Minutes Central Site Working Group Meeting (9/21/95)

Minutes Central Site Working Group Meeting (9/21/95)

Attendees:

First Agenda Item: Review Minutes of Last Meeting

Corrections
"* 8 phone lines and modems for individual dialup using the existing PPS modem pool facility, associated with the modem pool working group."
There are 10 phone lines available for individual dialup.
"* 8 phone lines for dial up LAN access using 28.8K modems and an existing Netblazer ST. This project is also associated with the modem pool working group and will provide dedicated connectivity to a variety of PPS sites. This equipment will be used to form part of the initial PPS central site infrastructure. Some of the connection have been allocated, for example, Fort Pitt."
This scenario does not assume a server.
"* 10 ISDN lines have also been recently installed. They will connect to a donated Cisco 4000. Sites currently slated to be connected include: West Liberty at 384K and the South Side repair shop."
There are 8 new ISDN lines.

Second Agenda Item: Action Items

A. Price List of Existing Central Site Hardware

This does not represent a plan, rather it's a description of what is in use.

Server

Preferred platform is a Pentium PC. After comparing a couple of different PC "brands" we have settled on the DEC Celebris. Other brands we have looked at include: Gateway, Vecktron and Leading Edge.

Server Configuration:

DECpc Celebris 590 $2,305
Trident 512K Video Card 50
2.1 GB HDD SCSI 2 Seagate 945
32 MB (4x36x70) 72 Pin Simms 630
White Paper Monitor 150
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$4080

Possible New Server Configuration (not yet tested) This platform will support NT, DEC Unix and NetBSD. NetBSD allows an upgrade path. This fall BSDi will be include a support package.

Alphastation 200 4/166
32 MB RAM
1 GB Hard Drive
ATI Graphics Card
Ethernet Controller
21" Monitor
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$6,150 *

*(This represents a 53% discount)

The Alphastation 200 4/166 is the device we recommend for a large school.

User Device Configuration

PC
DECpc Venturis 575 1,789
Ethernet Card 101
15" Monitor 417
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$2,307

MAC
BTS PowerMac 7100/66 250/8/CD 2,600
8 MB Upgrade 300
Ethernet Card (10BT/10B2) 200
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$3,100

Routers

Central Site ISDN Router

Ascend Pipeline-400 ISDN Route 4 BRI's $3,400
AT&T; NT1 Rack (holds 12 NT1) 156
AT&T; 1145 Bulk Power Supply 694
AT&T; Circuit PAC NT1's 219

*There was a question concerning how many dedicated connections this set-up will support

Remote ISDN Router

Ascend Pipeline-50 ISDN U Router $1,250

Modems

US Robotics Sportster modems (28.8) 220
US Robotics Sportster modems (14.4) 90

*Did not include other routers because didn't have up to date prices.

B. Network Topologies for Fall of 1995

Connectivity Summary
Dial-up: Spring Hill, Ft. Pitt, McCleary
LADS: Woolslair, Liberty, Frick, Schenley, Admin Building
ISDN: East Hills, Phillips, Westinghouse, Carrick,
Fultonh, Fultonj, Knoxville, Schiller, Allegheny

Central Site is supported by two servers - oberon and titania.

Discussion

As of yet, we have not hit a saturation point with regards to connectivity.

Do not have data projecting what load on existing lines will be.

Also do not have data on where the bottle-necks in the system will be.

Some of this data will be available at the end of this
school year, because this is the first year with 14
servers.
Before the 95-96 school-year, only 4 servers were in
active operation.

It looks like 28,800 and 56K lines could get saturated.
We will have data on these sites by the end of the
school-year.

Teacher and student use determines load on the school
server.

ISDN can do incremental upgrades.

Third Agenda Item: Develop Preliminary Design of Central Site Architecture

Following last meeting, there was a preliminary agreement that:

-the PPS central site would support 2 servers. One for accounts and one for network services. The issue of security was brought up, but not elaborated on with regards to server deployment.

Myron asked the group to review the proposal from UNISYS as a way of broadening the present discussion. He asked the group to comment on whether the UNISYS plan is a viable route. One of the reasons to look at the proposal is to consider if it offers a "turn-key" solution to central architecture. The issue of interoperability was brought up, with the idea that it needed to be an item of consideration in reviewing the UNISYS proposal. The proposal presents an integrated system. CK:P also uses an integrated system. The review process will offer the opportunity to do some comparisons.

The group agreed to review the UNISYS proposal from the following vantage points:

-Interoperability with Network Packages
(protocol, clients, servers, must support Web,
gopher, news, file-sharing, LAN and MAN architecture)
-Full Internet Access is the beginning point
(firewalls and security considerations will need a
broader audience - PPS policy groups)
-Flexibility of Access
-Support

Items For Next Meeting

1. Draft requirements for Central Site
2. Review and comment on UNISYS proposal
3. Straw-man CK:P in-house plan (server, clients and network components)