Accessing MS-DOS applications over a TCP/IP network

MS-DOS platforms are sometimes used to run specialised applications. An example is an MS-DOS based transputer development system. It is beneficial to have such an application accessible in a networked environment. To be reachable by UNIX machines, TCP/IP (Internet) protocols must be used. In the article, a software package is described that makes this possible. It consists of a Telnet and a FTP server. Telnet is used to connect to the MS-DOS machine and run applications, while the FTP server is used to transfer files. Various additional functions like user authentication (login) and file access permissions are supported either by the Telnet and FTP servers themselves, or via user login shells. Scheduled access is also possible.