Coexistence of AIX PS/2 and AIX/6000

[Zvika Bar-Deroma]

We are running the following configuration:

    AIX/PS2 (1.2) - 4 machines
    AIX/RT (2.2.1) (used as disk server)
    AIX/6000 (3.1 - 3002)  (new)

Till we got the "6000", I added users on 1 of the PS/2, using CRON
I copied the /etc/passwd file every-so-often to the other machines
(I now realize that I should have also copies /etc/group). With the
DOS-Merge product we had a problem - we couldn't write from DOS to
NFS-mounted filesystems on the RT (it's a bug, I think the APAR is
IX09598- unsolved as far as I know); reading/executing was o.k.

Now I tried to move the users' home directories to the RS/6000. This
causes some problems (note that the "6000" will not just be a disk
server, but also a compute server, therefore logins are required).
The problems are:

* The passwd files do not have the same format - I can't simply
  copy the files periodically.

* As for groups - I've got no idea.

* Should I perhaps begin learning about NIS (Yellow Pages) and use
  it ? Does the AIX/PS2 coexist well with a RS/6000 as NIS server ?

* Biggest problem - now DOS-merge can't even read files mounted from
  the "6000" (writing still causes the same problems as with the RT).

Last thing - when are we going to have just one AIX - not 4 operating
systems that happend to have the same "prefix" (AIX) ?

I'd appreciate any suggestions on how to solve my problems with these
machines - till now, they seem like a waste of money, nothing more !
(this is unlike the RS/6000 used as personal workstations, which seem
to be working nicely, and usually quiet easily manageable via SMIT).

/Zvika

p.s. The PS/2's and the "6000" consist a TCP/IP subnet (over token
     ring) the 6000 is the gateway to an Ethernet, and of course, one
     couldn't define the nets via, smit, not even via odme as my SE
     tried to do.


Zvika Bar-Deroma                                  Phone: (+972)-4-292706
Faculty of Aerospace Engineering,                 Fax  : (+972)-4-231848
Technion
Haifa 32000
Israel

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