🚀 go-pugleaf

Jason Collins wrote:
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> I am about to buy a Linux box for my school that will be used as a
> dialup server (8 modems only) for our staff and students, and as a
> proxy, mail, ftp, WWW, DNS, irc etc server for the school's internal
> network as well as the remote users.  (No news feed)
> 
> The maximum number of simultaneous users this system will be required to
> handle will be 40 internal PC's as well as the 8 modem users, although I
> doubt that the modems will get much use during school time.
> 
> Could someone please recommend a system (just cpu, m/b, ram, hdd) that
> could handle these functions please.

You'll need a Cyclades or similiar to run the modems. Make sure you
don't get "Winmodems" or anything that needs its firmware from the OS,
ie, no drivers that dos would usually install in the modem on power up. 

The box, a pentium 133 should do the aboe easy, but then you'd haven't
got room to move. Consider, for example, the possibility of running file
sharing (ie samba or nfs). So I'd recommend a Pentium 200, which you can
now get at fire sale prices.

Get yourself 32 Meg of EDO. You'll need 64Meg when (not if) you decide
to run a news server. Trust me, it's gonna happen. After that, you start
to have problems with the 64Meg upper limit on cacheable memory in VX
and TX chipsets. If you can, see if you can't dig yourself up an HX
chipset mobo. It will mean the box will last longer by at least an extra
18 months.

Alternatively, go a Pentium Pro. Get yourself a dual processor mobo so
you've got a slot free if you decide to add a processor.

You'll need a scsi controller and disks. Go for a Buslogic controller,
get a DPT958 if you can. After you put them in, you almost forget
they're there :-)

Definately get yourself at least a 2 gig drive, really nice would be 3
disks. Then you can run raid. Splendid.

Network card - I use an SMC EtherPower 10/100 with the DE4x5 driver.
Lovely.

Paul