JTMP
====

(Background only)

There are currently four known sites working on JTMP, they are:-

          Salford      Fortran/Mainframe
          ULCC         BCPL/Stand alone
          Bristol      C/Unix (with York FEP)
          UWIST        ?/VMS  (just starting)

The Salford implementation is the only 'host' one, the others are workstations
or workstation converter in the case of ULCC.
Currently, only the Salford implementation on the Amdahl and the ULCC version
can communicate to each other, the reason being that they have implemented
on top of a 'special' protocol to traverse the network.  Bristol has 
implemented on top of FTP (as it should be done) although they have had to
mod the York FTP to do so.  Bristol cannot finish the software as Salford
have still not completed the FTP version.

If we go ahead the proposal is to get a Vax 11/730 from the JNT (cost #35000)
and mount a two stage exercise.
The first stage would be to mount a workstation implementation on the 730.
This would allow users on Emas, ERCC Vax and smaller machines to submit
a file containing JTMP instructions to the 730, which would then 
send the job request to the remote host and keep track of it. The output
would be sent where directed etc.  In all probability the basic software
could be imported although a certain amount of effort would be required
to interface our network into it.

The second stage would be to mount a 'host' implementation on the 730.
The Salford package would not be relevant as it interfaces into the mainframe
and this stage would require a lot of effort (1-2 man years?). This stage
would enable outside workstations, like the UWIST one, to submit jobs for
our machines.  The exact details of this stage will require further
investigation to determine exactly what services could be offered.

                                                B. Gilmore
                                                  Jan '83