Newsgroups: bit.listserv.cdromlan
Date:         Mon, 27 Jul 1992 09:50:07 CST
              <CDROMLAN@IDBSU.BITNET>
From:         Jim Hobbs <HOBBS@LOYNOVM.BITNET>
Subject:      Server location summary

Here's the summary of responses to my call for information on
location of CD-ROM and file servers.  Thanks for all the
responses.  Repeated points:

1.  Locate servers away from public areas for security, and to
deal with problems of noisy hardware, ventilation, and dust.

2.  Do as much wriing as possible, if not for the present, then
for the future.  Some fortunate souls have access to a
campus-wide network and therefore can place their hardware
anywhere along the network.


Excerpts from *actual* messages:


"I would recommend that you put the server(s) wherever they are
most convenient to the person(s) responsible for managing the
network."


"If you did lock everything up, you'd want to be sure you had
good air circulation because these things generate a lot of heat
in a closed area. We had one terminal burn up that was located on
a carrel with a slightly overhanging shelf.  You'd want to be
really careful to keep this stuff cool."


"A major consideration needs to be security.  The Novell and CD
ROM server need to be in an area which is inaccessible to
patrons.  Otherwise, all sort of mishaps may occur...Mishaps can
occur anyway.  We had our network go down one time because the
janitor pulled the plug on our CBIS server in order to vacuum the
area."

"Just a couple of thoughts:  when I need to work on a server, for
whatever reason, the last place I need to be in is a public one
where I can be interrupted by everybody and anybody.  Look for
the nearest closet, or a non-public area, for the server.  If you
are using an Uninterrupted Power Supply, isolation is desirable
because of the added noise.  Its constant hum on top of the hum
of the servers can be annoying."


"clean air (free of dust) , cooling , power requirement ,
security is probably more expensive than pulling cable..."


"...we have housed our file servers/CD servers in the Computer
Centre - a brisk 5-minute walk away from the Main Library. The
servers are accessible from various branch libraries on campus
via the campus-wide LAN and there seemed to be no good reason for
having them in the Library."


"It is vitally important, no matter what the size of the setup,
to make sure that you take ventilation into account.  Modern
386/486 PCs generate a lot of heat, especially with 7 CD-drives
to boot!"


"...we have set up our CDROM LAN in our reference area.  The
fileserver, the CDROM server, monitors for each of these,
keyboards, a small UPS for the fileserver, and currently 8
[drives] live in a large lockable PC workstation storage cabinet
that we bought from Wright-Line for around $250.  The cabinet is
about 60"x36"x36" (give or take a little).  It has a built-in
ventilation fan, and power strip.  The front consists of a
lockable roll-up tambour type door, giving access to the interior
which has 3 shelves, one of which slides out (originally for a
printer, but handy for maintenance of a sick server too.)
There's also a sliding keyboard tray.  There is a removable panel
in the back of the cabinet that can only be opened from the
inside, to permit access to the back of the equipment, but I
don't use it... cables are long enough to permit sliding a piece
of equipment out for servicing.  When the door is closed the only
external connections is one ethernet cable and one power cable.
The cabinet is mounted on wheels, so the whole mess can be moved
around if necessary.  Now, I have to tell you that this cabinet
is currently stuffed to its capacity.  I'm going to have to move
the monitors out of the cabinets to fit in more drives.

This has worked out for us pretty well so far.  Security has
proved to be adequate for us, so far.  However there is one very
real problem with this setup.  DUST.

If your library has a computer room with separate air
conditioning, your best bet would be to locate your servers, and
CDROM drives there."


"In considering the location of a server, remember that your
campus may have regulations about how units in different rooms
are connected...we are required to use building wiring (installed
and controlled by our Telecom Dept.) when crossing room
boundaries.

While this adds some cost to a LAN installation, it also adds
additional features, primary among which is a connection to the
campus backbone so that we can provide access to other LANs on
campus and reach the internet from any ethernet connected
workstation.

[Regarding choice of cable] "You should, of course, check with
your physical plant or safety people from the point of view of
following fire regulations as well."


"I urge you to get your whole building wired.  ...we have been
able to inter-connect LANs in two other libraries, to allow
searching their databases from our workstations, and our
databases from their places!  Try to get your chancellor or
president to buy a _very_ extensive wiring job for Loyola.
Failing that, please check with the other computer guru's on your
campus to make sure your cables and LANs are compatible with any
others about the campus.  That way, if inter-connection becomes
possible in future, you'll be ready for it."

BTW, we are getting the network, a SilverPlatter Academic
Reference Center, with a single 7-drive tower and Novell NetWare
3.11.  We'll have as many as eight workstations on the network.
Location of the servers is still up in the air.  Sorry this
summary took so long, our BITNET feed was down for a few days.

Jim Hobbs, Coordinator of Online Services  BITNET:  HOBBS@LOYNOVM
Loyola Univ., New Orleans           INTERNET:  HOBBS@VM.LOYNO.EDU
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Subject: (no subject given)