Seeking a Development Environment (Sun?)

[jeff at lpi.UUCP]

At LPI, we are always investigating new approaches to our development
environment.  The PROPOSITION section below has a specific scenario 
that we'd like information on, but general suggestions are also welcomed.  
I will post a summary of responses if there is interest.

BACKGROUND:  LPI is a quickly growing software company with a family of
compilers.  We are looking at options for our development system.  The 
system must be easily expandable to support planned growth.  Our ideal 
main system would be a 68k UNIX box.  Since we have to support at least 
30 to 60 users, we need a lot of horsepower.  We also need a central 
file repository that all have access to.

PROPOSITION:  Among the many machines we've had experience with is
the Sun workstation.  It would be too expensive to have to buy a Sun for
everyone in house; furthermore, the incremental costs as we grow would
be too high.  However, someone suggested the following "system":

- A big central Sun fileserver with lots of disk for the central
  repository of files.  (with 8 or 12Mb of RAM)
- One Sun node for every five or six users. (all Sun 3s)

Users would be tied to a node with a conventional terminal.  

Everyone we've talked to has a "one Sun/one user" system.  Has anyone
tried using a network of Suns as we suggest?  What sort of problems 
are we likely to find?  Would the fileserver be able to support 30 to
60 users?  What happens when we double in size?  What about the
efficiency of the nodes when more than one person is on them?  How
much disk should be on the multi-user nodes?  Should they be diskless,
given the central fileserver?  How much do you lose (use of good Sun
software, general productivity, response, etc.) by having a conventional 
terminal instead of one of the graphic screens?  What is the capacity 
of a Sun 3 to support several users?  Does anyone have a working 
example of this sort of system?

This is a real problem.  Cost, speed, access to a large set of central
disks, and expandability are real important.  A 68000 Unix box is a 
strong requirement.  (Thus a VAX, and to a lesser extent Apollo nodes, 
for example, are not strong possibilities.)  

Any suggestions are gratefully accepted.  Thanks in advance.
-- 
| Jeff Diewald  Language Processors, Inc. (LPI)	   
| 400-1 Totten Pond Road, Waltham, Mass.  02154	    
| UUCP: ...{linus|harvard}!axiom!lpi!jeff