[WEB4LIB] LANs

[sean dreilinger]

"A.K. Smiley Public Library" wrote:
> We are currently in the planning stages of creating a LAN (probably windowsNT) of 

no gripe with winnt but you might like to check into unix (linux,
freebsd) options for both an internet gateway/firewall and the actual
user workstations. there is a linux consulting HOWTO that lists
consultants in various geographic areas, and of course if you go to a
big vendor like IBM you may be able to ask for advice and a quote from
them as well.

> 1. BANDWIDTH-  For 15 users, how much bandwidth should we start with; 256k..384k..512k?  Do fewer users on a larger line get faster access or is the speed of download limited by the computer itself (processor, ram, etc.)?

will the traffic be metered, or flat-rate? to gauge use, you can use a
tool like MRTG to generate easy to read charts of your bandwidth use
over time, allowing you to plan upgrades and network use intelligently -
http://www.mrtg.org/
 
> 3.  MODEMS-   If we decide to move to cable access when it becomes available in our area, do we just switch the LAN from an ADSL modem to a cable modem or is there more involved?

there is more involved, and many would consider switching from adsl to
cable a step backwards, although you may have sound financial
motivations (e.g. free cable internet).
 
> 4. SECURITY SOFTWARE- What software  do you use on your workstations -  fortres...cybraryn...etc.?  Should I reconsider linking public and staff workstations or are LANs pretty safe?

no experience with the commercial windows user-proofing options, but
there are some attractive, built-in options to make a reliable LAN of
unix/x-windows stations with restricted user options.
 
> 5.  FUTURE GROWTH-  How far in the future should I plan for - 2 years, 3 years, 6 months? Should I take into consideration the computers we may be adding in the future, or the fact that someday our 30 station OPAC may also go online, or is a LAN pretty flexible about additions?

u.c. san diego's 5-year technology plan may be a good one to review
before writing your own, there should be a reference to it in the list
archive, by me and maybe others. congrats on bringing the inland empire
into the information age :-)

good luck!!
--sean :-)

--
mailto:sean at savvysearch.com                sean dreilinger, mlis
 http://www.savvysearch.com                http://durak.org/sean