NEWS - to 9 February 1998

There are some changes taking place at Mlb PlaNet over the next few days
and weeks.
This email list is to let you know what is happening until we can get a new
set of web pages together that include service-update and announcements
sections where messages of this type will be posted.
Until then I will email you with important items that may (or may not)
effect your access to Mlb PlaNet.
 
If you have any questions/complaints/oberservations then you can email them
to me  -- dgd@kcbbs.gen.nz  or to alan@mars.ak.planet.gen.nz
If you do not wish to be included in this email list then let me know and I
will remove your name.
 
----
 
 
 
1. New Marlborough PlaNet ownership.
 
If you are not already aware of the recent takeover of  Mlb PlaNet then
the details are:
With effect from 1 November 1997 ownership of Mlb PlaNet ISP passed from
its founder Les Gibbs to David Dix and Alan Marston.
Les had already left Blenheim to take up an IT position with Greymouth
Council.
 
Alan has interests in several PlaNet ISP nodes throughout NZ and set up the
National PlaNet network of ISPs in late 1993. PlaNet is a cooperative of
independent ISPs who support and assist each other. Marlborough PlaNet is
a member of this cooperative.
(see http://www.planet.gen.nz)
 
David Dix started KC Computer Services (kcbbs.gen.nz) in late 1989, the
first public access usenet system in Auckland. KC has few dial up users and
mainly provides data connections to companies and other ISPs.
(see http://www.kcbbs.gen.nz)
 
 
2. Moving to new premises
 
Mlb PlaNet's existing location is only available to mid February this year.
Arrangements have now been completed to find a new location for the system.
This is to be at a new house in the Witherlea area and earlier this week
the house purchase was completed.
Although Telecom were supposed to have everything ready to move the DDS link
and phone lines they were still working on these this afternoon and it now
looks unlikely that they will return to complete the job before next week.
When we know that the Telecom job is complete then within a few hours all
of the equipment, modems, computers and router will be moved.
This will probably mean the ISP will not be available for 30 to 60 minutes.
It is unlikely that we will be able to give you much notice of this move
as there is some urgency to vacate the existing premises.
 
 
 
3. Upgrade of services - more lines and isdn/k56 modems
 
This is to provide up to thirty dial in lines that will have K56flex modems
in a Cisco as5200 modem server. The lines will also answer ISDN calls
Initially the modem server will have twelve modems available and as the user
numbers grow this will be increased to twenty-four (each modems card that plugs
into the as5200 contains twelve modems so upgrades are twelve at a time!).
We do not intend to retain any of the analogue dial up lines but initially
there will be one or two available for backup and for users with more ancient
modems that have difficulty working with digital circuits.
 
 
 
4. Other hardware upgrades
 
At present Mlb PlaNet runs on a Pentium system with Linux operating system.
This one computer manages the dial in lines (9), name services, PPP logins,
email, news and some web services.
A second Pentium with Windows NT was installed by Les as a web server but
as far as we can ascertain there is noboby using this system.
A Cisco 1601 router controls the 64K DDS link to Auckland.
WIthin the next month or two a Sun Sparc 5 Netra comnputer will be taking
over most of the services from the current Linux system. The Linux system
will then beome a web Cache server and may also provide web services to
Mlb PlaNet users. The Cisco as5200 will take over the dial in lines and
the PPP logins.
A new Cisco 2503 router will connect to  DDS link. This is a more powerful
router than the 1601 and will be able to provide more effectice link
compression. It also has a Basic Rate ISDN port which will probably be used
in the future to support a backup Basic Rate ISDN connection.
 
 
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end    mlbusers-list.1 (5 February 1998)