[148] in Resnet-Forum
ResNet at Penn -- a progress report
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Dan Updegrove)
Tue Feb 22 02:06:17 1994
To: resnet-forum@MIT.EDU
Date: Tue, 22 Feb 1994 01:50:48 -0500 (EST)
From: danu@dccs.upenn.edu (Dan Updegrove)
Jonathan Dolan of Oregon State asks, "What I would like to know is what
sort of networking is going on (or being tought about) at other University
Residence Hall systems and what sort of services are being offered."
The following article, which I wrote for the University of Pennsylvania's
computing newsletter, Penn Printout, summarizes where we stood recently.
Regards to all,
Dan
* * * * * * * * * *
ResNet report card
Penn Printout, Volume 10, Number 2, October 1993, Page 4-5
Includes one sidebar: IP Software
ResNet, Penn's program to network the residence halls for high-
speed Ethernet data communications, 55-channel cable television, and
Penntrex phone service, is well underway. Phase 1, carried out this
past summer, provides network services for nearly 1,500 students in five
residence halls. Phase 2, to be accomplished next summer, calls for
wiring Harrison and Harnwell Houses, two high rises housing 1,660
undergraduates.
In addition to residential networking, the ResNet program includes
support for expansion of the central modem pool and electronic mail
service for students in small schools. Funding for ResNet is derived
from student fees, room charges, and residents' phone charges.
ResNet Phase 1
--------------
As previously reported, ResNet seeks to:
* Provide students in residence with state-of-the-art multimedia
information access and communication
* Make on-campus living more attractive
* Upgrade the telephone wiring plant in residences
Although visions of data networking in residences date from the mid
80s, and of video from the late 70s, final Trustee approval for ResNet
Phase 1 was not secured until March of this year. Thus to deliver
ResNet services by fall semester required roughly a year's worth of work
to be performed in less than six months: bid solicitation; contract
negotiation; construction of wiring closets and conduits; wiring; and
installation of closet electronics, a new video head-end, and numerous
lasers on rooftops to carry the video signal across city streets. In
parallel, a new in-room software installation and telephone support team
was conceived, recruited, and trained.
Five residences were selected for the initial phase: High Rise
North (with 870 residents), Kings Court (210), English House (170), and
Ware College House in the Quad (160), and Class of '25/Modern Languages
College House (80). In addition to "a wall plate for every pillow,"
each living room and lounge was wired, for a total of 1,950 network
connections--nearly 20 percent as many connections as PennNet had seen
in the previous eight years!
Every ResNet wall plate provides live Cable TV (strictly speaking,
Phase 1 is currently a "Satellite Master Antenna Television" system),
Ethernet (an entire suite is activated on demand), and phone service
(common line and/or private line service, available as usual through
Penntrex for a fee). A cable-ready TV or VCR is required for viewing
ResNet Video, which features Philadelphia area stations, University
Television (UTV), popular commercial channels (ESPN, MTV, WTBS), all the
channels carried on the Academic Video Network (CNN, C-SPAN, Scola, et
al.), and a ResNet 24-hour-a-day movie channel.
ResNet Data Communication
-------------------------
To reduce infrastructure costs and complexity, ResNet offers no
asynchronous or LocalTalk connections, only Ethernet, using twisted pair
(10baseT) wiring. Accordingly, students wishing to connect their
computers must purchase 10baseT Ethernet cards or adaptors (ranging in
price from $77 to $223). Alternatively, modems can be used, but data
rates are roughly 20-100 times slower, and their use ties up a phone
line.
Two communications protocols are currently supported on the campus
Ethernet: AppleTalk, the proprietary protocol built into every
Macintosh, and TCP/IP, the PennNet/Internet standard. ResNet students
with Macintoshes can use AppleTalk to share printers and files as well
as send messages; at least one student makes an extensive repository of
games and other software available via AppleShare.
Due to the inherent complexity of TCP/IP and the suite of software
required for each hardware platform (see sidebar), ResNet provides up to
two hours of in-room software installation and training, at no charge,
performed by student assistants under the supervision of Data
Communications and Computing Services (DCCS). ResNet assistants also
install Ethernet cards, if requested.
TCP/IP requires a unique "IP address" for each computer on PennNet.
To simplify software installation, and to accommodate students with
laptop computers who would likely move from room to room and from
building to building, DCCS (with assistance from the School of
Engineering and Applied Sciences) developed a new server ("BOOTP") that
assigns IP addresses dynamically. The IP address works anywhere in the
building, and a different address is assigned if the machine is moved to
another building.
Early Experience
----------------
Although a systematic assessment of ResNet after two months would
be premature, some initial experiences and insights are worthy of note:
* ResNet seems attractive: Wired upperclass residences were
effectively 100 percent occupied on September 1, whereas some unwired
residences had vacancies.
* Ethernet is popular: By September 15, over 50 percent of the suites
had at least one request for activation.
* The two-step data communication startup--Ethernet activation followed
by the software installation visit--proved too complex. To simplify
the process, all wall plates are likely to be activated in the
future.
* Macs are easier to network than PCs: Reflecting experience
elsewhere, ResNet installers report fewer problems with Ethernet
cards, software installation, and software performance on Macintoshes
than on PCs, especially older PCs. A contributing factor is that
some PC owners have purchased non-standard Ethernet cards instead of
the supported SMC card, resulting in more complicated software
installations.
* Students have high standards on video picture quality: The ResNet
hot line received numerous calls when channels were deemed fuzzy
(even in a few cases in which staff reported that the picture quality
exceeded their CATV service at home).
* Some residents, lacking owner's manuals for their TVs or VCRs, have
been uncertain about the cable-readiness of their sets: Non-cable-
ready units only receive channels 2-13; older cable-ready sets
receive only 2-36; and many fully cable-ready sets don't receive all
55 channels unless a switch is set properly. To accommodate
residents with older units, the movie channel is being moved to a
channel lower than 13.
* Several incidents indicate that information about acceptable use of
ResNet needs to be made more prominent. Not only are residents
accountable for use of their ResNet connections by others, but also
network privacy rights and commercial software copyrights must be
respected. Penn's Policy with respect to the Electronic Information
Environment is included in ResNet Guide to Services, PennNet
PassPort, and PennInfo.
* ResNet came just in time, from a competitive point of view: MIT,
Princeton, Stanford, and other peer institutions are moving
aggressively with similar programs.
* ResNet would not have been possible without a great and sustained
team effort by individuals from numerous departments around the
University. ResNet is jointly administered by University Life,
Information Systems and Computing, and Business Services, with
substantial support from the departments of Facilities Planning and
Project Management.
For More Information
--------------------
For questions, comments, or suggestions about ResNet, call 898-4336
or send e-mail to resnet@pobox. Additional information and
announcements about ResNet are posted in PennInfo (keyword "resnet").
To access the latest campus discussion about ResNet, check the newsgroup
upenn.resnet.
ResNet: IP software
-------------------
The TCP/IP software suite for the Macintosh in ResNet rooms
includes:
* Mac/TCP
* NCSA/BYU Telnet v2.5 (for remote login to hosts)
* Fetch v2.1 (an FTP client with the native Macintosh graphical user
interface--GUI)
* PennInfo v3.9p (GUI for PennInfo)
* TurboGopher v1.07 (GUI for Gopher)
* NewsWatcher v1.3d6 (GUI for NetNews)
Mac users needing Kermit, to download data from Franklin and
PennData, for example, are advised to purchase MicroPhone Pro.
For PCs running DOS and/or Windows, a different suite of software
is installed:
* Novell's LAN Workplace for DOS v4.1 (with patch level N), which
includes not only a TCP/IP "stack" but also both telnet and ftp
clients
* News client (Trumpet, DOS version, accessible from Windows)
* MS-Kermit (DOS version, accessible from Windows) for Library
downloads
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Daniel A. Updegrove 3401 Walnut Street, Suite 221A
Associate Vice Provost, ISC Philadelphia, PA 19104-6228
Executive Director, DCCS (215) 898-2883
University of Pennsylvania (fax) 898/9348
