On Wed, 5 May 2004, VK2COT wrote:
> Hello, > > One of the customers wants to run Linux Enterprise > Server 3 with several modems attached to it. > > They purchased HP ProLiant DL380 server and > wish to use NetComm modems. > > The issue is that hey wantto have "unbreakable" > evnironment and that modems do not fail > under Linux. > > I have spoken to Netcomm and their official response was > that none of their modem products officially support Linux, > and no drivers and technical support were available for Linux. > > Red Hat offers support for the CDC/ACM driver, which is > classified as "Working". > > >From experience, if a modem is a full hardware based modem > and using serial interface for external modem, then it can be > worked with Linux. > > Only two NetComm modems are full hardware devices: > > AM5698 NetComm Roadster V.92 (serial interface) > AM4068 NetComm Wave V.92 (serial interface) > > The question is: is it worth playing with Linux support for > modems on what customer wants to call mission-critical > server? > > What is you experience? Do you run, or are you aware > of any critical environment where Linux servers are used > with directly-attached (or through a hub, Adaptec for example) > modem pool? > > I know that Linux can work for reasonable use, but the > services that customer have in mind are higly critical and > highly utilised round the clock... > > I welcome and thank you for any comments in advance. It's a dumb requirement. There's no such thing as a machine that never breaks. If they want it signed in blood, you had better find out whose blood it's going to be. If it's yours, then drop out quick. I've got two netcom modems that have been going 24/7 for over three years without a glitch. One is pretty much permanently connected, the other is constantly dialled in from different locations. Both are Netcom Roadsters, although I don't recall the model. It isn't mission critical, but it wouldn't have made any difference because it never broke. Another netcom I had literally cooked in about 2 months, and became quite unreliable until I just gave up and bought a new one. I can't see where the linux part has much to do with it. Once I got the original configs sorted I've never had to look at the linux part again. If it's THAT critical, I would be more worried about hard drives, power supplies, UPS, phone lines, rats, cockroaches, human operators and terrorists than I would be about linux. For the record, the netcom that cooked did so after somebody stacked another modem on top of it. Modem sandwich :-) -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
