The Banyan Network, known as VINES (Virtual Networking System),
is based on the UNIX operating system. VINES uses UNIX multi-user,
multi-tasking characteristics to internetwork LANs and WANs. The
Banyan suite includes the following protocols:
- VARP - VINES Address Resolution Protocol.
- VIP - VINES Internet Protocol.
- ICP - Internet Control Protocol.
- RTP - Routing Update Protocol.
- IPC - InterProcess Communications Protocol.
- SPP - Sequenced Packet Protocol.
- NetRPC - NetRemote Procedure Call.
- StreetTalk.
The following diagram illustrates the Banyan protocol suite in
relation to the OSI model:
_files/image27.gif)
Banyan protocol suite in
relation to the OSI model
VARP
The VINES Address Resolution Protocol (VARP), is used for finding
node Data Link Control (DLC) addresses from the node IP
address.
Frames
VARP frames can be one of the following types:
[service request]
|
Requests ARP
service. |
[service reply]
|
Acknowledges ARP
service available. |
[assign request]
|
Requests assignment
of IP address. |
[assign reply]
|
Assigns IP address.
|
Parameters
VARP packets have the following parameters:
Network Network number of servers responding to ARP requests and
the network number assigned to the station requesting an IP address.
Server serial
number Decimal equivalent of the
server network number i.e., the server key number.
Subnet Subnet number assigned to the system requesting a VINES
IP address.
VIP
The VINES Internet Protocol (VIP) moves datagrams throughout the
network.
Hop count Maximum number of server hops that the packet can make
before a server discards them. VIP decrements the hop count at each
server (routing node).
Error flag Error flag determines the action on routing errors. If
set to one, an ICP error frame is generated if a routing error
occurs with the packet.
Metric flag When set to one, the destination server sends an ICP
metric frame to report the routing cost to the destination end
node.
Broadcast
class VIP uses the broadcast class
with the hop count to determine the routing requirements of
broadcast packets. Broadcast classes are as follows:
0 |
All reachable nodes
regardless of cost. |
1 |
All nodes reachable at
moderate cost. |
2 |
All nodes reachable at low
cost. |
3 |
All nodes on the
LAN. |
4 |
All reachable servers
regardless of cost. |
5 |
All servers reachable at
moderate cost. |
6 |
All servers reachable at low
cost. |
7 |
All servers on the
LAN. |
Destination Internet
address The VINES Internet address of
the destination node, consists of an 8-digit hexadecimal network
number and a 4-digit subnetwork or user number in the form
XXXXXXXX.XXXX. VIP uses the subnetwork number 0x0001 for servers.
Work stations have subnet numbers starting with 0x8000.
Source Internet
address The VINES Internet address of
the source node given in the same form as the destination Internet
address.
ICP
The Internet Control Protocol (ICP), is used to notify errors and
changes in network topology. ICP frames may contain the following
parameters:
Cost Routing cost in seconds to reach the specified
destination node as given in ICP metric frames.
Communication
error The error message returned by
ICP error frames. Possible messages are as follows:
{Invalid socket}
|
Specified socket
invalid. |
{Resource in use}
|
Resource already in
use. |
{Invalid operation}
|
Specified operation
invalid. |
{Bad MemAddr par}
|
Invalid memory
address parameter. |
{Dest unreachable}
|
Destination node
unreachable. |
{Message overflow}
|
Message overflow.
|
{Bad Dest socket}
|
Invalid destination
socket. |
{Bad Addr family}
|
Invalid address
family. |
{Bad socket type}
|
Specified socket
does not exist. |
{Bad protocol}
|
Protocol does not
exist. |
{No more sockets}
|
No more sockets
available. |
{No more buffers}
|
No buffer space
available. |
{Timed out}
|
Connection time out.
|
{Bad operation}
|
Unsupported
operation. |
{Resource unavail}
|
Resource
unavailable. |
{Comm failure}
|
Internal
communication failure. |
{H/W Reset failure}
|
Hardware controller
reset failure. |
{ARP error}
|
Internet address
resolution error. |
{User terminated}
|
User terminated
request. |
{Protocol reset}
|
Protocol reset
occurred. |
{Protocol discnct}
|
Protocol disconnect
occurred. |
{User aborted}
|
User aborted
message. |
{Resource discnct}
|
Resource
disconnected. |
RTP
The Routing Update Protocol (RTP) is used to distribute network
topology.
Packets
RTP packets may be of the following types:
[router update]
|
Routing update from
a router (server). |
[endnode update]
|
Routing update from
an end node (workstation). |
Frame Parameters
RTP [router update] packets have the following parameters:
Routing table
size Number of entries in the routing
table as returned by routing response packets. The routing entry for
each known router is given in the form: XXXXXX(CC), where XXXXXXX is
the server number and CC is the routing cost to reach the server in
units of 0.2 seconds.
Host system
type The host system type may be as
follows:
XT, MB |
PC-XT class with multi-buffered
LAN controller. |
AT, SB |
PC-AT class with
single-buffered LAN controller. |
AT, MB |
PC-AT class with multi-buffered
LAN controller. |
Single-buffered LAN controllers use hardware/software that
require this protocol to load and transmit each data block one at a
time, while multi-buffered LAN controllers are capable of
transmitting streams of data.
IPC
The InterProcess Communications (IPC) protocol provides both
datagram and reliable message delivery service.
Frames
IPC frames may be one of the following types:
[data] |
Bulk data transfer.
|
[error] |
Transport layer
error notification. |
[detach] |
Request to
disconnect transport connection. |
[probe] |
Request for
retransmission of missed frame. |
[data ack]
|
Acknowledgment of
data transfer. |
Frame Parameters
IPC frames have the following parameters:
Source port Message buffer interface used by the transport layer to
access the transport protocol.
Destination
port Local destination port in use by
the transport layer.
Sequence
number Numeric index used to track
the order of frames transmitted across a virtual connection. Each
direction of data flow across the virtual connection uses an
independent set of sequence numbers.
Acknowledgement
number Last sequence number received
from the other side of the virtual connection. For IPC error
packets, the sequence number of the packet causing the error
notification.
Source connection
ID Reference code used to identify
the sending side of a virtual connection.
Destination connection
ID Reference code used to identify
the receiving side of a virtual connection.
SPP
The Sequenced Packet Protocol (SPP) provides a reliable virtual
connection service for private connections.
Frames
SPP frames may be one of the following types:
[detach] |
Request to
disconnect transport connection. |
[probe] |
Request for
retransmission of missed frame. |
[data ack]
|
Acknowledgment of
data transfer. |
Frame Parameters
SPP frames have the following parameters:
Source port Message buffer interface used by the transport layer to
access the transport protocol.
Destination
port Local destination port in use by
the transport layer.
Sequence
number Numeric index used to track
the order of frames transmitted across a virtual connection. Each
direction of data flow across the virtual connection uses an
independent set of sequence numbers.
Acknowledgement
number Last sequence number received
from the other side of the virtual connection.
Source connection
ID Reference code used to identify
the sending side of a virtual connection.
Destination connection
ID Reference code used to identify
the receiving side of a virtual connection.
NetRPC
The NetRemote Procedure Call (NetRPC) protocol is used to access
VINES applications such as StreetTalk and VINES Mail. A program
number and version identify all VINES applications. Calls to VINES
applications must specify the program number, program version, and
the specific procedure within the program, where applicable.
Frames
NetRPC frames may be one of the following types:
[request] |
Request from a VINES client.
|
[reply] |
Response from a
VINES application. |
Frame Parameters
NetRPC frames can contain the following parameters:
Transaction
ID Code used to match NetRPC requests
with NetRPC replies.
Program
number Code used to refer to the
requested application.
Version
number Version number of the
requested program.
Procedure
number Procedure number of the
requested program.
Error
status Error status of the NetRPC
reply.
StreetTalk
StreetTalk maintains a distributed directory of the names of
network resources. In VINES, names are global across the Internet
and independent of the network topology.
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