RE: Frame Relay - How much bandwidth is enough?

Hi Chris,

I disagree with your "start with the least amount you can get away with" 
approach.  The delay time between ordering and the
installation of upgrades can be painfully long, especially when users and your 
boss asks "Why?".  Also, it doesn't help your
reputation, if you keep asking for more money to "fix" (upgrade) the "problem" 
(equipment).  And it can end up cost more $$$ in the
long run, due to installation charges, etc.

I would estimate the total bandwidth needed, lease the equipment - signing the 
shortest lease possible (preferably one year) and
re-evaluate your bandwidth needs after six months.

Users have a way of chewing up bandwidth.  And the last thing your boss wants 
to hear is that there is a problem.

Do you remember Murphy's Law?
Thomas' Law states, "Murphy was an optimist!"   <G>

Just my $0.02

Terry




                                                                                
                       
                    Chris Bipes                                                 
                       
                    <chris.bipes@cross-        To:     
"'MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com'"                     
                    check.com>                 <MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com>        
                       
                    Sent by:                   cc:                              
                       
                    owner-midrange-l@mi        Subject:     RE: Frame Relay - 
How much bandwidth is    
                    drange.com                 enough?                          
                       
                                                                                
                       
                                                                                
                       
                    01/16/01 01:17 PM                                           
                       
                    Please respond to                                           
                       
                    MIDRANGE-L                                                  
                       
                                                                                
                       
                                                                                
                       



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







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