[57755] in Hotline Meeting
Re: Computer Loan ; log 24980
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Jean Foster)
Mon Dec 31 11:56:56 2001
Message-Id: <200112311656.LAA12967@arizona.mit.edu>
To: hotline@MIT.EDU
Cc: casetracker@MIT.EDU
In-reply-to: [204]
Date: Mon, 31 Dec 2001 11:56:55 -0500
From: Jean Foster <jfoster@MIT.EDU>
Hello,
These folks would like to borrow a Linux Athena or Sun Blade
Athena machine for their IAP programming class. They would like a machine
dedicated to their work throughout IAP. Details below.
Do you have anthing we can loan them?
-jean-
------- Forwarded Message
From: "Paul T. Pham" <ppham@MIT.EDU>
To: "Jean Foster" <jfoster@mit.edu>
Cc: <casetracker@mit.edu>
References: <200112282031.PAA15025@arizona.mit.edu>
Subject: Re: Computer Loan ; log 249802
Date: Sat, 29 Dec 2001 01:23:04 -0600
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Dear Ms. Foster,
Thank you for your response. Here are answers to your questions.
> The Help Desk forwarded your request on to us, the Faculty
> Liaison Office. I did read your explanation of why you wanted
> a dedicated machine but it still isn't completely clear how
> you will be using it.
This machine will be running a resource-intensive Java server
program which will accept connections from client applets/applications over
TCP/IP.
> Will all of the students in the class be needing to login to
> the workstation or only the class staff? How many will that be?
All competitors (about 80) and organisers (10) may potentially
be connected to the machine at any one time. On average, this
will be much less (probably less than 5 at a time) except on
January 21st, 28th, 29th, and 30th in which spectators are invited to
connect via web applets and Java apps to view the tournament in realtime.
After running performance tests, I can limit the maximum number of
connections accordingly.
> What type of work will you be doing on the system?
Although we will need
ssh and development tools for maintaining the server program,
the machine will be spending most of its cycles running a game
engine and interacting with network clients.
What problems
> arose from using cluster machines last year?
It was inconvenient being manually logged in, for primarily
security reasons. Also, I will need to administer this
contest remotely from other locations, so I will be unable to
run jobs on Athena except through a dialup-server.
Is it a matter of
> needing disk space to store data or machine cycles to do processing
> or compiling?
It is mainly a matter of maintaining a robust, resource intensive
game engine which must stay online under heavy network
loads. Also, the server should have a fast network connection
to MITnet and the standard set of Athena development tools.
> Why do you need "exclusive" use of the machine?
Again, the exclusivity of our usage is for performance reasons
only, and it is only really necessary on the dates mentioned
above.
> You mention that you need a "server" but what type of server?
Due to the intensive nature of our requirements, I am requesting
a Sun Blade 100 workstation, a Dell Linux box, or a similar machine.
> Please clarify so that we can determine how to best help you.
I hope my answers have been helpful; sorry for not being
clear the first time.
Many thanks,
Paul Pham
------- End of Forwarded Message
