machine room. It's TCP/IP address is orion.wvnet.edu. This is a 16 processor machine and is owned by WVU.
February 1993
The West Virginia Library Consortium MountainLynx system was made available to the world through Gopher. Work has begun on a campus-wide information system (CWIS) for West Virginia University. As part of this effort, WVNET has installed and is testing a Gopher to SPIRES interface. WVNET has installed Multinet TCP/IP on the WVNET VAXcluster. This software provides several new functions such NFS and Gopher.
WVNET installed an SA73 disk array on the WVNET VAXcluster. This array provided an additional 2.0 Gigabytes of disk space which will be used to store the USENET feed from SURANET.
March 1993
WVNET has added direct access to NOTIS (MNTLYNX) via a second TCP/IP address. This will allow people to have easy access to the system from a Gopher menu. Version 3.1 of WVMAIL was installed on the WVNET VM system. WVNET has reconfigured the WVNET Xyplex terminal servers to allow TCP/IP Telnet access to machines at WVU. A TCP/IP domain was added for the W. Va. Institute of Technology. WVNET will provide the primary nameserver for this domain. Work continues on configuring Orion so that the system will realize full functionality.
April 1993
A Gopher interface for SPIRES data bases was installed in production under VM/ESA. This interface will be used by WVU to add database information to their CWIS system. WVNET is investigating the possible use of the SPIRES/GOPHER interface to deliver an expanded Phone book application that would contain the information in the Master Directory and Phone Book information for any instituion that wishes to participate. WVNET staff installed a Xyplex Network 9000 fifteen slot chassis and two 6800 X.25 cards at WVNET. This continues WVNET's communication network expansion.
May 1993
The AIX/ESA project has been started and the system is currently running Installed the GOPHER client software on the VAX at Northern Community College.
June 1993
The WVNET communication staff working with Marshall and WVU have re-zoned the Appletalk zones at WVU and Marshall. WVNET will in the future provide Appletalk support to allow schools to talk to each other. The MVS operating system has been upgraded from MVS/XA to MVS/ESA. WVNET helped the staff of Concord and Fairmont State in installing GOPHER. WVNET staff acquired ORACLE and BANNER for Joe Gregg at WVGC for his new RS/6000.
July 1993
The K12 news hierarchy was added to the Usenet newsfeeds at WVNET. This is part of an on going effort to help provide K12 access to Internet resources. WVNET staff went to WVGC and loaded Oracle and Banner on their new IBM RISC 6000. WVNET staff provided WVCG staff with Unix training information. WVCG plans to move from their own Adabas Student Information system to the Banner system running on AIX on an IBM RS/6000.
August 1993
WVNET increased the Ethernet bridge bandwidth between WVNET and Shepherd College from 32Kb to 56Kb. This was the last sub-56Kb bridge connection at WVNET. WVNET started implementing and testing TCP/IP SLIP on Xyplex terminal servers and Kerberos security services on the VAX Cluster. WVNET enabled TCP/IP traffic to the School of Osteopathic Medicine.
September 1993
WVNET evaluated an RFP for the installation of a new mainframe computer at the central site. This computer will be an IBM 3090-600E. WVNET installed DEC TCP/IP Services for VMS and the VMS Gopher client software on the VAX at WVU at Parkersburg. The first frame-Relay circuit to WVNET has been implemented between WVNET and Wheeling-Jesuit.
October 1993
WVNET begin the implementation of the UCLAMAIL package under MVS/TSO. As part of this effort changes were made to JES2 to support UCLAMAIL. TCP/IP traffic was enabled between WVNET and Shepherd College.
November 1993
WVNET added a new string of 3380 DASD to MVS to hold MDAS data for the WVU, Fairmont State, and Shepherd Library. Tests continue of the C&P-WVNET Frame Relay Trial. Installed a Vector Processor in WVNET's VAX 6000-520. Connected Salem-Teikyo University's local Ethernet LAN to WVNET's statewide Ethernet using Xyplex bridges.
December 1993
WVNET begin preparations for the installation of a 3090-600E at the end of January. Installed TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS and Gopher on the VAXcluster at Shepherd College.
1994
January 1994
All Marshall University faculty, staff and students were added to the Higher Education Phone Book, available through MountainGopher. WVNET installed an IBM 3090-600E, an IBM 3088, two Piller Motor Generators, an IBM 3092, two IBM 3097, a twenty ton air conditioner, a Water Chiller, and electrical power and plumbing for all above units. The 3090-600E is now running MVS/ESA and the old 3090-300E is running VM/ESA.
February 1994
A CSO Nameserver interface to the Higher Education Phone Book was written, installed and made available for testing. WVNET personnel attended a meeting a WV Tech to discuss the installation of a 3090-200J.
March 1994
WVNET installed the PMDF version 4.3-6 field test sanity kit on the WVNET VAXcluster. This release provides a Pine Email user agent. Pine is a popular Email user agent on PCs and UNIX machines. WVNET configured an IMAP Email server on the WVNET VAXcluster.
April 1994
WVNET installed AIX/ESA on a 3090-300E and plans on releasing this to the general public within the next couple of months. WVNET installed the internet tell facility on wvnvm.wvnet.edu, jazz.wvnet.edu, genesis.wvnet.edu, exodus.wvnet.edu, and wvnvaxa.wvnet.edu for testing. WVNET installed the WWW client (world wide web) under VM/ESA for testing. The specifications for an upgrade for the WVNET VAX 6000-520 were completed and released for bid. The plan is to upgrade the VAX to a 6000-620 with an additional 128 MB of memory. The ANUNEWS Usenet News software package was installed on the VAXcluster at Shepherd College. The Xchange software was installed on genesis for testing. This product provides a simple user interface for email, conferences, file management, news group management, and internet services access with multilevel security features for restricting services based on users and group membership. This software has been selected for use by WV public schools.
May 1994
On May 05, 1994, Thursday, the K12 education network in Charleston, was made operational over the frame relay network. This provides access to WVNET and the Internet for the DOE. A NCSA Mosaic World Wide Web client was installed on the WVNET VMScluster. The Mosaic client provides access to the Internet WWW using X-window displays. A LYNX World Wide Web client was also installed on the WVNET VMScluster. LYNX is a VT100 terminal based WWW client.
June 1994
A World Wide Web server and client were installed under VM. This server is intended to complement MountainGopher by serving out hypertext resources to users running World Wide Web clients such as Mosaic, Lynx and WWW-VM. The client is similar to Lynx and allows any VM user with an IBM 3270-equivalent terminal to access the World Wide Web. A Usenet News (NNTP) server was installed under VM and accessible to any user at wvnvm.wvnet.edu. WV Tech was made operational on the Frame Relay network. A secondary domain name server was configured at WVNET for the NASA Classroom of the Future's Internet domain (COTF.EDU). A POP3 Email server was configured on the WVNET VMScluster. WVNET has continued working with the Department of Education and Bell Alantic on Internet access for K12. WVNET has installed a IBM RISC/6000 model 250 to act as the server for the DOE. This machine will be located at and managed by WVNET to provide internet services for K12.
July 1994
WVNET installed a IBM Risc 6000 named access.k12.wv.us for use by K-12 students, teachers, and administrators throughout West Virginia. The first 40 users were added to the system. WVNET has been testing software such as tin, gopher, lynx, and etc. for use on access.k12.wv.us. WVNET is working with DOE and BA on the configurations and plans for the World School project. This project will hookup the schools within Bell Alantic's region to the Internet. WVNET worked with the US domain name authority at the Information Sciences Institute of the University of Southern California to transfer control of cc.wv.us, gen.wv.us, lib.wv.us, state.wv.us, and tech.wv.us from OARnet to WVNET.
August 1994
WVNET has begun to plan the installation of equipment at IS&C. This equipment which is partially funded by SURANET will be used to deliver Internet access to the IS&C central site. WVNET plans to support both Ethernet and Token Ring. WVNET Installed the MultiNet TCP/IP software package on the OpenVMS VAX system at Northern Community College along with new releases of Gopher and Anunews. WVNET has acquired a Class B internet address range for K-12. The network address is 168.216. The domain name for this network is k12.wv.us. This address range will be used for all computers at the various K-12 locations around the state, potentially 900+ schools with 1-200 personal computers at each school. The hardware being installed by Bell Atlantic for the World School project is included in this network, which connects to the WVNET backbone via frame relay connections. A POP3 mail server was installed on access.k12.wv.us for K12 use.
September 1994
The West Virginia Higher Education Phone Book was made available for general use. It includes telephone and electronic mail directory information for Marshall University and West Virginia University. Several other state schools are in the process of adding their own information to the Phone Book, which is available from anywhere in the Internet. Nearly 300 teachers are now registered on the K-12 ACCESS server. Most of these users have been or will soon be trained on using Internet resources. Cooperation continues between WVNET and the Department of Education in developing services and policies to provide a comprehensive set of resources to teachers and students both in the classroom (via LAN connections) and in the home (via dialups).
October 1994
WVNET and the Library Consortium has started work on setting up the Parkersburg OPAC for the Notis Library System. NOTIS library terminals were configured to bring the Robert C. Byrd Aerospace Education Center on line. The NFS (Network File System) is now available on the WVNET VMScluster. Technical support was given to WV State to help their transition from a local Vax to an IBM RS/6000. The Shepherd College electronic phone book has been loaded. The access.k12.wv.us machine is rapidly expanding and has 450 users registered.
November 1994
WVNET consulted with the U.S. Forest Service's Morgantown laboratory in regard to converting to their own class C TCP/IP addresses. Bell Atlantic has nearly completed the first 50 schools in the World School project, and more and more users are requesting accounts as training and hardware installations are completed.
December 1994
WVNET has installed equipment to connect IS&C's backbone Token Ring to WVNET over Frame Relay. This establishes a link to the Internet for IS&C. WVNET is now working with the West Virginia Library Commission, the West Virginia Academic Library Consortium, the West Virginia Department of Education, and Secretary of Educations and Arts on a new library grant program. This West Virginia InfoMine project will upgrade the public libraries across the state, upgrade the academic libraries, install work stations in several public schools, and tie this elements together in a network for the sharing of information world wide.
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