MKO ComNet Working Group Meeting Minutes

W. M. Keck Observatory Base, Waimea

September 5, 1996

Present:

• Frank Bull (Gemini)
• Jonathan Chock (WMKO)
• Al Conrad (WMKO)
• Dennis Crabtree (CFHT)
• Bill Hancock (VLBA)
• Alan Kusunoki (SMA)
• Bob Link (CFHT)
• Bob McLaren (IfA)
• Don Mickey (IfA)
• Kyoji Nariai (Subaru)
• Junichi Noumaru (Subaru)
• Andrew Pickles (UH Telescopes)
• Maren Purves (CSO)
• Pui-Hin Rhoads (IfA)
• Derrick Salmon (CFHT)
• Henry Stilmack (JAC)
• Clayton Yugawa (Hawaiian Tel)
• Billy Gomban (Hawaiian Tel)

Minutes

Current Network Status

Suspect FDDI card and cables at JCMT were swapped out recently. Currently, network is working fine. Ventillation in equipment rack at HP may be inadequate.

Infrastructure Upgrades

The extension of the power and communications ducts from handhole 25 near Subaru down to handhole 31 just past CSO is complete, except for the replacement of the asphalt at the two road cuts.

Hawaiian Tel's contractor has placed the fiber optics on the HELCO poles from Hale Pohaku down to the Saddle Road. Next is the run from Humuula to the Saddle Road, and then the run across the Saddle, linking Hilo and Waimea. Fiber placement is scheduled to be completed by the end of November.

Installation of the underground ducts from the substation at HP to the Mid-Level Facility will be done in September.

Routers for DS-3 Applications

In order to accept a DS-3, serial line, facilities will need a router with a High-Speed Serial Interface (HSSI). The HSSI card for the Proteon CNX 600 router does not appear to be fully supported, based on experience at the IfA over the past several months. It seems that relatively few have been sold and that the associated software is not included in regular upgrades. Cisco routers may be a better choice for the future. It was agreed that any facility considering the purchase of a new router will contact Pui-Hin Rhoads. Pui-Hin will look into obtaining a Cisco demo unit to test the interoperability of the Cisco and Proteon FDDI boards. Such interoperability, while desirable, will be necessary only if facilities put Cisco routers on the FDDI ring.

Wide Area Links

It was confirmed that CFHT, JAC, WMKO, and Subaru each pay $500/month (through RCUH) for Internet access via PACCOM. PACCOM is still using only a T-1 circuit for its link to California, and the congestion is now very significant. It was agreed that we should seriously consider, as an alternative, a T-1 Frame Relay link (~700/month) from HP to some other Internet provider. Oceanic Cable would charge $2800/month. Maui High-Performance Computer Center gave Keck a figure of $1500/month for this service. Other possibilities are Sprint, GST, etc. Pui-Hin will pursue this further. Some facilities (e.g. Keck) may establish their own direct links to the Internet rather than going through MKO. This would require modification of the addresses and routing to avoid looping problems.

Update from Hawaiian Tel

Clayton Yugawa reported that Hawaiian Tel would spend about one month testing the fiber system after it is handed over to them at the end of November. Hawaiian Tel should be ready to accept orders for the DS-3 service early in 1997.

Demonstration of Picturetel System

Billy Gomban demonstrated the Picturetel video conferencing system which is operating between the Keck base facility and the observatory. The Picturetel system can use a range of transmission bandwidths--in this case 384 Kbits/s (one quarter T-1) is used. The system provides 15 frames/sec and excellent audio. It costs ~$30K per end.

Gomban also mentioned that ISDN is expected to be available in Hilo and Waimea by 2nd quarter 97.

Next Meeting

Thursday December 12, 10:00 am at CFHT.