Bandwidth v Users

[dave.81]

Just wondering how other places compare with actualy internet bandwidth V Users?

 

We are 4mb ADSL with 380 users, it doesn't cope very well when someone starts using youtube or even google maps.

 

Just wonder how other schools cope on bandwidth compared to pupil numbers...

[RobFuller]

Currently 8Mbps SDSL with Appliansys Cachebox 200 for 800 machines will be upgrading immanently to 100Mbps fibre.

 

The current line does work ok, though the Cachebox is because of this, otherwise it would just come tumbling to a halt.

 

Do you have any kind of caching server, also is your line standard ADSL or SDSL?

[elsiegee40]

2Mbps and 48 machines... would like to improve, but it's the cost in such a small school

[Tunster]

Hi Dave,

 

It all depends what proxy/caching service you have in place which can make a huge difference! Do you have anything like that at all in between your internet connection and users on the network?

 

We're lucky to now have a 10Mb Down/Up SHDSL line (essentially ethernet over copper). However, we use Bloxx as our proxy and blocking sites like Youtube/Facebook make a huge difference! As it doesn't act as a transparent proxy (sitting on port 80), P2P and bandwidth hungry services won't get through. Common sites will cache on the proxy for quicker access. We have 1000 students to cater for.

 

4Mb/ADSL for 380 users is pretty reasonable if you get a half-decent proxy in place. Why do the students need Youtube?

[laserblazer]

Currently a 10Meg DSL for around 180 users but this is going to be upped soon.

[dave.81]

Standard ADSL we cannot get SDSL out in the sticks

 

We do have smoothwall which does cache but there is only so much that had help with lol.

 

Youtube is demanded by the HM and most staff as a "teaching tool", media studies students use it a lot too. Being a boarding school there is also access to higher years to facebook etc to keep in contact with family, i wont tell you how many discussion i've had over allowing skype to all our boarders and what that would do to the bandwidth lol.

Edited March 3, 2010 by dave.81

[Tunster]

Standard ADSL we cannot get SDSL out in the sticks

 

We do have smoothwall which does cache but there is only so much that had help with lol.

You can't have the cache working effectively enough. Maybe it's not storing enough webpages for long enough? Can you not block youtube to start off with? You've obviously found out one of the causes. Teachers only have the privilege of using youtube on our site.

 

I've only had brief experiences with Smoothwall, so I can't really help you much.

[Sylv3r]

We have 10Mbps but effectively get around 6Mbps for 1550 users and 940 machines.

[FN-GM]

100mbs for about 600 - 650 machines

[glennda]

i think ours is 10mb provided by the lea serves our 700 desktops plus a varying number of the 6th forms laptops so can be up to 800 ish machines we do block youtube for staff but have quite a few streaming radio like me!!

[tom_newton]

Dave: it would be interesting to see your cache stats.

 

Worth noting mind that I don't know of any commonly used filter/caches that cache youtube videos- theres a number of technical issues which prevent this happening easily. Indeed, much of the web is not fantastically cacheable. Plans afoot though, plans afoot.

[Trapper]

10MB up and down, approx 800 users.

 

It usually manages fine, however the Sixth Formers have discovered not only iPlayer and 4OD, but also these stream films online, stream US shows etc.

 

As quick as I block them, they find others. I keep meaning to pass the list onto Birmingham to block centrally.

 

These days as soon as the net slows to a crawl, my first port of call is to view what the Sixth Formers are doing. Nine times out ten we have a half dozen of them all watching films or Eastenders!

[GrumbleDook]

Some of the secondaries here who have now had their upgrade to 20 meg are already peaking ... even with in house cache / filters. The big difference is the externally hosted, multimedia rich VLE used.

 

Then again, we have large primaries (450 kids) on 2 meg doing ok. I'll just be glad to finish getting rid of the ADSL sites in the county. One school of 350 kids is only getting 300k on a good day.

[dave.81]

The big difference is the externally hosted, multimedia rich VLE used.

 

This is one of our problems, pupils are being asked to use our remote access, no a full VLE yet, as well as all the other resources that are being hosted things soon grind to a halt.

 

Being a lot of our pupils home we dont have blanked bans on streaming sites, a lot are blocked during the day but if staff demand a site it gets allowed.

 

I even got questioned the other day as to why we pay someone to host our website why cant we do it ourselves.

 

When you explain that their home connection is twice the speed we have in College shared between all pupils they begin to understand why things can be slow.

 

*Tom where would i find those stats?

[glennda]

a lot are blocked during the day but if staff demand a site it gets allowed.

 

I even got questioned the other day as to why we pay someone to host our website why cant we do it ourselves.

 

 

Is it set up to only allow those sites to staff and block for kids? as that will save the bandwidth i had at my last place the internet grid to a halt - two teachers in two of the ICT classrooms had all students watching clips off iplayer on individual pc's so 60x the same clip! and then had the cheek to come and complain to me the Internet is rubbish!!

[ind1ekid]

Indeed, much of the web is not fantastically cacheable. Plans afoot though, plans afoot.

 

I'm intriuged ..

Edited March 8, 2010 by ind1ekid

[Sirbendy]

450 PCs, 100mb Virgin line Via LEA. 10mb backup line.