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Network Overhauls - Share Your Thoughts
Network Overhauls - Share Your Thoughts
3:02 PM EDT 6/20/04
We are in the midst of a network analysis, meetings with cabling consutlants, etc.

Anyone gone through an overhaul recently? If so, could you share some thoughts?

Thanks - Chad
RE: Network Overhauls - Share Your Thoughts
3:02 PM EDT 6/20/04 as a reply to Chad Eller.
Chad,

I'm not really understanding what you are looking for. We recently contracted with an Engineering firm to look at our network topology and layout (and suggest changes/upgrades). Is that what you are talking about?
RE: RE: Network Overhauls - Share Your Thoughts
3:02 PM EDT 6/20/04 as a reply to Chad Eller.
Pretty much.

We are at a point where we have a mixture of cat 4, cat 5, and coaxial cable - which still runs Gaylord's Galaxy system a little slow but fine. Internet connection at our branches has dropped below dial-up speed. Most of our routers are older (no longer produced), etc.

We have undergone a network analysis (from our telecomm provider) and have targeted replacement of routers at all locations, a re-cable of our main library (quotes for fiber and cat 6 cable), changing how we handle internet at our branches, etc.

All of this is to better handle bandwidth AND to prepare for a (WE CROSS OUR FINGERS) new Automation system such as Polaris that would be TCP/IP based.

Whew - that was long winded. I was just curious if anyone had experienced anything similar?

Thanks - Chad
RE: RE: Network Overhauls - Share Your Thoughts
3:02 PM EDT 6/20/04 as a reply to Chad Eller.
We haven't undergone anything quite that intensive, although we did upgrade all our Cat5 and installed a new router when we got our Gates machines. That was three years ago, which is nigh on prehistoric with computers.

I am looking at getting some new computers in the near future. Our server is at least five years old, my workstation is even older. We're running NT on the server and public machines, and still have Win98 on my workstation and some "deadhead" machines we use for catalog access only.

Does anyone have any experiences to share with getting a new server and setting it up to work with prior OS versions?
RE: RE: RE: Network Overhauls - Share Your Thoughts
3:02 PM EDT 6/20/04 as a reply to Chad Eller.
On the question about getting a new server I would go to Windows 2K. I have 5 servers running this and have not had any problems with the networking part of it with older operating systems. As with the networking the building always look at where you will be down the road. I networked buildings when I was in school and the biggest problem I see is that they don't plan on the future. If they are going to be expanding and what not.

Good luck to the both of you.

TK
RE: RE: Network Overhauls - Share Your Thoughts
3:02 PM EDT 6/20/04 as a reply to Chad Eller.
Hi TK,
Welcome to the technology planning forum! Thank you for your post.

I think your advice about planning ahead is great. It seems so hard though... how do we know what the future will look like? I guess we just try to leave things as flexible and adaptable as possible?

Brenda