best way to determine internet speed you need

[bguy_1986]

Currently we have 1.5mb T1 at 6 locations, which all comes back to the main location where we have a 3mb T1 line and a backup 5mg down 600k up DSL line (The T1 is our primary line, DSL sucks). The branches are connecting to a Terminal Server all day, as well as transfering files back and fourth. Word documents, images, and some more stuff from our software. It doesn't cause problems normally unless our software has updates. The updates they can't all do at once or it will take forever. I watched one person do an update this morning and it stuck on a file for atleast a minute. The file was only 3mb file, and it had a couple more of those to go. There are about 10 people at each location. About 40 here at the main location. We (IT) suggested a 3mb fiber line for the branches and a 5mb fiber line for the main branch (wanted 10mb but management looked at the price and that looked like it was going to be a big NO). We plan on implementing a VOIP system and start doing document imaging later this year.

Considering I have a faster internet connection at home (2up, 2 down) I would think we need something just as fast, if not faster here at work. But trying to convince management to spend the money is a different story. They are considering spending 2-5,000 bucks on either buying software or having someone come in and monitor how much we are using our connections, but I think that's flippin stupid.

My questions are:

How do the rest of you figure out what speed you need?

Am I about right with the 3mb, 5mb suggestion? or what would you suggest?

[+BudMan MVC]

Can not the provider of your T1 lines give you a graph of their utilization? Are they being saturated? If so for how often and for how long?

You should be able to get numbers you need on utilization of your connections from the provider of said lines - you should not need to buy any software or contact some 3rd party to figure out for you.

But without some clear understanding of the current usage - its impossible for you to estimate how much more bandwidth you need.

Depending on usage patterns, you will either need to up your bandwidth or maybe just change some stuff -- maybe its possible to schedule stuff to run off hours that use up bandwidth, etc.

"It doesn't cause problems normally unless our software has updates."

So all the users at a location update their software across the wan? Does that sound bandwidth friendly to you?? Why not copy the updates once to 1 machine at the remote location, and then have all the remote location machines update across the lan vs the wan. The copy of the updates could be done off hours even!!

Central terminal server?? Would it be possible to put a terminal server in each location? Again remove stress off the wan connection!

To calculate bandwidth requirements to prevent saturation you need to understand utilization and protocols in use and when.. Where is your email Servers? File servers -- where is the vast majority of access to files from? All the different locations so makes sense to store central, or could some files be stored at the local branch since users there are 90% of access, and other users could access across wan when needed, etc.

Now maybe thats what this 3rd party will do, come in and document your utilization patterns and suggest options.. Or more than likely come in and say sure yup, you need 3mb -- that will be $2k ;)

But you can also just do all of this in house.. First thing is to check with your provider and get some utilization graphs and stats of the lines your paying for. You then need to sit down and take a look at types of file transfers being done, when -- where are files being stored and if this can be optimized to be more wan friendly.

You could also look into wan optimization, example of company that does this is riverbed.. Yes there is an cost for the appliances, etc. But quite often this cost is much cheaper than just throwing more bandwidth at it. It will also allow you to see what exactly is eating up your bandwidth and if you can rework it or change something to make it lighter on using the wan.

But from your one example of your software updates -- These should not be going over the wan more once that is for sure, and should be done off hours! Even if the remote branch does not have any servers -- the updates could easy be stored on a desktop in the remote location for the software to pull from. Or you could put in a cheap nas just for this purpose, etc. Much cheaper than increasing your monthly bandwidth cost.. And that **** up over a year, 3, 5.. Paying for more bandwidth is not always the correct solution!

[bguy_1986]

Thanks for the reply!!

We can't do much with the software. We would have to pay to have that programmed in. The software transfers files over when they first start the program. We may only have to deal with this software a couple more years yet and then might move on to a intraweb type of software. and It probably isn't worth having terminal servers at each location. We don't have that many people at each branch, and the terminal servers would be transfering a lot of data back and forth to a database server so that wouldn't help us much. We wouldn't be able to schedule any of that at night or anything.

We were talking to an idiot from one of our current ISPs since JUNE. To this day we still haven't got a good quote from him. We have about 2 options in our area right now. We have a new rep and are meeting with her probably the first of the year so we might actually get a decent quote. I think somebody asked the idiot if they were able to tell us how much bandwidth we were using, and he didn't think we could. I'm going to make sure I ask this new rep.

I also found out today we will be getting a new ISP in the area where I work. It's a smaller company but it's the same ISP I have here at home. They do all fiber to the home stuff. If they would come to the area where I work, we have the potential to save hundreds of $$$ a month. Does anybody know if they network differently then other ISPs? Anybody know of any reason not to go with a Fiber-to-the-home ISP? Would you not get the same "priority" or anything?

Thanks!

[+BudMan MVC]

When I get back to the office after the break, I will post up a some sample utilization graphs that customers can access whenever they want, etc.

If your ISP can not provide you with utilization of your pipe -- find a new one!!

As to your software updating.. What does the software do?? I took it as updates to mean updates to the software itself, its data its working on?

[bguy_1986]

When I get back to the office after the break, I will post up a some sample utilization graphs that customers can access whenever they want, etc.

If your ISP can not provide you with utilization of your pipe -- find a new one!!

As to your software updating.. What does the software do?? I took it as updates to mean updates to the software itself, its data its working on?

It's updates for the software itself.. I'm not really sure why they have it programed that way... It's kind of old software also. (I think so anyways)...

Believe me, I want to find a new one!! The two ISPs that are in town I think are raping us! This new one that might come to town next year might offer 5mb fiber for 100 bucks a month. One of the two companies would have to build a fiber line, and then would charge us around $800 a month. But like I said, I'm not sure if fiber-to-home networks are any different than current ISPs. I wouldn't think they are...

[+StevoFC MVC]

If your ISP can not provide you with utilization of your pipe -- find a new one!!

Yeah, because places have an unlimited supply of ISPs to choose from.

I'm sure if they could get a better one, they would have by now...

[+BudMan MVC]

Unless you are going with some home type connection, then sure you should be able to have a decent company manage/provide your T1.

Where are you located bguy? Roughly don't need exact address or anything.. You in the back woods were toothless people play banjo on the front porch, or near an actual city? I'll take a look for example if we provide service there, and what it would cost, who would be the actual carrier, etc.

Clearly not trying to sell you anything - but just an example of who the carrier would be, cost (roughly) and then how you could view the utilization, etc.

You mention

"Currently we have 1.5mb T1 at 6 locations"

Are they all with the same carrier? Are they all roughly in the same region? Or our you really spread out - global, etc.?

[bguy_1986]

Unless you are going with some home type connection, then sure you should be able to have a decent company manage/provide your T1.

Where are you located bguy? Roughly don't need exact address or anything.. You in the back woods were toothless people play banjo on the front porch, or near an actual city? I'll take a look for example if we provide service there, and what it would cost, who would be the actual carrier, etc.

Clearly not trying to sell you anything - but just an example of who the carrier would be, cost (roughly) and then how you could view the utilization, etc.

You mention

"Currently we have 1.5mb T1 at 6 locations"

Are they all with the same carrier? Are they all roughly in the same region? Or our you really spread out - global, etc.?

It's kinda of a back woods area... lol. It isn't quite that bad. We are North of Dayton, Ohio (Darke County).

All of our T1s and the main T1 at the main location are with the same carrier. It's actually 5 T1s. One of our locations is just across the street that we have our own fiber run to. They are all in the same region. Not anymore than a half hour away at the most..