Preferable file server configurations

[dmitchell@backus.trc.amoco.com]

I'd love to hear about using the Sun for a file server.  I asked my
Symbolics rep about this when we bought our Symbolics, and he didn't
sound too reassuring.  (We have over 50 Suns and only one Symbolics.)

We are successfully using NSF for quick file transfer; however, I don't
see how you could possibly use the Sun for World saves or loads since
the network software only exists in the worlds, and the Suns would have
no idea what the Symbolics was asking for when it tries to boot.  I'm
also uncertain about using the Sun tape drives for reading/writing
Symbolics compatible tapes (maybe FEP tapes are harder than others?).
Does anyone know whether the drives can read the same tapes?  One thing
seems certain, you would have to initiate the tape transfers from the
Sun side.  The Symbolics tape programs seem incompatible with the Sun OS
tape control (?).  If I'm correct about initiating from the Sun side,
then you'd have to ensure that you can mount not only the LMFS but also
the FEP if you wanted to back up any of that stuff.  (Now how did I get
from the Sun as Fileserver to the Sun as tape drive custodian?)