Re: Repository services and budget

[Jeff Williams <jwkckid1@ix.netcom.com>]

Dave,


Dave Crocker wrote:
> 
> At 9:04 AM -0800 1/4/97, Hank Nussbacher wrote:
> >As an ISP that grew from 1 server to about 9 within a year I would suggest
> >adding the following: a test system (new OS versions, new DB versions,
> 
>         Let me push back, a bit, on this, to see how you and others react:
> 
>         Starting with 3 operational systems means that reliability is
> inherently quite high.  Taking one of those systems offline to use as a
> testing machine isn't horrible.  As more servers are added, the statistics
> get even better.
> 
> >etc.), a backup system (not simply tar to DAT), but something like ADSM
> >for networkign b/u's, 256Mb ot 512MB of memory for DB systems (most
> >software runs better with more memory and the DB systems are all memory
> >hogs), RAID or SSI disks so as to improve reliablity on the DB servers.
> >Basically $10K per server is too low in my opinion.  Look at $30K.
> 
>         Given the full redundancy of systems, I would guess that RAID is
> (parden the pun) unnecessarily redunant.  RAID is important for avoiding a
> single-point of failure problem; but that is solved differently is the
> proposed, multi-server arrangement.  (Now, RAID for performance may well be
> a different issue.  I don't have a solid enough feel for current
> performance to claim to know the definitive answer on this.)

  Pardon me here, but I believe that the redundancy in RAID is a
advantage
for these perposes, depending on what level you use.
> 
> >Then a test system at $30K and a backup system at $30K and your servers
> >have gone up from $30K to $150K.
> 
>         I'd guess that 60-$100K would suffice.  What do other folks think
> about this?

  I would tend to agree here with you Dave, depending on memory configs.
> 
> >
> >Is a secretary necessary?  There will be much admin work that needs to be
> >done so I would assume so.
> 
>         Remember this this is a back-end organization.  It's "customers"
> are the member registrars.  Initially, that is a very small number.  After
> two years, it's still only around 40-50.  My guess is that technical
> support staff are going to be more important than a purely
> adminitrative/receptionis kind of person.

  Agreed here as well.  But a small admin staff would be necessary as
well.
> 

Regards,
-- 
Jeffrey A. Williams
DIR. Internet Network Eng/SR. Java Development Eng.
Information Eng. Group. 
Phone :972-447-1878
E-Mail jwkckid1@ix.netcom.com