[olpc-software] Servers

[Stephen J. Smoogen]

On 3/30/06, Jim Gettys <jg at laptop.org> wrote:
> Michail Bletsas is expert at this, and explain much better than I can.
>
> On Thu, 2006-03-30 at 19:53 +0700, James Clark wrote:
> > > > A related issue is networking.  In all but the smallest schools, I would
> > > > envisage deploying some number of cheap, commodity access points and
> > > > having them connected via wired ethernet.
> > >
> > > Most commodity access points don't work well with large numbers of
> > > clients; their design center is a house with a few users. Identifying
> > > pretty cheap, access points that don't have this problem would be good
> > > to do.
> >
> > I talked to some people here in Thailand that make access points, and
> > they reckoned on a maximum of about 30 users per access point.
>
> And one per class room implies pulling cable to nearly every classroom;
> I know that has been a big problem even in the school my own children
> attend here in the Boston area, and a serious expense.
>

I wonder if there are wireless aggregators instead of access points?
Basically it picks up the 802.11x and aggregates that stream on a
different larger channel and so forth until you get to the equivalent
of an ISP? The power problem is still an issue. How long do these
hand-crank battery items last? The aggregator could also pose as a
local server for some items.

[I will admit I do not know much about the newer 'mesh' technologies
so this may be mute.]


> >
> > > The laptops, even used as an access point, will function much better
> > > than the typical cheap access points you buy in a store.
> >
> > How many users would you expect to handle with the laptop as an access
> > point?  Is there any inherent hardware reason why the laptop should be
> > able to handle more users or is it just a matter of most access point
> > manufacturers not making an effort in this direction?  Access points are
> > still quite a bit cheaper that the laptops and also have the advantage
> > of including wired ethernet capability.
> >
>
> As I understand it, the cost margins are very low, so they cut
> everywhere they can, and optimize for the home and small case.
>

The margins on most of the access points are pennies on the dollar so
there isnt much in premiums that can be cut. The companies make their
money with the access points being loss leaders (10,000 discounted
access points + our expensive managing software etc etc)


--
Stephen J Smoogen.
CSIRT/Linux System Administrator