DECnet
Sign in to saveDECnet is a suite of network protocols created by Digital Equipment Corporation. Originally released in 1975 in order to connect two PDP-11 minicomputers, it evolved into one of the first peer-to-peer network architectures, thus transforming DEC into a networking powerhouse in the 1980s. Initially built with three layers, it later (1982) evolved into a seven-layer OSI-compliant networking protocol.
~10 min read
Article
12 sectionsContents
- Evolution
- 1970–1980
- 1981–1986
- 1987 & beyond
- Notable installations
- DEC Easynet
- The DECnet Internet
- CCNET
- Hobbyist DECnet networks
- See also
- References
- General references
DECnet is a suite of network protocols created by Digital Equipment Corporation. Originally released in 1975 in order to connect two PDP-11 minicomputers, it evolved into one of the first peer-to-peer network architectures, thus transforming DEC into a networking powerhouse in the 1980s. Initially built with three layers, it later (1982) evolved into a seven-layer OSI-compliant networking protocol.
DECnet was built right into the DEC flagship operating system OpenVMS since its inception. Later Digital ported it to Ultrix, OSF/1 (later Tru64) as well as Macintosh and IBM PC compatibles running variants of MS-DOS, OS/2, and Windows under the name PATHWORKS, allowing these systems to connect to DECnet networks of VAX machines as terminal nodes.