NAS Architecture Reference Manual

NAS (Network Application Support) is Digital's approach to enterprise-wide information systems. NAS is a set of software services that offer platform-independent, standard programming interfaces to distributed functions. These services are known as middleware because they logically reside between the applications and the underlying network and platforms.

The NAS Architecture Reference Manual is a blend of architecture and implementation. It defines the NAS architecture, that is, it describes the NAS services and the key public interfaces supported by each service. It also describes the implementations, that is, the products that provide the service.

This book is a valuable resource for anyone building or integrating applications or making decisions on how to create enterprise-wide information systems.

• Part I: Introduction to the NAS Architecture
1. Introduction to NAS
1. NAS Addresses Enterprise-Wide Information System Problems
2. NAS Provides Enterprise-Wide Benefits
3. NAS Comprises a Set of Services
4. NAS Lets Applications Work Over Diverse Networks
5. NAS Lets Applications Work Over Diverse Platforms
6. NAS Services Provide Distributability and Portability
7. NAS Services Are Middleware Services
8. NAS Service Categories Group Related Services
9. NAS Provides Standards-Based Interfaces and Implementations
10. NAS Supports Multiple System Types
11. NAS Provides Subsets of Interrelated Services
12. NAS Provides Frameworks for Special Environments
13. Summary
2. NAS Interfaces
1. Application Programming Interface
2. System Programming Interface
3. Communications Intgerface
4. User Interface
5. Data Interface
6. Management Interface
3. NAS Pervasive Attributes
1. Pervasive Attributes of the NAS Architecture
2. Usability
3. Distributability
4. Integration
5. Conformance to Standards
6. Extensibility
7. Internationalization
8. Manageability
9. Performance
10. Portability
11. Reliability
12. Scalability
13. Security
4. Presentation Services
1. Interacting with the User
2. Overview of the Presentation Services
5. Communication Services
1. Communicating with Other Applications
2. Overview of the Communication Services
3. Service Comparison
6. Control Services
1. Controlling Application Execution
2. Overview of the Control Services
7. Information Services
1. Accessing Data
2. Overview of the Information Services
8. Computation Services
1. Performing Complex Computations
2. Overview of the Computation Services
9. Management Services
1. Managing Enterprise-Wide Information Systems
2. Overview of the Management Services
• Part II: NAS Services and Frameworks
• Templates for Service and Framework Descriptions
• Application Control Service
• Compound Document Services
• Data Access Services
• Directory Services
• Distributed Time Services
• Electronic Data Interchange Framework
• File Sharing Services
• File Transfer, Access, and Management Services
• Forms Services
• Graphics Services (GKS)
• Graphics Services (PHIGS)
• Internationalization Services
• Mail Services
• Management Agent Services
• Management Director Framework
• Message Queuing Service
• Motif Service
• Multithreading Service
• PATHWORKS Services
• Printing Services
• Remote Procedure Call Service
• Repository Service
• Security Services
• Terminal Services
• Transaction Management Service
• Transaction Management Monitor Framework

1. NAS Services Platform Coverage
2. NAS Services and Their Digital Implementations
3. NAS Packages
4. NAS and the Windows Open Services Architecture (WOSA)

Digital's answer to IBM's SAA etc. Wastebasket material.