The use of RIPng

[Benedikt Stockebrand]

Ted Mittelstaedt <tedm at ipinc.net> writes:

> For networks like that we use 1 decent Internet router (we -always-
> make any ISP that mandates an ISP-supplied CPE, set it up as a
> bridge or router providing a subnet) and 1 decent managed layer 3
> gigabit switch - Netgear makes some really nice SOHO 24 & 48 port
> fully managed ones that aren't that expensive - if we have to create
> the same kind of network.

I fully agree with the *decent* ISP :-)

With the rest it is slightly more complex:

> Or, just use a flat network and MAC address filtering to prevent the
> different departments from seeing servers and such that they are not
> supposed to get to and a layer 2 switch.

This assumes that people don't do much fooling around, which is a
reasonable assumption for a non-IT shop but not necessarily for a
small software company or engineering office or such.

> With fewer hardware boxes there's much less to go wrong.

Agreed---as long as you still have arranged for access to spare
components.

It's just another variation of the "keeping complexity out where it
doesn't help" theme.

> But rarely do we ever see that kind of need in a SOHO.

I'm not talking SoHo (as defined by what's generally sold as "SoHo
equipment") here, but a bit larger.  I'm thinking of the sort of
people who actually need their network up and running to stay in
business.

If you are running an accounting/tax adviser office, then you have to
deliver certain data to the German equivalent of the IRS.  If you
network is down the wrong day, it'll cost you.  Possibly dearly.

Similarly, and as a more internationally familar phenomenon, if you
have agreed with a customer on some sort of penalty and can't deliver
in time, things can quickly get rather ugly moneywise.


Cheers

    Benedikt

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Benedikt Stockebrand, Dipl.-Inform.   http://www.benedikt-stockebrand.de/