[Simh] On MOP

[Johnny Billquist]

On 2018-02-24 15:16, dave porter wrote:
> Paul Koning> You can think of MOP as a simple data transfer
> protocol; the fact that clients use it to load executable bits into 
> memory is not required.  The same is true for TFTP, and there the name 
> of the protocol makes the point explicit. MOP doesn't say it quite so 
> clearly but it is just as true there.
> 
> Timothy Litt> Yes, MOP is a data transfer protocol. It's also more: 
> "Maintenanceoperation" - we've talked
> about the data transfer aspects, but it also
> has built in the concepts of programs, loaders, selective loads, 
> providing time, loopback, redundant
> servers via multicast, even a remote console service.
> -- 
> Something tells me Paul Koning needs no schooling on
> the range of capabilities offered by MOP :-)

Neither Paul, nor Timothy needs any schooling on MOP, really.

But Timothy have a point. MOP is not really like TFTP. TFTP transfers 
files. MOP transfers data. The MOP server is normally expected to 
understand and process the file requested, and MOP will provide the data 
contents of the file to the client, along with information such as where 
in memory this data should be placed, and at the end, the MOP server can 
also provide the client with the starting address in the just 
transferred data, which is assumed to be an executable image. (Not to 
mention all the other functionality that Timothy touches on which is 
also a part of MOP.)

   Johnny

-- 
Johnny Billquist                  || "I'm on a bus
                                   ||  on a psychedelic trip
email: bqt at softjar.se             ||  Reading murder books
pdp is alive!                     ||  tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol