Local area transport

Local Area Transport ( LAT ) is a network technology developed by Digital Equipment Corporation . It connects between DECserver ( Terminal Server ) and VAX - or alpha - hosts over Ethernet . It is mainly used to access serial devices such as terminals and printers . Since 1984, the "virtualization" of the terminal connection on the host has made it possible to use peripheral devices (terminals and printers) in greater numbers and at a distance from the host, since the expensive local interfaces (e.g. VAX-BI interface cards) are replaced by cheaper ones Ethernet devices (terminal server) could be replaced and supplemented. In addition, additional functionality could be implemented, e.g. B. several virtual sessions on a serial terminal (e.g. VT220 ).