[ale] Calculating bandwidth for serial terminals

[Alan Bowman]

Hello all,

 I'm trying to resolve a problem for a client, and need some assistance
or a good pointer as to how to calculate the bandwidth of a DSL
connection that connects serial terminals from a remote office. I've
done some searching on Google, but it seems I'm not asking the right
questions.

The backstory -

 The client has a VPN setup over a DSL, and the remote location is
running serial terminals and printers connected to two 16 port Digi
Portserver TS's. The server is running SCO OpenServer 5.0.5. The
application is a text based practice management system.  The routers,
switches and firewalls were all setup by a company local to the client
(Los Angeles). I don't know what they are, or how they are configured.
The Digi Portserver TS's were setup by me. All that's configured in them
is an IP address, a gateway, a subnet mask, and they are set to host
control.


The problem -

 The serial terminals are running very slow. Much slower, in fact, than
when they were on a multimux using a 56k leased line. According to the
people who setup the network, the VPN has a bandwidth of "300k". I'm
going on the assumption that he means 300Kbps. What I need to figure out
is just how much of this "300k" is being used.


The questions -

 Is there a way to figure out just how much bandwidth is used by a
serial terminal? Does the baud rate correspond, either directly or
indirectly, with the amount of bandwidth used? Or, does the amount of
usage have more to do with how much bandwidth is being used? I need to
find out what is causing the slowdown, so I can find a way to fix it. If
it's a bandwidth issue, I need to have figures in my hand to take to the
client.


Pointers, places to RTFM, RFC's, websites and tutorials greatly
appreciated.


Thanks,
...alan

-- 
And on the seventh day, He exited from append mode
(Linux fortune)


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