[Server-devel] Blog post on Nepal's pilot schools

Tue Mar 11 22:05:08 EDT 2008

What will the # be for the Update.1 (699?, 700?) release and is there a
definite date for it? I will be testing out 698 today

On Tue, 2008-03-11 at 19:00 -0400, John Watlington wrote:
> 8 Mb/s is a thin pipe.   We hope to have six times that bandwidth
> between the server and the laptops (and that isn't nearly enough...)
> You are proposing that every bit shared between laptops go back
> and forth over than link at least twice (to/from the jabber server).
> 
> We cannot recommend any software but the upcoming Update1
> release.
> 
> John
> 
> On Mar 11, 2008, at 9:41 AM, Greg Smith (gregmsmi) wrote:
> 
> > Hi Bryan,
> >
> > I think I understand now. Its 8Mb/s from school to Katmandu
> > Administration building (Data center) and thin pipe (~256Kb/s) from
> > there to Global Internet. Is that right?
> >
> > If so, why don't you leave the school server in the Data Center in
> > Katmandu?
> >
> > DHCP and DNS will be fine with that in terms of BW. Xos have to  
> > find the
> > XS to get an address from DHCP so there may be some extra config  
> > needed
> > on the Wireless AP, but that should be doable. I expect Moodle and  
> > even
> > backup will be OK as long as everyone doesn't backup at the same time.
> >
> > The only unknown would be if Jabber/Mesh traffic will flood that 8Mb/s
> > link. That should be manageable with the right constraints on the  
> > mesh.
> > If Jabber is very sensitive to latency that could be an issue but I
> > think its designed to run over the Internet and your latency should be
> > on the order of ms.
> >
> > Yanni,
> >
> > Do you expect any issue with 150 Xos connecting to a jabber server  
> > over
> > an 8Mb/s link? Is there any extra configuration needed minimize the
> > jabber BW (TTL or anything else)? If you can answer re: XO build  
> > 656 or
> > another well tested/blessed build that will help as they need to image
> > them ASAP. Let us know if you need more info or those are not well
> > defined questions.
> >
> > BTW Sulochan also asked a bunch of wireless question on this list
> > yesterday if you have a chance to look at those.
> >
> > FYI for all, here's a good link with test cases and details on Mesh
> > testing and XO/XS dev/test in general:
> > http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Test_Config_Notes
> >
> > XS in the Katmandu Data Center will solve your power, physical  
> > security
> > and on site management challenges!
> >
> > Its risky to change the design so close to production but unless  
> > there's
> > a clear technical issue it seems like a big benefit.
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Greg S
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Bryan Berry [mailto:bryan.berry at gmail.com]
> > Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2008 5:06 AM
> > To: server-devel
> > Cc: Greg Smith (gregmsmi)
> > Subject: Re: [Server-devel] Blog post on Nepal's pilot schools
> >
> > Thanks Greg!
> >
> > Regarding bandwidth, it is very expensive here in Nepal. We'll be very
> > lucky if we get 512 kbps for both schools and most likely it will only
> > be 256 for both.
> >
> >> Based on that, I assume web/library surfing wont be an issue. The  
> >> only
> >> challenges I see are backing up Xos or delivering new XO images. I'm
> >> told that delivering new images works well in Uruguay. I think  
> >> there is
> >
> >> a mechanism to push-cache images to the school server so Xos stay on
> >> the LAN/Mesh for upgrades. Can anyone confirm that?
> >
> >> If you want to backup over the WAN we need to think about that some
> >> more. Kids love to take pictures and make videos so it could be a big
> >> data flow....
> >
> > Our wireless WAN backbone will actually have fairly high bandwidth,
> > around 8-11 mbps. It only gets expensive once we purchase Internet
> > bandwidth.
> >
> > Using olpc-update to connect to servers in Boston will be a non- 
> > starter.
> > We have to set up our own update server in Nepal. I have read a little
> > bit about it on the wiki but will have to work on it firsthand.
> >
> >> I want to know how the kids like it, what the teachers think, what  
> >> they
> >
> >> want next, what they like and don't like.
> >> Everything that will help adapt and improve the overall solution!
> >
> > One of the interesting things I have discovered is that ultimately the
> > success of the project hinges on the support of the teachers. They are
> > at the school all the time and have the respect of the local  
> > community.
> > We can't hang out at the schools all the time to make sure things go
> > well. Technical support, reliable power, using the laptops for
> > meaningful purposes, this responsibility ultimately rests on the
> > teachers.
> >
> > thanks for your continued support Greg!
> >
> >
> > Regarding donations, awesome! will send you the info soon
> >
> >
> > --
> > Bryan W. Berry
> > Systems Engineer
> > OLE Nepal, http://www.olenepal.org
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------
> > Message: 2
> > Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2008 18:18:39 -0400
> > From: "Greg Smith (gregmsmi)" <gregmsmi at cisco.com>
> > Subject: 	
> > To: <server-devel at lists.laptop.org>
> > Cc: galanis at laptop.org
> > Message-ID:
> >
> > <B02C78B842B89E448937F82241C96A2B0495FF35 at xmb-rtp-20c.amer.cisco.com>
> > Content-Type: text/plain;       charset="us-ascii"
> >
> > Hi Bryan,
> >
> > Great blog and information. Thanks a lot for sharing it!
> >
> > I'm counting on you to keep gathering info and sharing all the details
> > of how this deployment goes. I want to know how the kids like it, what
> > the teachers think, what they want next, what they like and don't  
> > like.
> > Everything that will help adapt and improve the overall solution!
> >
> > Great idea to put Squid and dansguardian in the school HQ! However, I
> > was unsure from your blog how much BW they have in each school. Do you
> > have a rough number for that?
> >
> > They say that 1Mb/s works fine in Uruguay for schools of several  
> > hundred
> > students. However, they take turns using the WAN so only one class is
> > online at a time. Also, I saw a presentation by someone who was at the
> > Mongolia deployment. He said they have 512Kb/s and that works fine  
> > there
> > too. Both of those are second hand info so not completely confirmed.
> >
> > Based on that, I assume web/library surfing wont be an issue. The only
> > challenges I see are backing up Xos or delivering new XO images. I'm
> > told that delivering new images works well in Uruguay. I think  
> > there is
> > a mechanism to push-cache images to the school server so Xos stay  
> > on the
> > LAN/Mesh for upgrades. Can anyone confirm that?
> >
> > If you want to backup over the WAN we need to think about that some
> > more. Kids love to take pictures and make videos so it could be a big
> > data flow....
> >
> > On your wireless design, I heard a wireless test engineer (Gianni,
> > copied) talk about Mesh testing at OLPC HQ Sunday. I think he can help
> > you define the right configuration if you have open questions.
> >
> > Are you all set with the in-school wireless design using the  
> > Deliberant
> > DLB-2700?
> >
> > I'm looking in to XO failure rates to help you size the spares pool. I
> > hope to have some feedback later this week.
> >
> > What else do you need to get up and running in 4 weeks?
> >
> > Any open questions on XO imaging and initial XO test?
> >
> > If you are done with technical school server questions for Phase 1,  
> > I'll
> > wrap up documentation on how to replicate a Nepal style school server
> > (we can brand it a Sulochan Special :-).
> >
> > Then its on to phase 2 design if that fits your and Martin's agenda or
> > I'll move to use cases and user requirements for XO. I will need
> > feedback from your teachers and your education team for that!
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Greg S
> >
> > PS I'll help do some fund raising too. Mostly amongst my family and
> > friends but send me the info and I'm good for a small check ASAP.
> >
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> 