* Dr. Internet columnist Steve Blass offers advice on connecting Fibre Channel to Apple boxes * Help Desk columnist Ron Nutter offers advice on securing a network with RADIUS and a VPN
* Connecting Fibre Channel to Apple boxes
By Steve Blass
Q: We have to connect our first Fibre Channel switch, a QLogic SanBox, to a pair of Apple XRaid arrays and an XServe. We connected a laptop to the Fibre Channel switch and ran the Express Setup installation program, but are not sure what to do next. Do we need to create a fabric and assign ports, or can we just plug the cables in and go?
A: Because this is the first Fibre Channel switch in your network, you can most likely just plug the cables in and go after the QLogic Express Setup program has been run.
To read Steve’s response in its entirety, please click here.
* Securing a network with RADIUS and a VPN
By Ron Nutter
Q: What are components and cost (initial and ongoing) involved in setting up and maintaining a RADIUS Server and a VPN on a wireless network?
A: This is not a simple question. Your costs, both initial and ongoing, will depend on the size of your network, the number of users serviced by this configuration and whether you choose commercial or open-source options for the RADIUS and VPN systems. Open-source obviously cost nothing upfront, leaving you only with the costs of hardware. But don’t forget to factor in the hidden costs of open source – including your time for diagnosing and fixing problems (unless you find a commercial vendor that supports your applications).
To read Ron’s response in its entirety, please click here.
