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Commit | Line | Data |
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1da177e4 LT |
1 | Linux X.25 Project |
2 | ||
3 | As my third year dissertation at University I have taken it upon myself to | |
4 | write an X.25 implementation for Linux. My aim is to provide a complete X.25 | |
5 | Packet Layer and a LAPB module to allow for "normal" X.25 to be run using | |
6 | Linux. There are two sorts of X.25 cards available, intelligent ones that | |
7 | implement LAPB on the card itself, and unintelligent ones that simply do | |
8 | framing, bit-stuffing and checksumming. These both need to be handled by the | |
9 | system. | |
10 | ||
11 | I therefore decided to write the implementation such that as far as the | |
12 | Packet Layer is concerned, the link layer was being performed by a lower | |
13 | layer of the Linux kernel and therefore it did not concern itself with | |
14 | implementation of LAPB. Therefore the LAPB modules would be called by | |
15 | unintelligent X.25 card drivers and not by intelligent ones, this would | |
16 | provide a uniform device driver interface, and simplify configuration. | |
17 | ||
18 | To confuse matters a little, an 802.2 LLC implementation for Linux is being | |
19 | written which will allow X.25 to be run over an Ethernet (or Token Ring) and | |
20 | conform with the JNT "Pink Book", this will have a different interface to | |
21 | the Packet Layer but there will be no confusion since the class of device | |
22 | being served by the LLC will be completely separate from LAPB. The LLC | |
23 | implementation is being done as part of another protocol project (SNA) and | |
24 | by a different author. | |
25 | ||
26 | Just when you thought that it could not become more confusing, another | |
27 | option appeared, XOT. This allows X.25 Packet Layer frames to operate over | |
28 | the Internet using TCP/IP as a reliable link layer. RFC1613 specifies the | |
29 | format and behaviour of the protocol. If time permits this option will also | |
30 | be actively considered. | |
31 | ||
32 | A linux-x25 mailing list has been created at vger.kernel.org to support the | |
33 | development and use of Linux X.25. It is early days yet, but interested | |
34 | parties are welcome to subscribe to it. Just send a message to | |
35 | majordomo@vger.kernel.org with the following in the message body: | |
36 | ||
37 | subscribe linux-x25 | |
38 | end | |
39 | ||
40 | The contents of the Subject line are ignored. | |
41 | ||
42 | Jonathan | |
43 | ||
44 | g4klx@g4klx.demon.co.uk |