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Communications Group Vacancy
$B3 The Communications Group has responsibility for the development and
maintenance of software for the Universities Data Network.   For the past 12 years this network, linking the University of
Edinburgh, Glasgow and Strathclyde has been based on a proprietary virtual
call protocol on a mixture of PDP11 and Modular One  packet switches
, but has recently been converted to use X25,  currently based on three GEC X25 packet switches integrated with a
high speed Cambridge Ring.   The Edinburgh University part of the Network
currently supports a number of hosts, including:-
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$B2 One ICL  2988 and a dual ICL 2972 with a DAP, both running the EMAS
operating system.
$B1 4 systems running UNIX
$B1 2 VAXs running VMS
$B1 A File Store
$B1 A Network Information machine
$B1 Gateways to both BTs PSS and the Joint Academic Network (JANET)
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$B2 In addition to these hosts, most terminals are
handled by
approximately 35 terminal
concentrators.
$B1 There are currently a number of projects either underway or just
about to be started, these include the design and production of a new
design of terminal concentrator, firstly to implement it in newer, cheaper
hardware and secondly to enhance the facilities, in particular to enable
effective screen editing and other similar functions across the network.   An updated Network Information Machine to display
the state of the network to the operations staff and to the users. 
$p1 The most significant development for the future, however, is a joint project with ICL, funded
by the Dept of Industry to link a 3rd generation Telephone Exchange,
capable of carrying both speech and data, to an ethernet system with links to
the 2972 and a VAX 11/750.
 In addition to the above hosts a number of servers are being attached to the ethernet.
These include an image scan/laser printer, a gateway to the wide area
network. a voice server, a name server and a link to a departmental
Ethernet that will contain other VAXs, PERQs, and a number of personal 
workstations.   In the longer term our terminal concentrations will be adapted
to drive the ethernet.
$B1 The person appointed to the post will be fitting in to a team of six
others and will be expected to take a major role in the design and implementation
 of one of the projects.
$B1 For your information a copy of the Network diagram is included along
with a diagram of the ethernet system.
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