From: Dale Thorn <dthorn@gte.net>
Date: Tue, 11 Feb 1997 06:12:05 -0800 (PST)
To: Otto Matic <ott0matic@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: What else do I need for an Internet Server
Message-ID: <199702111412.GAA19396@toad.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


Otto Matic wrote:
> >Otto Matic wrote:
> >> What else do I need for an internet server?
> >> HP Vectra Towers 2 each 486 cyrex chips 50 meg processor  Need high
> >> speed hard drives.  These are the Tall Towers that have multiple
> >> drives, these are server towers.
> >> I think I have a router Hub.  And a couple LAN cards.
> >> That's all I have.  But I just got them, and I want to use them.  I assume I
> >> will be using some kind of UNIX software.

> >HP does some strange things to their BIOS software - you may want to
> >get one of those net analyzer tools and some low-level software that
> >can monitor what your HP's are sending and receiving, just in case.
> >They don't normally use Vectras for UNIX, so what effects you can
> >expect, I don't know.

> Dale, Thanks for your reply.  Really I'm not sure about UNIX, I was just
> guessing.  What I really need is a B.O.M (bill of materials).  What other
> 'hardware' will I need to round up in order to get this server up and running.

Some of the guys in the HP user group have UNIX running on Vectras,
but they also use a full raft of hardware tools, which I don't have
access to.  There's an actual HP-48 calculator, complete in every way
including appearance, running on that version of UNIX.  Don't remember
the name, but it comes on a few CD's, and costs around $50.

To me, 486 and 50 mhz suggest something HP is getting far removed from,
so don't expect much help there.  Few if any computer outlets will be
able to handle the HP peculiarities.  You shouldn't have any trouble
getting the general parts list off the internet here and there, and
there used to be HP forums to provide off-line support on Vectra
hardware, but it might be harder with older equipment.

Suggestion: Call HP Palo Alto at 415-857-1501, and tell them you need
to talk to someone who knows internet domain names for info on Vectras
and the like.  Don't let them slough you off - if they don't have the
info, make them give you another name and number.  If you get a
runaround after several calls, let me know who you talked to, on
what phone #'s, at what time, and I'll give it a shot myself.