Marlow S P, Mackenzie D A, Tomlinson J B
Computer Science Department, Smith Kline Beecham Pharmaceuticals, The Frythe, Welwyn, Herts, UK.
Med Biol Eng Comput. 1993 Jan;31(1):22-30. doi: 10.1007/BF02446881.
A system, to collect, analyse and display biological data, is developed using IBM PC AT compatibles (PCs) or CED1401/1609 devices networked to a VAX environment. It can be operated in three separate modes: using the CED/IEEE/VAX network; using the PC/Ethernet/VAX network; as a standalone PC. The original system comprised CED 1401/1609 data collection devices running on the IEEE bus. This has been superseded by a PC-286 or better incorporating an analogue-to-digital convertor (DT2824-PGH) and a communications interface board (DEPCA) linked by thinwire Ethernet (ThinWire) running DECnet with their product network application software PCSA. This network has not only doubled the original throughput but has also removed the two major IEEE constraints: 4 m between devices and the physical linking of devices to the VAX. The PCs are logically linked to clustered VAXes on Ethernet, giving flexible networking supporting multiple ThinWire segments, each supporting a maximum of 30 PCs per 185 m segment length. As the enhanced design compliments the original, both may operate concurrently, appear similar in operation to the user and use the same analysis software, all of which help reduce the rate of system obsolescence.
一个用于收集、分析和显示生物数据的系统，是使用与IBM PC AT兼容的计算机（PC）或联网到VAX环境的CED1401/1609设备开发的。它可以在三种独立模式下运行：使用CED/IEEE/VAX网络；使用PC/以太网/VAX网络；作为独立的PC运行。最初的系统由运行在IEEE总线上的CED 1401/1609数据收集设备组成。现在这已被一台PC-286或性能更好的计算机所取代，该计算机集成了一个模数转换器（DT2824-PGH）和一个通信接口板（DEPCA），通过运行DECnet的细缆以太网（ThinWire）与它们的产品网络应用软件PCSA相连。这个网络不仅使原来的吞吐量提高了一倍，而且还消除了IEEE的两个主要限制：设备之间4米的距离以及设备与VAX的物理连接。PC在逻辑上与以太网中的集群VAX相连，提供灵活的网络支持多个细缆以太网段，每个网段每185米长度最多支持30台PC。由于增强后的设计与原来的设计相得益彰，两者可以同时运行，在用户看来操作相似，并且使用相同的分析软件，所有这些都有助于降低系统过时的速度。
