An Overview of the PATHWORKS Product Family

This document provides a comprehensive overview of Digital Equipment Corporation's PATHWORKS product family as of Winter 1992. It describes the evolution of PC networking, the integration of diverse PC hardware and operating systems (including DOS, Windows, OS/2, and Macintosh) into enterprise-wide network systems, and the underlying architecture of PATHWORKS. The paper covers various aspects, including:

• PC Hardware & Operating Systems: Discussion of client platforms and their integration.
• Network Protocols: Coverage of transport protocols (such as DECnet, TCP/IP, NetBIOS, IPX, and AppleTalk) and service protocols (SMB, NCP, AFP).
• Integration Capabilities: How PATHWORKS provides transparent file and print services, terminal emulation, database access, and other utilities across different networks.
• Product Evolution: A historical overview of the expansion of the PATHWORKS product line in terms of supported clients, servers, and transport technologies.

The document concludes by emphasizing that PATHWORKS serves as a foundation for integrating desktop applications with Digital's host system services, facilitating the transition toward distributed computing environments.