Date: Wed, 29 Nov 1995 19:13:15 -0500
From: ymz@bronze.lcs.mit.edu (Yale Zussman)
Message-Id: <199511300013.TAA21144@bronze.lcs.mit.edu>
To: beethovn@ai.mit.edu, daesus@usa1.com, darford@eddie.mit.edu, davec@ftp.com,
        dshapiro@MIT.EDU, ezraerb@MIT.EDU, hmadnic@MIT.EDU,
        joreynol@k12.oit.umass.edu, jshollyw@MIT.EDU, kag@citysource.com,
        nashaff@bu.edu, peace@hi.com, pericles@athena.com, rdshydur@MIT.EDU,
        shera@psych.mgh.harvard.edu, vandiver@stu.ci.lexington.ma.us,
        wlogan@bu.edu, worley@world.std.com

From peace@hi.com Wed Nov 29 09:10:52 1995
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From: peace@hi.com (Ron Peacetree)
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Subject: We're going to build a network?
To: ymz@bronze.lcs.mit.edu
Date: Wed, 29 Nov 95 9:20:13 EST
Mailer: Elm [revision: 70.85]
Status: R

 Yale, my email is messing up cc's, so please send a copy of this to all the
people besides you and I on the distribution list below.

}To: daesus@usa1.com, darford@eddie.mit.edu, dshapiro@mit.edu, ezraerb@mit.edu,
}        hmadnic@mit.edu, joreynol@k12.oit.umass.edu, jshollyw@mit.edu,
}        kag@citysource.com, nashaff@bu.edu, peace@hi.com, pericles@athena.com,
}        shera@psych.mgh.harvard.edu, vandiver@stu.ci.lexington.ma.us,
}        wlogan@bu.edu, worley@world.std.com
}              
}  Since the preliminary meeting, I have attempted to find a site that
}would meet our needs.  I have called several businesses including WGBH, 
}John Hancock, the City of Boston, and several community centers.  I 
}have a report back from Jesse on UMass-Boston, while BU continues to 
}be evasive.  I think we have to rule out ALL of these.
  I think we should continue to pursue them just for insurance's sake.

}  But we are not out of the game, yet.  Yesterday, I visited Boston
}Latin and met with the headmaster, Mr. Contompasis, who has agreed, 
}at least implicitly, that we could use his building IF we can install 
}a computer network in the school that will stay after we leave.  I 
}took a tour of the building, and while it appears feasible, there are 
}several issues that we must address:
}  1. Can we get a design developed quickly enough for potential sources
}of grants to provide the cash we will need to execute the plan?  The
}details can be left for later, but a useable cost estimate would be
}needed almost immediately.  If we get enough in grants, I think it is
}reasonable to pay those who do the design work.
  I can design this quite easily.

}  Boston Latin is designed like a ladder, with two lengthy (two city
}blocks) parallel corridors linked by a series of cross-halls.  These 
}have suspended ceilings providing an obvious place to locate trunk lines.  
}Each of three floors has approximately 40 rooms.  Mr. Contompasis 
}appears to be thinking in terms of multiple connections per room, but 
}the power supply may render this difficult, if not impossible.  He may 
}be figuring on a network that can handle some 200-300 terminals.  He
}would like a gateway to the net as well.  I have asked for a set of 
}blue-prints, but when we could get them is unknown.
  We definitely need the blueprints.  I also should get a better idea as
to power and bandwidth needs.

}  2. Would we be able to do major installation work in a small number of
}visits to the building?  We would need to work on weekends and possibly 
}in the evening, but should be able to recruit from APO, ESP, and the
}Latin School student body.  Could the job be done in one or two days if
}we had, let's say, 30-50 people working on it?  Could a crew of this
}complete a single floor in a weekend?  I told Mr. Contompasis that 
}dealing with the unions would be his problem, not ours.
  Installation of Grade 5 UTP (the standard wiring nowdays) can be done
quite easily with many hands using reasonable equipment led by a competant
and experienced supervisor.  The site needs to be surveyed for "gotchas"
before we commit or start, however.  Then there's the money issue...

}  3. Mr. Contompasis understands that we will not be able to finance the
}installation ourselves, but would need one or more grants and perhaps
}some free hardware.  If you know anyone who has reasonably modern stuff
}we could get our hands on, that would help.  I will begin working on
}the foundations as soon as I have some indication of how much we might 
}be seeking.
  This is -not- a trivial problem.  A 200-400 drop network is not small.
Depending on the distances and topologies involved, we could be talking
multiple routers (probable), new power requirements (probable), etc.
This stuff is not cheap.  Where are the funds and equipment going to come
from?  Expertise can easily be provided by people such as Dale and myself.
But without money and equipment, all we can do is make cryptic drawings on
paper :)...

}  4. Can we get our hands on the software that manages a system of the
}size Mr. Contompasis envisions?  Could we get it free?  Would it be
}best to base the system around unix or would something else be better?
}I did not discuss system maintenance with Mr. Contompasis, but this has
}to figure in somewhere- we don't want to be responsible for maintaining
}Latin's system on a day to day basis.
  SW?  If what you want is a Ethernet with a switching bridge or two there's
no SW really involved.  If he has some sort of BBS or other application in
mind, that's a whole discussion that needs to be had in detail.

}  5. Is there anything else we need to know before we can determine whether
}this job is even potentially feasible?
  I need the blueprints.  A site visit with a needs/wants survey/analysis
should be done.  Then I can tell you what the options are and what they will
cost.  Then we need to get the money and equipment.  Then we need to find and
schedule the manpower.  -Then- we can do it. :)

-- Ron Peacetree   peace@Hi.com    617-890-0444 x155