[bit.listserv.novell] By pass Bridges

HUGHESB%AC%CSC@CSC.ISU.EDU (02/28/90)

>In the discussion about having one ethernet card on the backbone and one
>connected to the department, what happens if the server goes down?
>The answer is that the department is cut off.  The real question I am
>asking is:  Can a dedicated Novell bridge(router) be in parallel to the server?
>The user could get to another server if their department server is down and
>at least access software and communications services (TES,NASI,PCOX).
>I assume this would help server performance and maintain security. One
>dedicated bridge could support 3 Department Lans.
>Any holes in my proposal?
>Anyone doing this?   Is a 286/386 necessary as a bridge. How much memory?

We have pre-genned several variations of bridges, so that if any of our
servers should happen to die we can wheel in a former workstation to become
a bridge.  The bridge can be a fairly cheap PC with 640K.  The only gotcha's
are making sure that you have enough empty slots to cover whatever the server
had as far as NICs and of course you must match the BUS type (we have several
MC servers).  As far as running them both at the same time I would probably opt
for either or.
________________________________________________________________________________

Brian Hughes
Technical Support Manager                      IIIII    SSSS   U     U
Idaho State University                           I     S       U     U
741 South 7th Ave. Campus Box 8037               I      SSS    U     U
Pocatello, ID  83209-8037                        I          S  U     U
(208) 236-2872                                 IIIII    SSSS    UUUUU
Internet: hughesb@csc.isu.edu
________________________________________________________________________________

CCGERRY@INDST.BITNET (Gerald Oliver) (02/28/90)

In the discussion about having one ethernet card on the backbone and one
connected to the department, what happens if the server goes down?
The answer is that the department is cut off.  The real question I am
asking is:  Can a dedicated Novell bridge(router) be in parallel to the server?
The user could get to another server if their department server is down and
at least access software and communications services (TES,NASI,PCOX).
I assume this would help server performance and maintain security. One
dedicated bridge could support 3 Department Lans.
Any holes in my proposal?
Anyone doing this?   Is a 286/386 necessary as a bridge. How much memory?