3Server
Encyclopedia
The 3Com
3Server was a headless dedicated network attached storage machine designed to run 3Com LAN server software.
The companion product was the diskless 3Station
network workstation, a dedicated client machine. However, 3Servers could also network with standard PC-compatibles and were commonly used in this role. Having no display other than a small one-line LCD and no keyboard or mouse interface, 3Servers were controlled via another PC on the network which allowed console access to the internal server software.
The original 3Server was a non-PC compatible x86 computer based on an Intel 80186, running a special version of MS-DOS
and 3Com's proprietary 3+Share
network server software. This was a multitasking network server stack that ran on top of single-tasking DOS. Internally, it had a network stack, file and print server modules, disk caching, user handling and more, all running simultaneously inside the DOS memory space. Because they were not limited by the PC memory map, 3Servers could support 1 megabyte
of flat memory, breaking the PC's 640kb barrier. This was a large amount of RAM for the time.
The original 3Server shipped in 1985 with 512k of RAM and a single 36MB hard disk. It had slots for adding six additional drives, making it one of the first network attached storage (NAS) arrays. It supported both Ethernet
(then branded EtherSeries) and AppleTalk
and was quick to add Token Ring
as well. The 3Server/70, introduced in July 1985, doubled the storage space to 70MB. The 3Server/500 was a 80386-based version introduced in the late 1980s, with the 80486-based 3Server/600 introduced in 1991.
The last models, the 3Server386 family, ran OS/2
1.3 as the basic operating system, using 3+Open, a variant of OS/2 LAN Manager
. 3Com's version was an enhancement of the basic LAN Manager package, also sold by Microsoft
and IBM
and on other operating systems - for example, running on VAX/VMS it was the basis of DEC
Pathworks
.
In February, 1991, 3Com announced that it would hand over all rights to LAN Manager, 3+Open, its Macintosh and NetWare integration, and related software to Microsoft. The company soon exited the network server business as well.
3Com
3Com was a pioneering digital electronics manufacturer best known for its computer network infrastructure products. The company was co-founded in 1979 by Robert Metcalfe, Howard Charney, Bruce Borden, and Greg Shaw...
3Server was a headless dedicated network attached storage machine designed to run 3Com LAN server software.
The companion product was the diskless 3Station
3Station
The 3Station was a diskless workstation, developed by Bob Metcalfe at 3Com and first available in 1986. The 3Station/2E had a 10 MHz 80286 processor, 1 megabyte of RAM , VGA-compatible graphics with 256kB of video RAM, and integrated AUI/BNC network transceivers for LAN access. The product used a...
network workstation, a dedicated client machine. However, 3Servers could also network with standard PC-compatibles and were commonly used in this role. Having no display other than a small one-line LCD and no keyboard or mouse interface, 3Servers were controlled via another PC on the network which allowed console access to the internal server software.
The original 3Server was a non-PC compatible x86 computer based on an Intel 80186, running a special version of MS-DOS
MS-DOS
MS-DOS is an operating system for x86-based personal computers. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal computers during the 1980s to the mid 1990s, until it was gradually superseded by operating...
and 3Com's proprietary 3+Share
3+Share
3+Share was a pioneering file and print sharing product from 3Com. Introduced in the early 1980s, 3+Share was competitive with Novell's NetWare in the open systems network server business throughout the 1980s....
network server software. This was a multitasking network server stack that ran on top of single-tasking DOS. Internally, it had a network stack, file and print server modules, disk caching, user handling and more, all running simultaneously inside the DOS memory space. Because they were not limited by the PC memory map, 3Servers could support 1 megabyte
Megabyte
The megabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information storage or transmission with two different values depending on context: bytes generally for computer memory; and one million bytes generally for computer storage. The IEEE Standards Board has decided that "Mega will mean 1 000...
of flat memory, breaking the PC's 640kb barrier. This was a large amount of RAM for the time.
The original 3Server shipped in 1985 with 512k of RAM and a single 36MB hard disk. It had slots for adding six additional drives, making it one of the first network attached storage (NAS) arrays. It supported both Ethernet
Ethernet
Ethernet is a family of computer networking technologies for local area networks commercially introduced in 1980. Standardized in IEEE 802.3, Ethernet has largely replaced competing wired LAN technologies....
(then branded EtherSeries) and AppleTalk
AppleTalk
AppleTalk is a proprietary suite of protocols developed by Apple Inc. for networking computers. It was included in the original Macintosh released in 1984, but is now unsupported as of the release of Mac OS X v10.6 in 2009 in favor of TCP/IP networking...
and was quick to add Token Ring
IBM token ring
thumb|Two examples of token ring networks: a) Using a single [[Media Access Unit|MAU]] b) Using several MAUs connected to each otherthumb|Token ring networkthumb|IBM hermaphroditic connector with locking clipthumb|An IBM 8228 MAU...
as well. The 3Server/70, introduced in July 1985, doubled the storage space to 70MB. The 3Server/500 was a 80386-based version introduced in the late 1980s, with the 80486-based 3Server/600 introduced in 1991.
The last models, the 3Server386 family, ran OS/2
OS/2
OS/2 is a computer operating system, initially created by Microsoft and IBM, then later developed by IBM exclusively. The name stands for "Operating System/2," because it was introduced as part of the same generation change release as IBM's "Personal System/2 " line of second-generation personal...
1.3 as the basic operating system, using 3+Open, a variant of OS/2 LAN Manager
LAN Manager
LAN Manager was a Network Operating System available from multiple vendors and developed by Microsoft in cooperation with 3Com Corporation. It was designed to succeed 3Com's 3+Share network server software which ran atop a heavily modified version of MS-DOS.-Development history:LAN Manager was...
. 3Com's version was an enhancement of the basic LAN Manager package, also sold by Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
and IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
and on other operating systems - for example, running on VAX/VMS it was the basis of DEC
Digital Equipment Corporation
Digital Equipment Corporation was a major American company in the computer industry and a leading vendor of computer systems, software and peripherals from the 1960s to the 1990s...
Pathworks
Pathworks
Pathworks was the tradename used by Digital Equipment Corporation of Maynard, Massachusetts for a series of programs that eased the interoperation of Digital's minicomputers with personal computers....
.
In February, 1991, 3Com announced that it would hand over all rights to LAN Manager, 3+Open, its Macintosh and NetWare integration, and related software to Microsoft. The company soon exited the network server business as well.
See also
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- CPGACPGACPGA stands for Ceramic Pin Grid Array, a type of packaging used by integrated circuits. This type of packaging uses a ceramic substrate with pins arranged in a pin grid array. Some CPUs that use CPGA packaging are the AMD Socket A Athlons and the Duron....
- ApuletApuletAn apulet is a component of the Cell computer architecture consisting of a bundle comprising a data object and the code necessary to perform an action upon it. The Cell architecture calls for several APUs which do the primary processing of the system, under the control of a single Processing...
- BINACBINACBINAC, the Binary Automatic Computer, was an early electronic computer designed for Northrop Aircraft Company by the Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation in 1949. Eckert and Mauchly, though they had started the design of EDVAC at the University of Pennsylvania, chose to leave and start EMCC, the...