[OPLINTECH] [OPLINLIST] Bandwidth issues.

[Travis McAfee]

Way uses a Cymphonix bandwidth shaping device in conjunction with OPLIN
QoS..  I have mixed feelings about the Cymphonix device.  If it's doing what
it says it's a great and beautiful thing.  I ran into some issues with their
tech support a few months ago, however, and they basically destroyed the
thing twice with bad updates.

 

Otherwise, I'm not going to say there are no solutions to this problem, but
at peak hours we have our staffers and 30+ patrons on computers.  Even if I
were a bandwidth genius, anything short of blocking Myspace, Facebook,
Snapfish, Runescape, YouTube, and Photobucket would probably result in
congested lines.  Websites are designing their content to run on Cable
connections now, which are rapidly approaching the same speeds as our T1
lines. It's starting to feel a bit like we're attempting to ration an apple
pie between 100 dinner guests here at the library.  

 

T1 lines just aren't scaling well.  I have about the same bandwidth at home
for $29.99 (RoadRunner - Meep meep!) and it's just a single computer.
Given, I'm enjoying one of the "good" cycles with cable based Internet right
now-  I think they recently upgraded their network.  In my experience it
will slowly deteriorate until they upgrade again. It's also not as reliable
as a T1 connection, so I guess the extra cost is mostly coming from that
last 10% uptime. Still, this is what the popular sites out there believe
their core audience has access to.

 

Travis McAfee

Systems Administrator

Way Public Library

101 E. Indiana Ave.

Perrysburg, OH  43551

 

Voice:  (419) 874-3135 x103

Fax:     (419) 874-6129

Email:    <mailto:mcafeetr at oplin.org> mcafeetr at oplin.org

Web:  http://www.waylibrary.info <http://www.waylibrary.info/> 

 

"The opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect the policies and
procedures of Way Public Library."

  _____  

From: oplinlist-bounces at oplin.org [mailto:oplinlist-bounces at oplin.org] On
Behalf Of Christopher Brose
Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2008 9:33 AM
To: oplintech at oplin.org; oplinlist at oplin.org
Subject: [OPLINLIST] Bandwidth issues.

 

Hello,

 

I know everyone looks at the subject "bandwidth issues" and cringes, and I
know this has been discussed in the past, and I know with certainty this
will be discussed in the future, so here is my question.

 

Last September we moved our patron network off the OPLIN router due to
bandwidth issues caused by Runescape, Myspace, video downloads, etc, adding
a second T-1 line through AT&T.   Since the internet and it's traffic are
never going to grow smaller, we are experiencing congestion on this AT&T T-1
line.  The bandwidth of this second line becomes so completely maxed after
the kids visit after school, and when our lab opens, anyone trying to use
the Internet experience complete frustration with long load times and time
out issues.

 

 I would like see what others have used or tested in the way of throttling
or shaping their libraries network traffic to improve Quality of Service to
their patrons.

 

Thanks,

 

Christopher J. Brose

Network Administrator

Tiffin-Seneca Public Library

Voice: 419-447-3751

Fax:    419-447-3045

brosech at oplin.org

 

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