AppleTalk, a network system designed and developed by Apple Computer, provides an easy way to share network resources such as printers, file servers, and groupware services.
AppleTalk for MAE is an implementation of the AppleTalk version 56 protocol specification, based on streams, which makes AppleTalk functionality available to Macintosh applications and system software running under MAE. It is compatible with other versions of AppleTalk Phase 2.
Implementation
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AppleTalk for MAE maintains the Macintosh Toolbox Application Programming Interface to AppleTalk routines, as described in "Inside Macintosh: Networking."
AppleTalk consists of a number of protocols that correspond roughly to the layers of the OSI model. AppleTalk for MAE uses streams to configure the following AppleTalk protocols into the UNIX kernel:
* AppleTalk Address Resolution Protocol (AARP)
* AppleTalk Data Stream Protocol (ADSP)
* AppleTalk Echo Protocol (AEP)
* AppleTalk Transaction Protocol (ATP)
* Datagram Delivery Protocol (DDP)
* EtherTalk Link Access Protocol (ELAP)
* Name Binding Protocol (NBP)
* Routing Table Maintenance Protocol (RTMP)
* Zone Information Protocol (ZIP)
The remaining protocols are implemented as Macintosh-style drivers and extensions:
* AppleTalk Filing Protocol (AFP)
* AppleTalk Session Protocol (ASP)
* Printer Access Protocol (PAP)
AppleTalk for MAE implements the version 56 specification of AppleTalk, which does NOT include support for some extensions found in later versions, such as:
* Apple Open Collaboration Environment (AOCE)
* AppleTalk Remote Access
* AppleTalk SNMP MIB
AppleTalk for MAE maintains compatibility with all versions of AppleTalk that conform to the AppleTalk Phase 2 specification (see "Inside AppleTalk, Second Edition"). Workstations using AppleTalk for MAE can interact with any device that uses AppleTalk Phase 2.
AppleTalk for MAE does not support the use of AppleTalk outside of the Macintosh Application Environment. There is no API available to UNIX processes for accessing AppleTalk services. Applications that rely on the availability of both Macintosh and UNIX APIs, such as AppleShare Pro, will not run on MAE.
AppleTalk for MAE cannot be used if a third-party AppleTalk stack is installed on the host workstation, and AppleTalk services will not be available to MAE running on a machine that does not have AppleTalk kernel modules for MAE installed.
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