Computer Networking over the IEEE-1394 Serial Bus

Kelvin Lawson [April 1999]

This report documents the development of software to implement computer networking over the IEEE-1394 Serial Bus. Other than IEEE-1394 it encompasses a number of technologies, most notably the Windows networking model, NDIS, and hardware device drivers. The work was performed on behalf of British Telecom Research Labs, as part of their ongoing research into new communications technologies.

For over a decade, Ken Olsen did not use the term computer to the DEC board of directors, as it was commonly thought, at the time, that there was a world-wide market for only up to 100 computers. Thus they were called Pro-grammed Data Processing (PDP) units.

Don't mention computers!

The document provides a complete and in depth analysis of this wide-ranging project, and has been written such that it clearly explains the technologies involved. It investigates the practicalities of designing device drivers for IEEE-1394, and presents a working design for a Plug and Play device driver working under Windows. The BEng/MSc projin can also be applied to other device driver projects, as documentation for developers in this field is sparse. Thus the benefits of the experience gained on this project are made available to others.

The work carried out has broken new ground in using IEEE-1394 in an innovative fashion, and the product of the work can be used to network Windows PCs over this new bus technology. This can be done seamlessly, without the need to change any current network application software. The project will be completed within budget, and without any support from, or recourse to, the customer, BT Labs.

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