Deployment Guide/School Server

6. School Server

Part of our deployment model is to utilize school servers. These servers are designed to provide a gateway to the Internet, a local content repository, back-up, school management, etc. As important as all of these services, their most critical role is to scale the local-area network. Without a school server, the largest network that can be maintained is approximately 30 laptops. Each school server can maintain a network of approximately 120 laptops.

The reasons for this difference include:

• By maintaining state information, the school server eliminates the need for much of the multicast traffic, which puts a heavy load in the network
• The school server can unify up to three separate mesh channels.

We are working towards allowing a laptop to serve in these roles, without a school server; but that goal has not been reached yet and so it is not currently an option.

Please consider the table below when making your deployment plans.

<20	<40	<80	<120	>120
no server	server + 1 active antenna	server + 2 active antennae	server + 3 active antennae	access points