Bit Bucket Plumbing

11 January, 1999

11 Jan

I checked and then moved a data log of automated file transfers to record wireless LAN data link capacity.  I had to ftp across two intranet machines, then sneakernet (hand transfer the floppy) to my Internet PC.  I asked a co-worker to write the perl script and crontab to save the ftp transfer data rates.  The wireless LAN monitor program doesn't have file login capacity, so I have been taking screen dumps for comparison.

I talked with the wireless LAN installer to get his perspective on system reliability, supportability and maintainability.  I need to be sure that I'm spend the taxpayers dollars wisely.

12 Jan

I began a web search for flat panel display vendors.  I have a project to put two displays in the Delta Airlines ramp tower at DFW.  I've never seen such a small room with so many computer monitors.  Putting two of the 20-inch monitors that we usually use is out of the question for this site.

I E-mailed a friend from another branch that had bought some flat panels for another project.  I got his vendor's name and number and some leads for hardware that was in development when he made his purchase a year ago.

I need to import about 100 sets of ftp log data with 4 entries per set.  They're a bit cumbersome to hand enter.  I have to decide what's the most efficient way (time wise) to enter this data.  I should have put a little more thought into the script that wrote the data in the first place.  I've been teaching myself 'C'.  Maybe this would be a good practice problem to code up. . .

13 Jan

(Home sick with some kind of flu bug.)

14 Jan

Since there's several new people at the site, I thought I'd send out the mailing and shipping addresses again.  Rather than clog the mail server with a Word attachment to the e-mail, I converted it to HTML and put it on our intranet.

I began researching Data Encryption Standard as part of wireless LAN system security.

I discussed the ISDN router software upgrade with system administrator.  Since wireless LAN is carrying the data, the routers are off-line and it would be a good time for upgrades.  Previously he had done an upgrade and just barely got it to work without sending it back to the factory.  He checked the firmware release notes and saw that the new version had no big improvements, so we decided it wasn't worth the risk.

I talked with a procurement buyer about supporting documentation for buying flat panels and wireless LAN.  How to accurately describes my specific needs so the buyer could know what's important from a technical perspective.

I talked with a co-worker about other technologies to be investigated before purchasing wireless LAN .  ISDN doesn't seem to be the answer, but maybe HDSL is. . .

Helped another group that is through with their experiments here for now to disconnect and remove their equipment.  Worked together to make sure no one inadvertently got disconnected.

(typed up this journal ;-)

15 Jan

I Began going through a network tutorial from big network hardware company to learn about Asynchronous Transfer Mode and Frame Relay networking.  Upcoming project wants to put in high speed connection between Texas and California so the researchers can get the DFW airport Surface Motion data at their desks.