Memory Channel questions

From: Eugene Chu <chu_at_musp0.Jpl.Nasa.Gov>
Date: Thu, 15 Jan 1998 17:48:31 -0800

Hi Folks,

According to the docs I've read at the DEC WEB site, in order to connect
more than two nodes together with the Memory Channel Interconnect, a
Memory Channel Hub is needed, much like HPPI or FDDI. Can anyone tell me
the internal structure of this hub? Is it a simple CSMA/CD hub, like
most simple 10/100 BT or FDDI hubs, or is it a non-blocking crossbar
switch, like most HPPI switches?

If the hub is a non-blocking switch, does the MCI have any performance
advantages over a HPPI configuration? (Assuming we use TCP/IP as the
transport among nodes.) I'm sure there are some benefits of the MCI over
HPPI if the TruCluster software suite is used with it, but I think MPI is
sufficient for what we need to do. HPPI also has the advantage of being
an "open" interface, like Ethernet or FDDI.

Also, there appears to be 3 different levels of licensing for the
TruCluster software: enterprise, departmental, and workgroup. Can
anyone explain the differences to me?

thanks in advance,
eyc
Received on Fri Jan 16 1998 - 02:40:21 NZDT

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