Newsgroups: bit.listserv.big-lan
Date:         Tue, 12 Jan 1993 15:37:01 EST
From:         BIG-REQ@SUVM.BITNET
Subject:      BIG-LAN Digest, Volume 5, Number 1, Tuesday, January 12, 1993

BIG-LAN DIGEST           Tuesday, 12 January 1993       Volume 5 : Issue 1

Today's Topics:

               Computers in Healthcare Education Symposium
                          Multiplexing X.25 line
                              Remote Access
                            Isolated grounding
               Re: Server Fault Tolerant H/W Sources Sought
                    "A Hidden Cost in LAN Maintenance"
                  "User firms plagued by LAN money pits"
                          composite type cables
                            Cable TV on campus
                         Ethernet vs. Token Ring

Moderated by John Wobus, Syracuse University

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----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Tue, 05 Jan 1993 14:42:37 EST
From: Jerilyn Garofalo <garofalo@shrsys.hslc.org>
Subject:      Computers in Healthcare Education Symposium

MARK YOUR CALENDAR !!!

            Computers In Healthcare Education Symposium

                        April 29 & 30, 1993
                     Thomas Jefferson University
                         Philadelphia, PA

The Symposium serves as a national forum and provides numerous
opportunities to share ideas and expertise about the use of
technology in healthcare education.  The HSLC encourages the
sharing of resources among Pennsylvania's Health Sciences
institutions and towards that end is sponsoring the eighth
"Computers in Healthcare Education" Symposium.  The Symposium is
two full days of speakers, workshops and exhibits.

The "Computers in Healthcare Education" Symposium is the only computer
conference designed for and by medical and allied health educators.
We invite you to participate and join in exploring the 1993
Symposium theme --

"Collaborative Computing & Networking for the 90's"

In keeping with the theme of collaboration, we are pleased to announce that
this year's symposium is jointly sponsored by IBM and Apple.  The exhibit
area will also feature many other commercial vendors and a reception on
Thursday evening.

We are pleased to announce that our keynote speakers will be Ed Krol,
Pat Mulholt and Mike Bowman.

Ed Krol is the author of _The Hitchhikers Guide to The Internet_ and
_The Whole Internet: User's Guide and Catalog_.  _The Whole Internet_ is
considered by many to be the most useful Internet handbook available.
Mr. Krol has also consented to host a book signing at the symposium.

Pat Mulholt of Columbia University of Health Sciences will speak on the
creation of an electronic curriculum through the CHIPS project at Columbia.
The CHIPS project networks the curriculums of all the medical, dental and
allied health schools through the central hub of their library.

Mike Bowman of IBM will speak on IBM and Apple joint ventures. In a
true collaboration IBM and Apple have created two joint venture firms,
Taligent and Kaleida.  Mike will explain the goals of these two new firms.

The Symposium program includes a wide range of interesting and
useful activities including keynote speakers, paper presentations,
panel sessions, demonstrations, and hands-on workshops. Speakers have been
invited from all over the United States and the Republic of Panama.

The brochure, registration and hotel information will be mailed in February
1993. If you would like to receive a copy please send your name and
address to the address below.

The Health Sciences Libraries Consortium is supported in part with
a grant from The Pew Charitable Trusts.

\          Jerilyn Garofalo                     Voice: 215 222-1532
\\         User Support Specialist              Fax:   215 222-0416
\\\\       Health Sciences Libraries Consortium
\\\\\\     3600 Market St., Suite 550
H S L C    Philadelphia, PA   19104-2646   Garofalo@shrsys.hslc.org

-------------------------------------------------------

Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 16:09:04 -0800 (PST)
From: Jason Halm <halm@netcom.ubc.ca>
Subject:      Multiplexing X.25 line

>
> Date: Thu, 24 Dec 92 14:48 GMT
> From: KBARAKA@VRIT01.EG
> Subject:      Multiplixing X.25 line
>
> Hello,
> I need to know if I can used the same X.25 line to connect both AS400 machine
>    and X.25 gateway on SCO UNIX Server connected to 10Base-T Ethernet
 network.
> Note:
> The AS400 machine is not connected to the Ethernet network.
> Any suggestions in spliting X.25 line is apprechiated.
> Thanks....
>

If this is X.25 (version 1984 or earlier) over an HDLC link, you cannot
put two machines on one end of the line.  I don't know if later versions
have been expanded to do mulitdrop, but I doubt it.  Ask your vendors.

     Jason Halm        halm@netcom.ubc.ca
     Computing & Communications
     University of British Columbia

-------------------------------------------------------

Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 08:26:08 -0800 (PST)
From: Allen Lung <lung@eos.arb.ca.gov>
Subject:      Remote Access

I need to replace a system that is running an application that I will try
to describe.  The host is a mini computer with an application that
receives calls (modem 2400) from remote p.c's, at this point the host
recognizes the p.c. hangs up and dials back the p.c.  The p.c. uploads
data to the host at this point.  Once the data is on the host it needs to
be edited by Secretarial staff that is not computer literate.  Im looking
for any solution that will work.  All ideas are welcome.
Novell,unix,Async,dedicated circuits etc etc

Approx  100 remote cites

Allen Lung
CA Air Resources Board
(916)322-7056

-------------------------------------------------------

Date: Sun, 3 Jan 93 14:45:26 -0500
From: William H. Magill <magill@dccs.upenn.edu>
Subject:      Isolated grounding

>   I've been working with the construction/planning folks on campus.
>   We have several major buildings we are reviewing and the question of
>   isolated grounding came up.
>
>   We specified it for the wiring closet. No problem.
>   What about PC's/Mac's in the building?
>   If we are wiring level 5 for 10BT, how important is an isolated ground for
>   each device which attaches to the network?
>   Basically, should every comm port be associated with an isolated ground
>   power recepticle?

Grounding is a subject that it is difficult to get a straight answer on.
We've wrestled with different versions of the problem for many years now.

As best I can tell, an IG is merely a 3 wire circuit where the ground wire
runs all the way back to a "real" ground.

Where that "real" ground is, and how "real" it is is the crucial problem.
I believe that today's "US" code requires ONLY 3 wire circuits that are
"real" grounds.

Historically, "really old" buildings (like pre 1960s) contain ONLY 2 wire
circuits. No grounds exist at all - not even coundit grounds. Sometime in
the 50's or 60's the NEC (National Electrical Code) was revised to move to
"grounded" circuits. These typically used a "condit" (or BX armor) as the
ground. Then sometime in the late 70s or 80s, the NEC was again "upgraded"
to require "real" 3 wire circuits. Depending upon the municiplity, they
either "automatically" included the NEC requirements or have some sort of
local process for modifying these codes.

The term "Isolated Ground" has come to be used as a mechanism to make
certain that one has a "real" ground.

The "last mile" of the electrical circuit (from the wall plate back to the
circuit breaker) is, today, usually a 3 wire circuit - no conduit or BX
grounds  allowed. However, the "circuit box" may or may not have a "real"
ground. It may depend upon a conduit ground, or possibly a "neutral" leg,
for the ground. Neither of which is necessarily evil - it all depends upon
your overall building wiring.

Now comes the fun. A real "Isolated Ground" is usually a liability. This is
because a true "Isolated Ground" is NOT connected to either the Transformer
vault ground or neutral, or to the "water pipe" ground. Consequently,
depending upon Soil conditions (water tables, conductivity, and all that
crap) you CAN develop an electrical potential between "two different
grounds." After all, that is what a lightning strike is all about.

Most transformer vaults have a "ground field" to which the center winding
of the transformer is connected. If I remember correctly, this is also tied
to the "water pipe" ground. Consequently, Neutral and Ground are the same
potential.

So all of this is just saying, an IG circuit is probably "necessary"
because you have existing wiring which has an "uncertain pedegree".
Meaning, you have no idea if it has a reasonable ground or not. Similarly,
you have no idea if that ground path is "highly resistive" from coroded
conduit joints or the like, and consequently not very useful.1

However, I would doubt that any "new construction" will need a separate IG.

Now, with all of that said, there is one other cavet...
An IG is necessary to assure that certain "high noise" type equipment does
not "back feed" your communications gear. Typically, fun places like labs,
and elevator shafts are the most commmon culprets. Big "rotating" motors -
A/C compressors, elevators and the like can cause phase problems. But these
are usually "filtered" locally.

Find out who your campus "PE" is (Professional Engineer). He's the one who
has to actually sign off on all of these various design issues for State
and local Permits.

We always specify IGs for "our circuits" to assure that we don't get
"condit grounds. And because they are forced to install ORANGE
recepticals, the electricians know they can loose their licenses (and get
fined by their Unions) for doing the wrong thing.

[Yes, the IG circuit spec's a special orange outlet.]

As for the PCs and MAC's - yes, if the building does NOT have 3 prong wall
plates. If the building does have 3 prong wall plates, IGs are "probably"
not necessary - but they likely still need some sort of "spike protection."

As for 10BT - power probably is the least of your worries. Distance and
"connections" (splices, 66 blocks, etc) will cause you more troubles.
CDDI - ? who knows at this point?

William H. Magill                         Manager, PennNet Computing Services
Data Communications and Computing Services (DCCS)  University of Pennsylvania
Internet: magill@dccs.upenn.edu                   magill@eniac.seas.upenn.edu
          magill@upenn.edu

-------------------------------------------------------

Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1993 22:05:26 GMT
From: MICHAEL.WILLETT@OFFICE.WANG.COM ("Michael Willett")
Subject:      Re: Server Fault Tolerant H/W Sources Sought

On the comp.sys.novell news group, Thomas P. Morris at the
UNC School of Public Health, CAIS (tmorris@sph.unc.edu)
                                  (tom@sphvax.sph.unc.edu)
                                  (tom@uncsphvx.bitnet)
writes:

>In terms of storage needs, I would expect to need to upgrade to
>c1.5 GB storage in the next year (not including mirror or duplex
>drives), with up to 3GB needed in the longer term...Options we are
>looking at...:

>-some form of RAID hardware....

>So, What am I looking for? - Hardware recommendations
                            - Vendor recommendations
                            - Prices
                            - End-user (system manager) experience with
                              such systems

There's a lot of USENET interest in the new RAID 7s from local RAID
vendor, Storage Computer, in Nashua, New Hampshire.  (Tel. 603-880-3005)
Their R&D management email address is RAID7@World.std.com.  There has
recently been a lot of discussion on the peripherals news groups about
the advantages of RAID 7 over the earlier RAIDs, and Storage Computer R&D
just posted a lengthy, detailed technical report on RAID 7.  You might want
to take a look at that.  I don't have any pricing information which you
request, but they have test reports showing they are a price/performance
leader versus RAID 4s & RAID 5s, etc.  Their RAID 7 disk array platform has
recently been favorably reviewed in Open Systems Today, Computer Technology
Reviews, and the leading iX magazine in Germany.  You might want to read
those reviews.  (Storage Technology's big ICEBERG RAID might be of interest
too, but I think it's still not ready; they've been delayed by a lot of
R&D problems.  ICEBERG is probably too big for most Novell LANs, anyway.)

Michael.Willett@OFFICE.Wang.com   (We provide only RAID 3s for our VS minis,
                                   not either of the RAIDs mentioned above.)

-------------------------------------------------------

Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1993 18:38:17 GMT
From: IMAGING.CLUB@OFFICE.WANG.COM ("Imaging Club")
Subject:      "A Hidden Cost in LAN Maintenance"

A front page story in the January 4 issue of Communications Week
is entitled "A Hidden Cost in LAN Maintenance.  It starts off:

Many organizations continue to pay a "hidden" but significant cost
associated with managing LANs--the expense of having a technician go
into the wiring closet every time a move or change is made....Port
switching, a hub feature that lets LAN changes be made from a
workstation rather than manually, can greatly reduce the time and
money spent on such tasks, Bytex and other vendors say....Bytex,
Chipcom, and Lannet offer port switching now..."With the feature, you
can move a user from LAN A to LAN B without pulling a lot of cable."
...Whirlpool director of Technology Jim Heaney said by issuing commands to
the Bytex hubs from his console, he can move users on the network in
minutes.  "We move 10 people a week here," he said.  It used to take days
do that manually, he added.  In the past, when moves were needed to remote
Whirlpool offices, a technician had to be flown out to the site--at a cost
of up to $2,000.  Those changes can now be made remotely, he said.  With
port switching, Whirlpool also is able to keep users on the same server
when they move to a different location.  Users can keep their passwords
and server access codes to servers.  They estimate that port-switching can
save a company with a 1,400 node network $31,705 annually on the cost of
adds, moves and changes.   (Let me know if you would like a copy of the
full article.  You could probably get some technical reports on this
from Anne Brazao at Bytex, 508-366-8000.)

Michael.Willett@OFFICE.Wang.com

-------------------------------------------------------

Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 08:04:39 GMT
From: IMAGING.CLUB@OFFICE.WANG.COM ("Imaging Club")
Subject:      "User firms plagued by LAN money pits"

The January 4 issue of the leading Network World newspaper has
a well-written, detailed story entitled "User firms plagued by LAN
money pits."  The subtitle reads "Forrester study finds cost of
local net support eating up corporate cash but offers tips for
relief."  The article has a graph of annual charges for different
kinds of support on a 5,000-user network.

Our LAN customer services support groups here have some extra
copies of this issue which we can mail to interested people.  In
general, this is quite a good networking newspaper and is free to
qualified people, at least in the US.

Michael.Willett@OFFICE.Wang.com

-------------------------------------------------------

Date: Fri, 8 Jan 93 13:41:49 CST
From: sullivan@asc563.asc.slb.com (NETMAN)
Subject:      composite type cables


I am seeking information on composite type cables.  Specifically,
I am looking for a cable containing the following:

 2 4 pair level 5 UTP cables
 1 4 pair level 3 UTP cable
 2 FDDI cables (4 fibers)

Anyone know of anything close?
Suggested sources?

Jim Sullivan                          Schlumberger
Project Engineer                      Austin Systems Center
sullivan@asc.slb.com                  8311 North FM 620 Road
512-331-3158 (direct)                 P. O. Box 200015
512-331-3127 (fax)                    Austin, Texas  78720-0015
                                      USA

-------------------------------------------------------

Date: 08 Jan 1993 14:46:28 -0600 (CST)
From: Jim Mayne <MAYNE@TCUCVMS.BITNET>
Subject:      Cable TV on campus

Texas Christian University is negotiating with our local cable TV system to
bring cable TV on campus and in particular into our dorm rooms. I would be
interested in discussing this process with anyone who has gone through
something similar.

Thanks,

Jim Mayne
Texas Christian University
mayne@gamma.is.tcu.edu
mayne@tcucvms.bitnet

-------------------------------------------------------

Date: 10 January 93, 19:10:19 SLT
From: F60C038  at SAKSU00
Subject:      Ethernet vs. Token Ring

      What are the PROs and CONs, advantages and disadvantages of
Ethernet versus Token Ring .

      I appologize for this FAQ, but I'm about to make this crucial decision.

PLEASE REPLY TO: F60C038@SAKSU00.BITNET

-------------------------------------------------------


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