Features

• Supports 80x86 Family of Host Processors
• Provides Hardware Transparent Interface to Host Systems
  • Relieves Programmers of the Necessity of Programming the Details of the Network Interface
  • Communication is Accomplished through Simple Read/Write Type Routines
  • No Packet Formatting or Detailed Knowledge of Network Protocols Necessary
• Open-Ended
  • Allows Running Higher Level Protocols, Such as OPTOMUX I/O Protocols on Top of ARCNET®
• Modular Architecture
  • Allows the Programmer to Use Only Those Routines Needed for His Particular System
  • Separate Modules for the Low Level Driver, IEEE 802.2 Class 1 Services, and Network Diagnostics and Utilities
• Provides the Following Low Level Driver Functions:
  • Hardware Initialization
  • Packet Formatting
  • Basic Transmit/Receive Activities
  • Status Reporting
• Conforms to IEEE 802.2 Link Layer Control Specification. Supports the Following Class 1 Functions:
  • XID (eXchange ID)
  • TEST (Verifies Integrity of a Node or Group of Nodes)
  • UI (Unnumbered Information for Basic Data Transfer
• Provides the Following Network Diagnostic and Utility Functions:
  
  • Basic Network Statistics Such as Retries, Reconfigurations, Excessive NAKs, etc.
  • Network Mapping
  • Disconnect a Node
  • Utilities Such as Node Shutdown and Configuration
• Portable Code Written in ANSI C Language
  
  • Allows Easy Porting to Additional Microprocessor Families
  • Can Be Linked in with User-Supplied Routines
  • Includes Both Source and Object Code Supports Symbolic Addressing
• Supports Symbolic Addressing
  
  • Programmers Needn't Worry about the Physical Routing of Their Data
  • Addresses Can Use Logical Identifiers Called Service Access Points (SAPs)