RE: Frame Relay - How much bandwidth is enough?

If you are not sure, start with the least amount you can get away with.  If you are serving up web pages with heavy graphics to business customers you will need more.  If you are doing transaction processing you don't need much.  BUT you do want to get a CSU/DSU and Router that can handle up to a full T1.  Most routers today have built in CSU/DSU that can handle fractional T1.  We have a full T1 for our web serving and web based transaction processing.  We have a private WAN running 128k with several business partners doing FTP and real time transaction processing.  Our bandwidth runs about 1 to 2 percent with burst to 90 percent during FTP.

How do you know if you have enough?  Buy the min you can with upgradeable hardware and contract.  Monitor your utilization and add more as needed.

If they are only doing 5250 emulation, 56k can handle 10 to 15 users easily.

Christopher K. Bipes    mailto:ChrisB@Cross-Check.com
Sr. Programmer/Analyst  mailto:Chris_Bipes@Yahoo.com
CrossCheck, Inc.        http://www.cross-check.com
6119 State Farm Drive   Phone: 707 586-0551 x 1102
Rohnert Park CA  94928  Fax: 707 586-1884

If consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, only geniuses work here.  Karen Herbelin - Readers Digest 3/2000

-----Original Message-----
From: Ed Chabot [mailto:echabot@marlinfirearms.com]
Sent: Tuesday, January 16, 2001 9:07 AM
To: midrange-l@midrange.com
Subject: Frame Relay - How much bandwidth is enough?

I am currently tasked with setting up a sister company so they can run off
of our AS/400.  We are leaning toward frame relay and my first (probably of
many) question is this.  Are there any rules of thumb or tools that help
determine how much bandwidth is enough?  All the vendors obviously want to
sell you as much as they can and we don't want to "over" buy.  Also, has
anyone had good luck/experiences with a particular vendor, or more
importantly bad luck/experience?  Thanks in advance.

Ed Chabot
The Marlin Firearms Company
100 Kenna Drive
North Haven, CT 06473
(203)985-3254