Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!olivea!uunet!ncrlnk!ncrstp!npdiss1!kershaw
From: kershaw@npdiss1.StPaul.NCR.COM (Kevin Kershaw)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans,ncr.communications
Subject: LAN Configurator
Message-ID: <865@npdiss1.StPaul.NCR.COM>
Date: 6 Feb 91 21:56:35 GMT
Reply-To: kershaw@npdiss1.StPaul.NCR.COM (Kevin Kershaw)
Distribution: na
Organization: StPaul
Lines: 54


Gentle Readers (just call me Mr. Manners):

I am looking for a product that may not exist, but if anyone on the
net has advice or experience in this area, I would like to hear
from you.

We have recently wished we had a Workgroup/Campus LAN network
configurator.  Ideally, this program/device would accept
requirements data as input and generate a network topology and
shopping list as its output.  

A simplified list of inputs might look like:

1) Capability requirements:  Triggerred off of user or sys admin
input, it consists of answers to questions like "What application
types are in use across the network and what are your response time
requirements?  You would choose from, say, EMAIL, File Xfer, or
Image, (supplying min., max., avg. file sizes, % of traffic leaving
workgroup).  

2) Capacity:  A measure of # of users, and the frequency of network
transactions.

3) Geography:  A measure of distance (between stations or LANs), 3
of building floors, and some arbitrary # of workgroups (as required
by "political" considerations)

Outputs would be:

1) A network topology that provides the required performance level
for the users.

2) A shopping list of elements required to implement that network
(i.e., 1000 meters if single mode fiber, 2 FDDI concentrators, 6
FDDI adapters, etc.)

These are, admittedly, gross simplifications of complex issues. I am using
them for example only.  The real program/model could explore network
parameters in gory detail.  

Still, even a simple program would help those without extensive LAN
 knowledge develop a deeper understanding of
what it takes to build a network from scratch.  If you
have knowledge of such a program (or opinions about its viability),
please email with your response.

I will summarize for the net if things get interesting.

-- 

     Kevin Kershaw                              Thanks for the cheese...
     kevin.kershaw@StPaul.NCR.COM
     612-638-7282