Re: Web access and Email setup

The big question is how many email accounts you are talking about, and
how cheap you want to be.  I am assuming you have a small office, on the
order of 30 people.

E-Mail (in order of ease) 
------------
a> You could have someone else host it, and you connect through the
web.  Try http://www.entergroup.com/ or the ISP who provides the
internet connection.  
--> This solution is especially good because they will usually do the
SPAM and virus protection as part of the service.

b> The AS/400 can do the trick all by itself,  It has a built in SMTP
mail server.  There are a ton of free or cheap email clients, including
Outlook Express.  

c> There are a number of pre-built web and email servers, cost roughly
$1000
-- http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.asp?EDC=325700
-- http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.asp?EDC=376329

d> Domino is a great system, and can run on your AS/400 (assuming
capacity exists).  I am sure someone else on the list who can sell it to
you or help you get it going.

e> Roll your own on a Linux machine - you could do it for $1000.

Internet connection:
------------
> DSL is probably the best choice to start; you can get in many speeds.
 If you have more than 40 or so folks, you may want to get a frame relay
or T1.

> If you host your own email, you will want to get a fixed IP address
from the provider.

> GET A DSL ROUTER/FIREWALL -- Netgear and Linksys make good ones that
can be had for $100 or so.  Cisco makes a great one that costs $500 or
so.
-- http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.asp?EDC=427355

Token Ring to Ethernet:
------------
 - I found a device from Black Box on the CDW site
http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.asp?EDC=364158

Good luck


>>> esinger@xxxxxxxx 03/28/03 10:13AM >>>
Greetings!

I hope this is the right place to ask this, and am sure David will let
me
know if I need to move to another list.

I have been given the task of researching, and most likely "quickly"
implementing, a internet connection with email to our network.  I know
that I have a proprietary DSL modem that our ISP will supply that has
ethernet connection on the network side.  I need to get to a token
ring
network with fire wall, email server, spam filtering, and what ever
else I
need to be secure, and stop attacks on our static IP addresses.

My problem is I am a lowly COBOL and CL programmer, and have had
limited
network experience.  Just enough info to be dangerous.  I am looking
for
ideas, suggestions and experiences in how to implement the solution. 
I'm
thinking along the lines of an ethernet firewall appliance, with a
router
of some sort to translate between ethernet and token ring.

For an email server, either the AS/400 native stuff (which I know
nothing
about) or Lotus Domino server (which I know less about!) :^(  We have
access to Notes on all the client PCs.  Came with the Netvista and
Thinkpad machines.

We don't need a web presence, have no website to serve, just need
email
and to allow some employees to surf the web as needed for business
purposes.

What info or suggestions do you have for me?  Please post to the list,
email me directly, or call me with suggestions.  I need to have
something
for the boss in less than a week on costs and time to implement.

Thanks for your help!

Jim Essinger
Senior Programmer/Analyst
Student Loan Fund of Idaho
208-452-4058


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