Difference between revisions of "IMP interface"

Revision as of 13:16, 15 January 2025

IMP interfaces for IBM S/360

An IMP interface is a device controller used on a host (i.e. on its bus) to attach them to systems which used the special 1822 communication interface (defined in BBN Report No. 1822); these included initially the IMPs of the ARPANET (hence the name), and later the PRUs of the Packet Radio Network‎.

Some of the most popular IMP interfaces were:

BBN IMP-10, used by TENEX
MIT DM IMP, used by MIT-DM. Made by Bob Metcalfe
MIT KA IMP, used by MIT-AI, -ML, and -MC
DEC AN-10, for the PDP-10 I/O Bus
DEC CSS IMP11-A, UNIBUS
DEC CSS IMP11-B, UNIBUS
ANTS/ISI IMP Interface, UNIBUS
Stanford 1822 Interface, UNIBUS (via a DR11-C) and QBUS (via a DRV11)
ACC LH-DH/11, UNIBUS
ACC MLH-DH/LSI11, QBUS
GIMPSPIF, used by 645 Multics
ABSI, used by 6180 Multics, for NCP and IP
Alto-1822 Interface for the Alto, used in a variety of ways
Data General Nova interface: done at Xerox PARC, apparently at least two, almost certainly two: one for Maxc1's front end and another for the Portola PUP gateway
The USCB IMP interface, first for their 360/75, later told to other institutions.

but there were many others (many being 'one-off' local creations).

This article is not as complete coverage of the topic as it could be. You can help by expanding it.

@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 * ABSI, used by [[Honeywell 6000 series|6180]] Multics, for NCP and [[Internet Protocol|IP]]
 * [[Alto-1822 Interface]] for the [[Xerox Alto|Alto]], used in a variety of ways
-* [[Data General Nova]] interface: done at [[Xerox PARC]], apparently at least two, almost certainly one for [[Maxc]]1's [[front end]]
+* [[Data General Nova]] interface: done at [[Xerox PARC]], apparently at least two, almost certainly two: one for [[Maxc]]1's [[front end]] and another for the Portola PUP gateway
+* The USCB IMP interface, first for their 360/75, later told to other institutions.
 but there were many others (many being 'one-off' local creations).