19990609: McIDAS Workstation Question

>From: Michael Keables <address@hidden>
>Organization: Denver University
>Keywords: 199906091619.KAA03006 platforms

Mike,

>We (finally!) are in the position to acquire a Sun SPARC station (Ultra
>10) on which we plan to load McIdas and perhaps GEMPAK.

Hmm...  I had several email exchanges with Debby Luchsinger about PC
workstations running Unix/Linux for GEMPAK, LDM, and McIDAS platforms.
Your comment about a SPARC station is actually a big suprise.

>I have
>workstation specs from your web page, but need guidance re: number and
>sizes of hard drives. 
>
>1. Is it best to have McIdas and GEMPAK reside on separate drives?

No, they don't have to be on different drives.

>2. If so, what are optimal storage requirements for each re: software and
>data ingestion?

The best advice I can give you regarding disk is the more the merrier.
Having 9 GB for data alone is not excessive anymore.  Sure, one can get
by with less, but our experience is that users tend to short change themselves
at the beginning and then need to agument later.

>3. If not, what size hard drive should I order?

I would be looking for 9 - 18 GB of disk.  Again, you can't buy too much
disk.

>Any help you can provide re: disk storgage and configuration would be most
>appreciated.

I guess my question is if there has been a big change in the thinking
at DU.  Debby told me that she had a quote from Dell for two PC systems
that would be preloaded with Linux:

>From: Deborah Luchsinger <address@hidden>
>Date: Mon, 10 May 1999 16:51:18 -0600

>Dell 6450 PIII/MT Workstation 410 Base with Integrated 3Com Fast
>Etherlink XL 10/100Mb/s and Sound Blaster Compatible Audio
>Logitech 30button System Mouse for Workstation 410
>256 MB RAN, ECC, IDIMM
>Dell Workstation Processor Terminator Card
>17/40X IDE CD ROM Drive
>8MB, AGP, Diamond Permedia 2, Video Card for Workstation PWS
>Dell UltraScan P990 Monitor with 18" Viewable Image Size
>9.1 GB SCSI, LVD, U2W, 7200 RPM Hard drive for Workstation 410
>4 GB SCSI Hard Drive for WS LVD, U2W, 7200 RPM
>3.5" 1.44 MB Slimline Floppy drive and diagnostics for Workstation 410
>Redhat LINUX 5.2, Factory Install

Is there possibly a miscommunication here?

>Thanks in advance!

No problem.

Tom Yoksas

>From address@hidden  Wed Jun  9 15:55:07 1999

Tom,

No miscommunication. I had been working for some time to get funding for a
unix workstation, particulalry with the sunset of McIdas OS2. In addition,
Deb and I submitted a proposal to NSF/ILI for funding for two PCs running
Linux. Fortunately, both proposals were funded. We plan to use the PCs as
instructional machines running McIdas and the workstation to serve as the
data ingester (which will feed the PCs) as well as run McIdas and GEMPAK.

We're trying to upgrade our climatology lab here at DU...we now will have
4 high end PCs and a workstation which will make it much easier for
students to use the Unidata products.

Once the hardware is delivered, I'll be in touch about getting back 
online; we've moved to a new building and haven't been receiving IDD for
some time due to hardware and network problems.

Things move slowly in private education, but at least they do move...

Thanks for you help!

-- MK

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Michael Keables, Ph.D.                                Email: address@hidden
Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies               Phone: 1-303-871-3968
Associate Professor, Department of Geography          Phone: 1-303-871-2653
University of Denver                                    Fax: 1-303-871-2201
Denver, CO  80208  USA                                Aural: "Hey Mike!!" 

Cowboy wisdom: "Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes
from bad judgment."

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