Q) Will Apple support multivendor networks within large organizations?
A) This initial release of the Apple Remote Access product family is designed for and to complement "Macintosh mostly" workgroups of any size. In future product releases, customers can expect to see support for multivendor environments with cross-platform client support (such as a remote access client for Windows), multiprotocol dial-in adoption and even more powerful expansion capabilities.
Q) Will Apple provide point-to-point protocol (PPP) support?
A) Yes. Apple recognizes the growing demand for remote access solutions that include computers from a variety of vendors. To that end, Apple earlier this year announced its intention to support PPP to ensure that a cross-platform protocol will be available in its remote access products. Apple intends to introduce PPP supported products in 1994. Apple's support for PPP will be designed to allow multiprotocol remote access to a variety of network types, such as IPX, TCP/IP and AppleTalk.
Q) What is PPP?
A) PPP is an Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standard (RFC 1331) for encapsulating data packets over a serial communications link. Transport of any specific network protocol - such as AppleTalk, IPX or TCP/IP - with PPP requires an additional higher-level protocol, known as a Network Control Protocol or NCP. AppleTalk over PPP (the NCP for AppleTalk) is already a publicly available IETF standard, detailed in RFC 1378.
Q) How does Apple's announcement about support for Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) affect ARAP? Will support for PPP nullify ARAP?
A) No. PPP support will not nullify ARAP. ARAP, or AppleTalk Remote Access Protocol, is Apple's protocol for accessing AppleTalk networks remotely. This protocol will still be used by Macintosh computers accessing AppleTalk networks remotely. At the same time, supporting PPP will allow multiprotocol remote access to a variety of network types, such as IPX, TCP/IP and AppleTalk.
Q) What is ARAP?
A) AppleTalk Remote Access Protocol, or ARAP, is the protocol used for accessing AppleTalk networks remotely. ARAP was introduced in conjunction with AppleTalk Remote Access in 1991. Like all AppleTalk protocols, ARAP is an open protocol, and specifications are available for third-party developers. In its latest versions of the Apple Remote Access product family, the AppleTalk Remote Access Protocol has been enhanced to provide superior performance and configuration flexibility.
Q) Is Apple going to sell a Windows version of Apple Remote Access?
A) Apple has announced its intention to bring to market an Apple Remote Access Client for Windows in 1994.
Q) Will Apple Remote Access work with the Newton MessagePad?
A) Since AppleTalk is built-into every Newton, it is a logical extension to provide remote access services to Newton users with Apple's remote access products. However, we have nothing to announce at this time.
Q) Will Apple Remote Access products work with Apple's PowerPC?
A) Yes. Apple plans to produce versions of the Apple Remote Access product family, AppleShare file and print server software and AppleSearch and that will run on its PowerPC processor-based servers.
Q) Are there other companies that make Apple Remote Access compliant software?
A) Yes. Apple has announced that more than 12 leading third-party vendors will be shipping products built on the Apple Remote Access product family architecture. The Apple Remote Access product family architecture consists of the new AppleTalk Remote Access Protocol (ARAP) 2.0 and client and security Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). Third party vendors utilizing the Apple Remote Access product family architecture offer Apple Remote Access users a wide variety of solutions, enhancements and options, such as security enhancements and reporting applications.
Q) Are third-parties making products that are compatible with the AppleTalk Remote Access Protocol and Apple Remote Access Client for Macintosh?
A) Yes. It is Apple's understanding that several companies intend to build stand-alone remote access servers that will compete with Apple's Apple Remote Access product family.
Q) Are the Apple Remote Access products compatible with the Apple Workgroup Servers (AWS)?
A) Yes. The Apple Remote Access Personal Server does not require any special card and therefore runs on any Macintosh computer, including the Apple Workgroup Server 60 and 80. The Apple Remote Access MultiPort Server is compatible with any NuBus equipped Macintosh server and the Apple Workgroup Server 80. Currently the Apple Remote Access MultiPort Server does not support the AWS 60 because it requires a 7" NuBus card and the Apple Remote Access Serial Card is 12 inches. However, Apple is planning to have a 7" version of its Apple Remote Access Serial Card in the early part of 1994 which will be compatible with the AWS 60. The Apple Remote Access MultiPort Server is currently designed to operate on Macintosh operating systems only, and consequently, does not run on the Apple Workgroup Server 95, which is based on A/UX, Apple's implementation of the UNIX operating system.