Modem Upgrade - Hardware Cost Analysis Revision 1.0 Roy Hooper System Administrator June 12th, 1996 Executive Summary by Lisa Donnelly ---------------------------------- We have met with Carleton University and are finally able to move forward with our expansion of 32 new lines. The modems were donated by USRobotics. The cost of the lines and terminal server were allocated from last year's Challenge grant. According to our hardware specialists, if we are to install the new lines and modems this month, we need to not only purchase the terminal server as budgeted but buy a new machine *or* upgrade existing ones. It appears that the terminal server will be approximately $2,000 more than budgeted. An upgrade or new machine adds to the costs. Terminal Server = $6,915 Upgrades = $6,570 = TOTAL before tax $13,485 or Terminal Server = $6,915 New server = $8,090 = TOTAL before tax $15,005 Purchasing a new machine offers a variety of benefits for the $1,520 difference in cost. We are still collecting quotes and will take the lowest prices we can obtain. Decision Objective: =================== To have the Board approve the expenditure of $10,000 from the budget. This would be taken from the line item which allocates $10,000 for "web initiatives." We do not plan on spending this money in this half on the year on any hardware for web initiatives. The remaining $5,000 is already budgeted for the terminal server. Begin Detailed Analysis by the NCF System Administrator ======================================================= The following are my analysis of the costs of upgrading our modem pool. While reading this report, please remember that we will be handling 32 new 14.4k modems, and a total of 32 2400bps lines will be replaced with 14.4k modems. This will require faster support hardware than if we were just adding 2400bps modems. Keeping this in mind, we will need an unknown amount of additional computing power, not exceeding the equivalent of 27.2 14.4k users (based on the total speed of 32 14.4k modems operating at an average of 16000bps). This estimate can probably be reduced to the equivalent of 8 to 12 14.4k users after taking into consideration user interaction. This reduced estimate is not based on any statistics. We need to accommodate for a maximum increase of the equivalent of 59 users. We are going to need 2 individual items to perform this upgrade. We will need a terminal server, and we will need a server. 1. Terminal Servers ---------------- Vendor Product Cost Cost/Port ------- ------------------------------- ----- --------- 1 CCStore Xylogics Annex III 32 port $5550 $173.44 2 CCStore Xylogics Annex 4000 36 port $6915 $192.08 Option 1 gives us the equivalent of the existing hardware but doesn't allow us any room for greater speeds. The Remote Annex 4000 is designed for 28.8k and greater speeds, whereas the Annex III has been shown to be at it's limit with 64 14.4k modems. The Annex III devices are apparently no longer in common distribution and could take some time to locate and order (4-6 weeks). The availability of the Annex III product line is not guaranteed. The Annex 4000s apparently are readily available. Both quotes include all required hardware (cables, expansion cards) for 'network booting' the terminal servers. We may require a "Ten Base-T Transceiver" for the terminal server. These cost around $80 dollars. Reccomendation: Option 2 2. Servers ------- Vendor Product Cost Users Increase Cost/User ------ -------------------------------- ----- ------- -------- --------- 1 CCS Sun SPARC 5 model 110 w/96M $8090 100 100 $80.90 2a HCC Cycle IPC upgrade 110MHz w/64M for a total of 96M $5130 CCS Seagate Hawk 1GB 10ms $500 TOTAL $5630 100 +70 $80.43 2b HCC Cycle IPC upgrade 110MHz w/96M for a total of 96M $6070 CCS Seagate Hawk 1GB 10ms $500 TOTAL $6570 100 +70 $93.85 Option 1 gives us slightly less bang for the buck than option 2a does. Option 2 runs the risk of being much more expensive/user than option 1 and has much greater long-term disadvantages. Option 2a requires that we purchase a new hard drive, discard 16MB of RAM from freenet5, and pray that our old RAM works with the new RAM that we purchase. If the new RAM does not work, then we have to go with option 2b. There is a chance that our existing RAM will work in the new motherboard, however we may have to decrease the CPU speed in order to accommodate it. This would cause an even higher cost/user and might very well bring us under capacity to handle the projected 59 user increase. Additionally, RAM for option 2 costs us $920/32MB, and is obsolete, whereas RAM for option 1 would cost us $675/32MB and is not obsolete. Option 1 also includes a 2GB disk drive. Recommendation: Option 1 Projected Costs --------------- Xylogics Annex 4000 36 port $6915 Sun SPARC 5 model 110 w/96M $8090 Total projected costs of upgrade: $15005