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Path: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au!newshost.carno.net.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!munnari.OZ.AU!news.ecn.uoknor.edu!news.wildstar.net!imci5!imci4!newsfeed.internetmci.com!news.mathworks.com!nntp.primenet.com!ddsw1!news.mcs.net!novix From: mdp@mika-sys.com (Michael D. Perry) Newsgroups: comp.infosystems.www.servers.misc,comp.misc,comp.os.linux.misc,comp.os.ms-windows.networking.misc,comp.unix.bsd.misc,comp.unix.misc Subject: Re: Need a starting point with ISP service... Date: Fri, 27 Sep 96 12:49:10 GMT Organization: MIKA Systems Lines: 74 Message-ID: <52gig6$c28_001@news.mcs.net> References: <01bbab12$aa092e30$51cabfcc@devin> <jmadisonDyCr4r.Mv4@netcom.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: mdp1-4.pr.mcs.net X-Newsreader: News Xpress Version 1.0 Beta #4 Xref: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au comp.infosystems.www.servers.misc:5619 comp.misc:30004 comp.os.linux.misc:132060 comp.os.ms-windows.networking.misc:13768 comp.unix.bsd.misc:1363 comp.unix.misc:25314 In article <jmadisonDyCr4r.Mv4@netcom.com>, jmadison@netcom.com (Jack Madison) wrote: >Sorry for the "me too" post, but I am also in need of such information, >and Devin asked for e-mail replies.... I'll be happy with either. > >Devin Redlich (devin@pctc.com) wrote: >: Hello. My company is considering the possibility of setting up an >: internet service for our clients. We would offer such options as >: internet e-mail, newsgroups, web browsing, etc. Basically, we would >: be acting as an ISP, but on a small scale. The problem is that I >: don't have the first idea in what would be involved in setting up such >: a venture. > >: If anyone knows of any internet sites, books, magazine articles, or >: anything that could get me started, could you e-mail me at >: devin@pctc.com. >: Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. The following is an edited copy of what I sent to Devin. Basically, unlesss you are like Devin - who isn't facing any deadlines and doesn't have a budget to do something of this nature I would STRONGLY suggest that you get a consultant to get you set up initially. Attached Message Follows ------------------------ I would strongly urge you to find a Consultant/Integrator who can do this for you. At least let him/her set it up and show you how to manage it on a day to day basis and then keep him/her in the background for when things go wrong. The whole subject of setting up a complete domain site with e-mail, news, web-server, etc. in a PROPER manner is extremely complicated. The advent of WindowsNT and related Internet Server Applications that are available for it makes the job much simpler but still beyond the scope of someone picking up a book and starting from scratch with the results of a PROPERLY running system. Let's start with the basics. What makes the Internet run - This subject alone will require a solid knowledge of TCP/IP, Subnetting, DNS services, routing and related protocols. That alone should give you about 5,000 pages worth of at least three different books. This doesn't even come close to gaining knowledge of each of the applications involved that will be used on the internet. I will make you a bet - I'll bet that even if your time is worth only $10 per hour that by the time you have something halfway working the way that you want anywhere from six to 12 months down the road that you would have been much better off paying a consultant $10,000.00 to do it for you in under 3 months from start to finish. An alternative is to contract with a consultant who will "hold your hand" every step of the way - this way you gain his/her knowledge but actually do the work yourself. Count on somewhere between $500 to $3,000 per month just for the T1 line and then add to that the $25,000.00 to $100,000.00 cost of all the hardware and software that you will need just for startup. You may very well be much better off finding a hosting service for the servers that you want to run. If you cannot find a consultant nearby I am not afraid of flying Good Luck Mike ------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael D. Perry | FIRST RULE OF INTELLIGENT TINKERING: MIKA Systems | Save all the parts. Glen Ellyn, Illinois | SATTINGER'S LAW: mdp@mika-sys.com | It works better if you plug it in. -------------------------------------------------------------------