Archived from groups: comp.dcom.wan (More info?)

I am looking for some recommendations or ideas on how to cost effectively
speed up our remote locations. We have branch offices in several states that
connect via 64k frame relay. The mail server/domain controller for the
entire company is at the corporate office in one state with 12 sites across
the country. At each remote site is a router and hub (10 mbps) and client
machines. These machines also use the internet via an ISA server at the
Corporate office. Opening email attachments is a nightmare, especially when
people tend to send 1 to 2 mb excel spreadsheets. I thought that maybe if
each site got it's own DSL and then used pop3 for email that at least email
might be faster with little additional expense. Does anyone have any
comments on that thought or any suggestions?

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.wan (More info?)

Terri wrote:

> I am looking for some recommendations or ideas on how to cost effectively
> speed up our remote locations. We have branch offices in several states that
> connect via 64k frame relay. The mail server/domain controller for the
> entire company is at the corporate office in one state with 12 sites across
> the country. At each remote site is a router and hub (10 mbps) and client
> machines. These machines also use the internet via an ISA server at the
> Corporate office. Opening email attachments is a nightmare, especially when
> people tend to send 1 to 2 mb excel spreadsheets. I thought that maybe if
> each site got it's own DSL and then used pop3 for email that at least email
> might be faster with little additional expense. Does anyone have any
> comments on that thought or any suggestions?
>
>

Get high speed internet to each site.

I'd recommend 1.5mbps SDSL (not ADSL), but that can be expensive -
generally $400 a month or so.

But almost ANY interent broadband will be much better than 64k frame --
which usually has a CIR around 50% (ie: 32k), which means it's actually
slower than dialup most of the time. Cable modem might be a decent choice.

Link all the sites together using a decent business class VPN firewall
box at each site (firewall/vpn products by sonicwall, watchguard, cisco
are all good - avoid netgear, dlink, linksys and symantec)