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From: rmilner@zia.aoc.nrao.edu (Ruth Milner)
Newsgroups: comp.misc,comp.sys.misc,alt.sys.sun
Subject: Looking for Auspex customer experience
Message-ID: <1991Apr22.181834.21186@nmt.edu>
Date: 22 Apr 91 18:18:34 GMT
Sender: nraoaoc@nmt.edu (NRAO Array Operations Center)
Organization: National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Socorro NM
Lines: 51

We have a requirement in the near future for a Unix system to serve OS and
data to approximately 70 diskless workstations (at least some of which will
be Suns). We know that we will have at least 4 Ethernets, and that we will 
have approximately 30-40GB of disk space on it (probably SCSI since IPI is 
still twice as expensive). This is to be a dedicated server, i.e. no logins 
except for administration.

Auspex is one of the possibilities for this system. I have all the literature,
and have been to presentations by a couple of Auspex's technical people at
the last Sun User Group meeting. What I need is to hear about real-life 
experience with them from the customer base (a small group, I realize).

I need to know the following kinds of things:

    1. Your configuration: 
       o how many of what workstations across how many nets, what local disk 
         do they have, what do they depend on the server for?
       o the configuration of the Auspex itself: model, memory, number of
         I/O processors, total disk space, etc. 

    2. Price/Performance: 
       o probably most easily measured in subjective terms of response time, 
         as well as getting data across the net. Also, how is its performance 
         as a router between networks? 
       o How did the price you paid compare with other systems you looked at, 
         e.g. Sun, Solbourne, etc.? Do you feel its performance justifies any 
         extra?
       o How reliable has the system been since you installed it? What level
         of percentage uptime do you have? (This is a major concern since it
         would be the single point of failure for every individual's desktop).

    3. Service: 
       o software and hardware - how does the support compare to other major 
         vendors you have experience with?

    4. Enhancements: 
       o special software added to the basic OS for monitoring system/network 
         load and throughput. I know they have this; how good is it, and how 
         easy is it to use? 

Other general experiences, and overall feelings about the systems, are welcome.

I will summarize to the net when the replies stop trickling in :-). If you
don't want to be quoted at all, or simply don't want your name used, please
let me know and I'll keep it out.

Thank you very much.
-- 
Ruth Milner
Systems Manager                     NRAO/VLA                    Socorro NM
Computing Division Head      rmilner@zia.aoc.nrao.edu