[366] in Resnet-Forum
Re: Port per Pillow
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Technical Services)
Wed Sep 21 11:05:24 1994
Date: Wed, 21 Sep 1994 10:15:24 -0400
Reply-To: Mark.I.Berman@williams.edu
From: Mark.I.Berman@williams.edu (Technical Services)
To: resnet-forum@MIT.EDU
X-Vms-To: IN%"resnet-forum@MIT.EDU"
>******* Quoted message:
> From: SMTP%"dmandell@saintmarys.edu" 21-SEP-1994 00:22:17.26
> To: Resnet <resnet-forum@MIT.EDU>
> CC:
> Subj: Re: Port per Pillow
>
> Our planning task force is just about to tackle the issue of Dormitory
> Computing. But given the Cost of networking the Dorms, and the
> Senior Officer's request that we avoid recabling for 10-20 years
> I'm afraid we first must decide what level of functionality we will be
> expected to provide in the coming years. If we can't do a satisfactory
> job at this I suspect we will adopt the approach of wiring to Dormitory
> Clusters, rather than the Port per Pillow.
>
> If we leave aside the possible integration of other wiring technologies
> (Telecommunications, voice, cable) we are having a difficult time
> deciding how much bandwidth we need to the desktop. With the advent of
> higher resolution video standards (including the incorporation of High
> Definition Digital TV), and full motion video, is it possible to anticipate
> and meet bandwidth requirements with copper to the desktop?
>
> Dan
> --
> =====================================
> Dan Mandell, Computer Services, Saint Mary's College
> Internet: dmandell@saintmarys.edu
>
> "Others promise you the World. We deliver!": New York Times
Dan,
I would suspect (hope? :^) that category 5 cabling will support what's needed
for the next 10 or 15 years anyway. ATM is supposed to run on CAT5 eventually
and I think that 150MB should be enough bandwidth for student needs for at
least a decade or so.
This is maybe a little snide, but we can only look at the technologies that we
know about now and make some kind of guess based on the last few years.
Ethernet has been around for quite a few years doing a good job. It's clearly
reaching the end as far as required bandwidth, but will still be around for a
few years. Fast ethernet, FDDI and ATM are the contenders for followon and all
of those run on twisted-pair, mostly CAT5. It's also apparent that every time
we think we're reaching the final bandwidth capabilities of copper, someone
makes another breadkthrough. I believe copper will be around for quite a while.
Just my 2 cents,
- Mark
--
*******************************************************************************
Mark Berman Mark.Berman@Williams.EDU
Director, Technical Services
Williams College, Ctr. for Computing
Williamstown, MA. USA 01267 (413) 597-2092
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