--- Forwarded Message from John de Szendeffy <[log in to unmask]> --- >Date: Wed, 13 Sep 2000 12:05:26 -0400 >From: John de Szendeffy <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: [log in to unmask] >Organization: Boston University >To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: Re: #5688 Suggestions for a new server? >References: <[log in to unmask]> ------------------ "Fatima Chajia" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Hi y'all, > > We have a small computer lab in our dept. It has 25 machines (Apple). We are > considering purchasing a new server, a server fast enough and with enough > memory to handle a lot of audio files . . . We do not have a technician and therefore we are > looking for a server that can be used and networked easily by an average lab > director( myself!). Any suggestions? . . . Your last point, about not having technical support, largely plays your hand. You need a server that *you* can setup and support, and if you're already supporting Macs, then you are most likely prepared to support a Mac server. You might want to check out the new G4 servers, even the dual processor numbers running OS X, which provide native support for multiple processors. OS X also holds out the hope of being infinitely more stable and reliable as a server than previous Mac OSes. If you are encoding these audio files into an efficient codec, such as RealAudio or streaming QuickTime, then 25 clients accessing such files puts less of a strain on the server's i/o ability. Just be sure to load the thing up with RAM, say 256 or 512MB min. as it's the cheapest way to improve performance. And use the built-in Fast Ethernet (100Mb/s) or GigEthernet (1000Mb/s) networking to a 10/100 or faster switched hub. Check out the specs on the OS X servers at http://www.apple.com/powermac/server/osxindex.html The question you need to research is whether this server can dish out your audio files to 25 clients with no dropped packets. I can't imagine that it wouldn't do this. There are other options, such as inexpensive pre-configured NT and Linux boxes, but not if you can't get local support for these technologies. Good luck. -John __________________________________________ John de Szendeffy <[log in to unmask]> Multimedia Language Lab Center for English Language and Orientation Programs Boston University ph (617) 353-7957 fx (617) 353-6195 Lab: http://www.bu.edu/celop/MLL WebFeat: http://www.bu.edu/johndesz/