[67] in resnet
Dorm/ILG Networking Status
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Dennis Baron)
Mon Aug 9 13:15:34 1993
To: resnet-status@MIT.EDU
From: dbaron@MIT.EDU (Dennis Baron)
Date: Mon, 09 Aug 93 13:10:30 EDT
Dorm/ILG Networking Update
8/6/93
Background: In May, MIT announced that it is extending MITnet, the
campus computer network, to all undergraduate dormitories and
Independent Living Groups (ILG). This a status report of work
completed during the first three months of this project, the current
schedule for completion of the project, and other related efforts
within Information Systems. For details on the project see the Press
Release, Networking the Dorms, and Networking the ILGs documents in
the Computing/Resnet section in TechInfo. Also now available in
TechInfo are answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).
ILG Networking Status: All equipment has been purchased and received
for the off-campus ILGs. MIT has ordered Frame Relay service from New
England Telephone to connect these houses to the MIT campus. The
following ILGs are currently connected to MITnet via these new lines:
Alpha Delta Phi Sigma Chi
Epsilon Theta W.I.L.G.
Fenway House Zeta Psi
Nu Delta Zeta Beta Tau
Phi Kappa Sigma
Installation work continues and we expect to have service available to
most houses by 8/16/93. Due to renovations in certain houses, some
installations may have to be delayed until they can prepare for phone
line and router installations. Fiber optic lines have been installed
to all on-campus ILGs and the required equipment should arrive this
week. These installations should also be completed by 8/16/93.
Information Systems consultants are currently meeting with the student
network managers assigned by each ILG. On-site visits have been made
to each house and there are three ILG networking meetings scheduled
for the week of 8/9/93. These meetings are intended to help houses
understand options for installing networking hardware and cabling
within their individual houses. The old workstations that were
provided to some ILGs as part of Project Athena will be moved over to
the new networks for the fall semester and are scheduled to be retired
from service in January.
Dorm Networking Status: Fiber optic lines have been installed to all
on-campus undergraduate dorms. Cabling and preparation work has
been completed in dorm telephone closets. The installation of
equipment, connections to individual rooms, and final testing will
begin in October and be completed in December. In September
Information Systems will be posting job opportunities for student
network managers to work in the dorms. Students will be hired in
October and go through a training program. MITnet service will be
available in January 1994.
MITnet service will be provided to the temporary dorm on Huntington
Avenue in Boston. This service will be available early in the fall
semester and will be comparable to that provided to on-campus dorm
residents. Unlike others, this dorm will also have a small Athena
cluster with five workstations and a printer.
Other Related Activities: In conjunction with the extension of MITnet
to the undergraduate dorms and ILGs there are many other related
efforts underway both within and outside Information Systems. The MIT
Computer Connection is preparing to sell Ethernet boards and Athena
workstations to students and ILGs. The Dean for Student Affairs
office is looking for ways to assist ILGs in purchasing Athena
workstations and networking hardware.
The Housing Office is discussing linking dorm desks via MITnet in
order to improve dorm security. Information Systems consultants are
preparing for the increased and diverse questions that will come from
students with networked personal computers. Efforts are underway to
investigate making more academic computing software available over
MITnet. SIPB, the Student Information Processing Board, is working to
make Athena services available for the Linux operating system which
runs on PC-compatible machines.
Additional information and future updates can be found in the
Computing/Resnet section in TechInfo. Questions can be sent via
electronic mail to resnet-help@MIT.EDU.
Dennis Baron
