Last meeting: 4/28/98 Next meeting: 6/16/98
- Didn't order these because they were offered on a limited quantity basis and they ran out. Still may want to look at other vendors since this seems to be the going price for these types of hubs.
From Russ: What do you think of the idea of me setting up a data radio system for Potsdam State, so that Potsdam State users in and around the Potsdam area can access the campus network at fairly high speeds? The idea is that I'll pay for the central hub, users can buy their endpoint ($650-850 depending), and I'll help them get set up and manage the whole thing. Oh, and I'll have a link through it also, so I can support it.
Obviously this is a dodge to get me "free" Internet access. But it's also an opportunity for the school to get off-campus access at low capital and manpower cost. Do you think there's any demand for that kind of access? It wouldn't be available to everyone. It would depend on whether they had line-of-sight access to one (or more, possibly) central hub(s). The initial set of interested parties would determine that.
From Bob: How soon do you need an "answer"?
Russ: It would take a while to set it all up, so there's no terrible hurry.
Bob: I ask because this is an issue I would want to raise in our Network Services group and also with College admin since it would be a selective service for few individuals. We would also need to look at policies that apply to either our Applied Theory connection or our SUNYNet connection. I can't imagine that being a problem, but then I don't completely understand how this would work (like our Potsdam HS radio bridge??)
Russ: Pretty much, only, we'd use an omnidirectional antenna for the hub, so that anyone who could see it, could communicate with it (presuming they're using the same security code).
Bob: I have a number of other questions too. If I understand your proposal, it would cost a user $650-850 to get what speed?
Russ: It's 2MBps raw data speed, but you'd get a good 256Kbps out of it. It "feels" like you're on campus.
Bob: Is this a one-time only fee?
Russ: Yes.
Bob: How many people could use this?
Russ: Basically, it depends on where we (can) put the antenna(s). The more people who can see it the more who can use it. At some point, of course, you run out of radio bandwidth, but at that point it would be sufficiently obvious that another hub is needed, and also where it would be needed.
The price on the radios should be coming down, since IEEE 802.11-compliant products have just recently come on the market.
---------
- After some discussion it was felt that with the cost of connecting the antenna to our network (via elevator shaft), the uncertainty of how much user support would be required, the cost of the service and the uncertainty of campus interest in this service, this seems to be more cost than benefit and we will not pursue it. The one external benefit is that this solution would eliminate a dial-in user--but not enough to make a difference to our DID line shortage.
Carm pointed out that they may be involved in burying our TV/data cable to the President's house this summer.Brenda reported on significant changes to the Student Centralized Mailroom project. Joe Sarnoff and others will be moved to the west-side of the Student Union (over the bookstore). This will mean pulling more data/phone lines to these areas. Carm will check with Bill Fisher on this.
Next meeting: Tuesday, 6/15/98