Every classroom, office, computer lab, and the library has access to the Internet via a T1 line. The student computers must go through a proxy server (Bordermanager) to connect to the Internet, but the faculty/staff computers can bypass the proxy server. Being able to bypass the proxy server has enabled the teachers to receive streaming audio and video without problems. At times the Internet access seems slow for having a T1 line. We are not certain why this is, but we have a huge (2 gig) cache folder. It may be that the system is spending time looking through all the cache files before displaying the page. Bordermanager and CyberPatrol serve as the filtering system for Internet access.

Carmel has 3 networks. One for the students, one for the faculty/administration/business, and one for library information processing.

All student computers are NT workstations connected to an NT server.

• 3 computer labs contain 30 workstations. Each lab has two networked printers.



• The library has 15 workstations connected to two networked printers for the students. One MacIntosh computer is available for student use in the library. It is connected locally to a printer. The MacIntosh is not on the student network.

All faculty computers are Windows 95/98 workstations connected to a Novell server.

• Every classroom has a computer connected to the Novell server. Student attendance and grades are done via the network. Approximately 75% of the classroom computers are multimedia computers attached to a 32"-34" monitor. In another year or two, all classrooms will be equipped with a multimedia computer and large screen monitor.



• There are two faculty computer rooms; one on the north side of the building and one on the south side. The north side has 3 PC workstations and one MacIntosh computer connected to one networked printer. The south side has 5 PC computers and one networked printer.



• The faculty lounge has a computer in it. There is no printer in the room, but it is configured to print to the printer in the north faculty computer lab just down the hall.



• All faculty computers are configured to print to the two copiers at each end of the building. Faculty can send print jobs directly to the copier from the computer in their classroom or from any computer in the faculty computer labs. If desired, print jobs sent to a copier can be configured for delayed printing, allowing copying to be postponed until the teacher has a free period. In addition, faculty can choose to print to the printer in each of the faculty computer labs.

• All Administration, Business, and staff computers are Windows 95/98 workstations connected to the Novell server. The business office has its own file server. Each office area has its own networked printer. Each of these workstations can print to the copiers also.

• In addition to the student computers in the library, the library also is fully automated with it's own server for the library services. Students can access the card catalog using several workstations in the library. The library also has a 14 bay CD rom tower.

The network is a Cat 5 Ethernet network using star topology. A central server room contains all of the servers and the telephone system and a seven bay CD rom tower. There are three additional closets with hubs at the north, south, and east ends of the school. Two of the closets are connected to a fiberoptic backbone in order to maintain the Cat 5 rating. A combination of switches and hubs are used in the closets. All NIC cards in the workstations are 10/100 cards.

There are two network drops in each of the classrooms, but only one drop is hot-wired. The extra drop is there to allow a portable hub for laptops or printer connections if desired.

The technology director and the technician administer the faculty and student networks. Presently, the building engineer administers the business and administration networks and the e-mail. When major maintenance is necessary, an outside company is called in.

E-mail

Carmel uses GroupWise for e-mail. A school address book has groups set up for departments, faculty, staff and various committees so that e-mail can be sent to members of the group only. The school does not provide e-mail for the students, although they are able to access Internet e-mail, such as Hotmail if they desire. The faculty and staff are able to access and maintain their e-mail from outside the school. A separate password must be set up at the school before they can have remote access. Once this is done, all that is necessary to access their e-mail is an Internet connection. No separate software or settings are necessary.