[ale] Server Hardware

[Jim Kinney]

Hi Jimmy!

User access will only be issue #2. Issue #1 will be bandwidth. Or more
correctly, lack. Better plan on multiple (10-30+) access points. The
suggestions of coova are very valid. Placement becomes a challenge with a
large number of WAPs installed as well. They must be close enough to the use
points but far enough apart that the connection doesn't flip-flop is the
user shifts in their chair all while being close enough to have good signal
everywhere. Signal strength is a big factor in user bandwidth. Sharing a 10
Mb pipe with 20 people surfing youtube would painfully slow.

2008/9/21 jimmy halbert <jimmy_halbert at yahoo.com>

> I am looking for a open source wireless networking solution. I have an
> organization that is going to have 450 wireless users of which half of these
> users will be online at a time. I am looking for a solution to control the
> access points, and provide some measure of security. Any suggested would be
> helpful. I have looked at Aruba,Foundry and IronPoint...all of these
> solutions are way out of budget.
>
> --- On *Fri, 9/5/08, hbbs at comcast.net <hbbs at comcast.net>* wrote:
>
> From: hbbs at comcast.net <hbbs at comcast.net>
> Subject: [ale] Server Hardware
> To: ale at ale.org
> Date: Friday, September 5, 2008, 1:38 PM
>
>
> In more recent years, I've advocated buying servers from manufacturers who
> use high-quality standard-issue motherboards
>  to include the same manufacturers
> who make the motherboards themselves as opposed to the typical Dell/HP/IBM
> sourcing that's so prevalent in industry.
>
> My experience has been that even though the Dell/HP/IBM warranty, support, and
> field service are supposed to be the big compelling draw and are supposed to
> justify the cost, in reality:
>
> * Field service is often slow, ineffectual, and/or incapable of making sound
> technical evaluations of situations yet won't take your word for anything
> * Parts - from cooling fans to motherboards - are not typical COTS items, so
> you're dependent on the manufacturer and/or field support for even the
> slightest issue
> * Shoddy workmanship, poor QA, and shipping damage run rampant
>
> On the other hand, manufacturers that integrate and produce servers out of COTS
> still give you a decent enough warranty but leave you able to source parts from
> where you feel like it for the sake of
>  expediency or post-sale modification, and
> you can easily buy and store extra power supplies, RAM, mobos, drive sleds, and
> power supplies so that a server that has gone dead and won't POST can be
> brought back to life by on-hand staff in a few minutes' time.
>
> 1.  Is this valid today?  Was it ever?
> 2. What manufacturers have you had a good history with?  What vendors sell
> their products?
>
> I personally bought a Supermicro SuperServer from HL Computer locally a while
> back, and once I replaced its dodgy power supply it's been fine, running
> without a reboot up at QTS for over 500 days.  HL does not ordinarily carry such
> equipment so I'd like to find a vendor who has a good history of selling
> this sort of equipment.
>
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-- 
-- 
James P. Kinney III
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