Aucbvax.2490
fa.works
utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!works
Fri Jul 31 03:27:04 1981
 Big AND Small
>From Rivanciw@Darcom-HQ Fri Jul 31 03:23:25 1981
In reading the debates pro and con on big systems and little
systems, where big systems are large mainframes and little
systems are personal workstations it seems that the best of
both worlds would be architectures for office automation that
encompass both.  Let me illustrate how we have attempted to
incorporate both worlds in our OA plans.

DARCOM has a DEC 10 (DARCOM-KA) on the ARPANET which it uses
to provide electronic mail and other OA services to a broad
community of users throughout the command (the command is all
over this country).  Access is via ARPANET.  Advantages here
are that for a relatively inexpensive yearly charge a remotely
located single user can obtain OA service with a communications
capability as powerful as the ARPANET.  This service is in such
demand that we cannot supply services in large enough quantities
(thus the DEC 10 will soon be replaced with a couple of 11/780s
to provide more services).

One level down (in computer size) DARCOM uses what it calls
LARGE CLUSTER machines.  These are mini computers (DEC 11/70
size) which provide LOCAL OA services to 100-150 users.  Long-
haul communications is accomplished via the RELAY computer
to the ARPANET (or dial-up communication channel to non-ARPA
computers).  These Large Clusters are not hosts on the ARPANET.
The computer I am working on right now is one of these large
clusters.  This message is routed to the RELAY computer which
routes it to the ARPANET for delivery.

The next level down SMALL CLUSTER.  The small cluster is a
general purpose micro computer (like the ONYX or "C" Machine).
The Small Cluster services 8-30 users.  It communicates with
the LARGE CLUSTER for large file storage and backup.  Communi-
cations on the small cluster are handled via the large cluster
or the RELAY.

The lowest level is the personal workstation (one user).  We
haven't gotten there yet in large scale implementation.  Yes,
we have a lot of personal workstations around but have not
yet incorporated them into our large scale implementation
plans yet.

This architecture is used for economies of scale and incremental
investment on behalf of the user.  For example, let me paint
a typical scenario of one of DARCOM's subordinate commands or
activities just entering into the world of office automation:

The Commander or somebody at the command wants to try office
automation.  Now they are unsure of its benefits so they don't
want to spend mucho money.  The buy a mailbox on our DARCOM-KA
(LARGE MAINFRAME).  With this mailbox they can experiment with
all the OA tools.

After a short while they want 5 or 10 other people at
their command or activity to get mailboxes so that they can
communicate via electronic mail.  They buy more mailboxes
on the large mainframe.

Then it is determined that office automation is good for the
command.  They make large scale plans to provide OA services to
100, or 200, or 300, or how-ever-many prople.  At this point the
economies of scale move towards the LARGE CLUSTER machine.  With
a large cluster installed locally, the command is essentially
running their own OA.

But soon they find that more and more users are demanding service.
Enter the small cluster.  As one division goes from one or two
users (who were getting OA services on the large cluster) to a
demand to provide services to 8 or 10 people in that particular
division, a micro computer is installed in the division to provide
those services (and offset the demand on the large cluster).  An
example of this implementation is DARCOM Headquarters.  We began
by buying accounts on the big DARCOM-KA (large mainframe).  When
demand grew to 60 users we brought a large cluster into the
building.  The number of users on the large cluster grew from 60
last Oct to 210 as of last week.  We now have some 20 micros on
order.  These micros will service 8-10 user each so we now supply
services to an additional 160-200 individuals.  As folks move
off the large cluster to the small cluster there are more folks
wainting in line behind them for accounts on the large cluster.

This multi-level (of size?) architecture seems to be working
pretty well for providing services to our command.

Randy



-----------------------------------------------------------------
gopher://quux.org/ conversion by John Goerzen <[email protected]>
of http://communication.ucsd.edu/A-News/


This Usenet Oldnews Archive
article may be copied and distributed freely, provided:

1. There is no money collected for the text(s) of the articles.

2. The following notice remains appended to each copy:

The Usenet Oldnews Archive: Compilation Copyright (C) 1981, 1996
Bruce Jones, Henry Spencer, David Wiseman.

You are viewing proxied material from gopher.quux.org. The copyright of proxied material belongs to its original authors. Any comments or complaints in relation to proxied material should be directed to the original authors of the content concerned. Please see the disclaimer for more details.