File protection & Why NFS?

[MILLER@VAX.CAM.NBS.GOV]

  From what I understand of it, NFS provides to unix machines
essentially what Lisp machines have had for a long time; the ability to 
access each other's file systems, and with logical pathnames even to
do so transparently. (I've raised the hackles on a couple of Unixers
with statements like this). 

  We've got DNA and can access vax files pretty straightforwardly
(usually), but (users on) the vax cant get at the symbolics.  My guess
is that it would be the same with TCP/IP & Suns.  We intend to get TCP/IP soon
and I'm wondering whether we should consider NFS too.  Am I right in
assumming that with NFS this becomes bi-directional, ie. the suns can
access the symbolics file systems too?  If so, NFS seems relatively
useless for the regular symbolics users but pretty good for the
occasional users who normally work on SUNs.  Is there anything
else it provides that I should know? 

  If the above is correct and we do decide to get NFS, then I suppose
its high time to learn about the Rel.7's protection schemes.  Actually
even w/o NFS; re telnet: `User JOE BLOW is not known. Shall I just
invent a user named JOE BLOW and give this user access to everything?'
I haven't yet done my homework on the protection scheme; Anybody got any
suggestions/warnings? 

Thanks
	Bruce Miller
        MILLER@VAX.CAM.NBS.GOV