SLC as a server.

[ittc!fbresz at uunet.uu.net]

We recently purchased 53 new SLC workstations: 30 with 104MB disks and 23
diskless.  We believed that setting each diskfull machine up as having a
local root/swap/user and having it serve 1 client i.e. export a root/swap
to a single client would balance the load rather well.

So far we have installed about 10 of these PAIRS without much trouble.  We
fortunately have the SUN Desktop CD allowing us to completely set up a
PAIR of machines in < 1hour.  This includes the time to make all of our
local modifications.  We do a full install to get just the right amount of
space on the disk and also to bump up the swap space on both machines to
16M instead of the standard 14.5M partition they come standard with.

The machines perform quite well even though I can't say we are putting a
large load on them.  Just some information for people looking to get
maximum number of stations/dollar.  You can of course look into getting
3rd party disks which can cost less than SUN charges.  We are looking into
CITA Technologies.  I purchased my CDC 1.2GB IPI drives from them and they
work well about 20% less than what Sun wanted to charge me.

					Frank P. Bresz }*{
					ITTC Network Administrator
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|fbresz at ittc.wec.com |  My opinions are my own, I'm not paid
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