[WEB4LIB] Only 1 IP - expanded discussion and description

[Masters, Gary E]

David:

Really.  Only one.  Inside the fire wall they are dynamically assigned.  But
the vendor sees only one address.  I wish it were not so.  But it is.  

I did a proxy server with Linux where I was a few months ago (A&M), but
don't have one here.  Our dial in access is a bit different.  

The most  popular method for vendors to make sure that a workstation that is
using its data is a paid customer is to check its IP address.  A less
popular method is to assign a password and user name.    If we go with IP
address, as many vendors want, we are getting access for all of FDA.
Sometimes we want to pay only for our Center (Devices and Radiological
Health) and want to restrict users to our staff.  Our solution is to list
all of these links on a page that only our staff can get to by their user
name, password and domain.  I think it is good enough.

Some of our vendors don't agree.  They think their address is so well known
that FDA staff in another center will type in the address and gain full
access not paid for.  They want us to buy access for all of FDA.  While
there are technical ways around this problem, it is not in their interest to
use them.  They don't want to sell to only part of a University when they
make more money by selling to all of the students and staff.  

My question was to see if any others have this problem - as others do use
fire walls - and if so, how they deal with the problem.

I guess MIT is less restricted by budget, but perhaps that is only
speculation.  A while back, I did not think the Federal Govt. had budget
limits.  We do.

Does that help.  I appreciate your view that my abbreviated problem
description was less than obvious, but I was hunting for those who have it.

Of course others will have ideas too and should be included.

Thanks,

Gary Masters

I hope you don't mind, but I will share this with the site since it was
difficult for you to follow.  If onlY could say as I think.  Then
communications would be easy.  

GEM



	-----Original Message-----
	From:	David Johnson [SMTP:davidcj at MIT.EDU]
	Sent:	Tuesday, May 16, 2000 1:12 PM
	To:	GEM at CDRH.FDA.GOV
	Subject:	Re: [WEB4LIB] Only 1 IP

	I am afraid I cannot understand the problem you face, given your
description.

	Please re-state what may be obvious to you.  It is un-fathomable to
me. 

	The FDA cannot possibly have only one IP address.

	Every computer connecting to government  and internet has a unique
IP address.

	Do you mean your server?   Servers often have only one IP address
but can
	communicate with many patrons seemingly all at the same  time.
What is the
	issue?  Are you using a proxy server?  Do you have authentication
based upon
	IP address?    What can we do to help you? 
	David  Johnson  
	Library Technology Consultant        	617-253-9327
	MIT Libraries 			Room 14-0615
					77 Mass Ave  Cambridge, MA   02139