Server Upgrade FAQ - 2/12/02

The hardware and software for UONEURO were upgraded on 2/10/02, and a few
changes are in now in effect. The performance improvements are as follows:

	Network interface - from 10 mbit to 100 mbit
	Disk speed - from 20 mb/sec to 80 mb/sec
	Disk space - from 18 gbytes to 36 gbytes
	CPU speed - from 300 to 800 mhz
	Mem bus speed - from 66 mhz to 133 mhz
	System memory - from 256 mbytes to 512 mbytes

The OS distribution installed is now Slackware 8, and all packages offering
network services have been patched up to the current level. Some changes
you may notice are:

	The guest FTP account works only for FTP, not for apple filesharing protocol.

	We are doing some serious spam filtering on the mail server.

	We now limit mail message size to 30 mbytes - use FTP if you really
	want to send bigger files.

	The imap server is a little more picky about some things, especially
	the location of your mail folders on the server. Call us if you have
	problems seeing your old mail folders.

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	Server Upgrade FAQ - 4/9/99

The file server (UONEURO) and the operating system that it runs will be
upgraded this year.  This transition is happening earlier than I would
have liked since the Y2K issues also need to be addressed.  We are moving
away from Novell Netware to a Linux based environment, and this will
involve some adjustments to the way we use the various network services.
I will try to describe the salient features related to this change.

EMAIL - Pegasus/Netware lan mode
This is the convenient arrangement we have enjoyed in the past with
pegasus mail folders on the server able to be seen from any client
machine running pegasus and logged-in to uoneuro. This exact arrangement
will not be available, though several alternatives are possible.
You will still be able to run pegasus mail either in POP mode or IMAP mode.
(Windows only for IMAP at this time)

EMAIL - POP mode
This is the default model used by Eudora and many other mail clients. Note
that Pegasus can operate in this manner. In this model, mail is fetched
from a mail server to the workstation and then (usually) deleted from the
server. The user then operates with mail folders and replies on the local
machine. The main thing to note here is that stored mail folders are on
the local machine and cannot (usually) be seen from other workstations. It
may be possible for some POP clients to have the mail folders on a shared
(mounted) volume, though Eudora does not now permit this.

EMAIL - IMAP mode
This is the newest message model which comes closest to duplicating the
lan mode we have used in the past. With an IMAP capable mail client, you
may check mail, manipulate folders, and compose replies while keeping
all mail on the IMAP server. Then you will get the same view from another
machine running an IMAP mail client if it accesses that server. As of this
writing, Pegasus for Windows has a beta version with full IMAP capability.
I would expect Pegasus Macintosh to follow with these features, but the
schedule is unknown. Other mail clients with IMAP functions include Netscape
Communicator, Microsoft Outlook, Pine, Eudora Pro, and Mulberry.

FTP - file transfer
This service, located by the alias "ftp.neuro.uoregon.edu", will be available
for user accounts and guests. Anonymous logins will not be
supported, but guest access is available with a widely distributable password.
(this service has already migrated to the new server)

File Sharing
MacOS and Windows clients will be able to "login" or mount a shared volume
on the new server. This volume will provide a private directory for each user
account in addition to a public (readable) and a transfer (r/w) area.

Printer sharing
The networked printers will accessible through queues on the new server in
the usual fashion.

HTTP - web service
The new server will provide web service for the Institute's site as well as
lab and personal pages. (this service has already migrated to the new server
and is aliased as "www.neuro.uoregon.edu")

Backups
Routine backups will be done for all data on the server, including daily
incremental operations. Workstation backups over the network will suffer a
period of adjustment. Disk capacities have increased more rapidly than network
bandwidth, so I am recommending that people think about lab-based solutions
to disk backup for future needs. At this time, we have a method for backing
up selected directories from Windows clients using the new server. We are
working on a similar solution for MacOS clients. These operations can be
carried out on important directories with documents and other files which
cannot be recovered with a standard installer. We have stopped trying to
backup operating systems and applications, since these can be
reinstalled.

Aliases
When available, always refer to the various services by their alias, since
these do not change.  Machine names, on the other hand, do get reassigned.
For example, the Institute's web service will always be at www.neuro.uoregon.edu,
though the machine name will not always be rundog or uoneuro.  If you use
the alias name when describing a service, it will always point to the machine
which is currently providing that service.