Excalibur Business IP Servers

Introduction

Our Excalibur IP Server/Security Gateways, provide a state-of-the-art IP communications platform that is powerful, flexible, and reliable enough to meet the demanding needs of communications intensive organizations in a cost effective manner.

Our Excalibur systems provide the benefits of a custom engineered system accommodating all required IP services in a high availability/high reliability/open system configuration that is consistently updated to be in accordance with known best practices/patches/packages in a managed environment for a price even small businesses can afford.

We use best of breed Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) hardware components and open source software to deliver the essential IP services. In addition, we offer open source, proprietary COTS, and custom software enhancements as appropriate to accommodate specialized customer requirements.

Our Excalibur systems are now in their fifth generation and have been exhaustively field tested in accounting, legal, and financial services environments.

Excalibur systems are engineered to allow an organization to assert "Ownership" over IP resources that are critical to the conduct of business. With the Excalibur systems your organization real is a node on the Internet.

Excalibur systems are engineered to "Support" the operations of your business, not maximize your organizations requests for support from us. We provide the connectivity, maintenance, and support when you really need it.

Excalibur systems are engineered to be "Robust" by incorporating high availability and failure tolerance considerations from the start.

Excalibur systems are engineered to be "Secure" by ensuring that security issues are addressed at each level of the design process.

Features

Excalibur systems provide a "data center in a box".

  • Your IP server / security gateway becomes a node on the "Internet"
  • Your own Domain Name Host
  • Your own E-Mail Server
  • Your own WWW accelerator
  • Your own Web servers (Internal & External)
  • Your own ability to protect the privacy of your correspondence and file transfers
  • Your own ability to protect your network from intrusion
  • Your own ability to ensure the system is uncompromised, and up-to-date
  • Your own ability to manage real IP addresses
  • Your own ability to control in-place redundancy of connectivity / fail-over connectivity
  • Your own ability to decide what is SPAM
  • Your own ability to control who has access to your server equipment
  • Your own ability to share your printers through out your organization on both your LAN and your WAN
  • Your own ability to share files through out your organization on both your LAN and your WAN
  • Your own ability to establish and use an Email/Fax Gateway
  • Your own ability to establish and use a comprehensive Backup Manager
  • Your own ability to establish and maintain a Discussion Server

Baseline Functions

  • Domain Name Service
  • SMTP Mail Server
  • HTTP Proxy Server
  • Intranet WWW Server
  • Internet WWW Server
  • IPSEC Authentication and Encryption Services Platform
  • Firewall
  • Regenerative, self healing personality/code base management system
  • DHCP Server
  • Fail-over Connectivity/Core Services Manager
  • Unwanted Mail Filtering
  • Remote Authentication/Management

Enhanced Optional Functions

  • IP Print Server
  • Exported File System Server (SMB, NFS, and Netware Compatible)
  • Email/Fax Gateway
  • Backup Manager
  • Discussion Server

Custom Optional Functions*

  • Mailing List Manager
  • eCommerce Server
  • Remote Access Server
  • Fax Server
  • Remote Offsite Backup Manager
  • Remote Control Server (CPE/Facility Status/Control/Management Server)
  • Voice Mail Server
  • Intra-office/Local/Long Distance Telco Server
  • Streaming Audio/Video Server

*Custom functions may require additional software, hardware, and/or services

Hardware Description

  • 2U Rack Mount Chassis with 6 Hot-Swappable U160 SCSI drive bays
  • Dual Processor Capable Mainboard w/U160 SCSI, Video, and LAN onboard
  • Pentium III FC PGA2 Processor (2nd Processor optional)
  • Hot-swappable Power Supply (2nd Power Supply optional)
  • Hot-swappable 18 GB U160 Hard Drive (2nd - 6th Hard Drives optional)
  • 256 MB Main Memory Standard (up to 6 GB optional)
  • Slimline Floppy/CD ROM
  • Tape Backup System (optional)
  • 256 MB USB Memory Key Non-volatile Emergency Boot Device
  • Internal 56K Remote Access/Fail Over Connectivity Modem, Standard (ISDN optional)
  • Secondary Network Interface, Standard ( 4 port optional)

Software Description

  • Core Operating System Red Hat Linux v 7.3, Standard
  • Custom Control and Configuration Management Software, Standard
  • Bind (DNS), Standard
  • Sendmail (SMTP), Standard
  • Apache (WWW Server), Standard
  • Amanda (Backup), Standard
  • Squid (http proxy), Standard
  • Freeswan (IPSEC), Standard
  • Open SSH (remote authentication), Standard
  • Slash (discussion management), (Optional)
  • Lightning Fax (Fax software/gateway) (Optional)
  • Visual Pulse (CPE Monitoring) (Optional)
  • StoreSense (eCommerce) (Optional)

Hosting Requirements

  • Primary Internet Connectivity (sDSL is recommended, however primary connections ranging from dual analog to T1 are supported.
  • At least two real routable IP addresses are required for the control net
  • A subnet with a suitable number of routeable IP addresses is required for the client net
  • Fail-Over Connectivity (ISDN BRI or analog telephone line)
  • A dedicated or shared Uninterruptible Power Supply supporting simple signaling via serial or USB interface is required.
  • Equipment must be operated in a well ventilated room where the ambient temperature is kept below 80 degrees at all times.
  • Suitable physical space must be allocated to allow the operation and service of the equipment.
  • Partial or Full Rack mount enclosures are recommended but not mandatory.

Network Topologies

  • The Excalibur IP Server/Security Gateway is designed to be the gateway for IP traffic to and from a given site. Click here for a sample Network Topology Diagram showing typical LAN, WAN, and Internet Interfaces.

System Cost & Ordering

  • The Excalibur IP Server/Security Gateway base system cost $5,000.00 including off-site configuration of base services for the client site.
  • Shipping/delivery provisions, additional hardware/software options, onsite installation time, travel and related expenses as well as client requested unique customizations are billable on a time and materials basis with overhead where applicable.
  • Xisp.net connectivity customers are provided 24x7 ongoing health monitoring, customer support, and nightly updates as applicable for a fee of $125/month.
  • Clients with alternate connectivity services are provided 24x7 ongoing health monitoring, customer support, and nightly updates as applicable for a fee of $150/month.
  • Excalibur IP Server/Security Gateways can be ordered by phone 301-229-8012, by e-mail to orders@xisp.net, by fax to 301-320-5025, or via our eCommerce site http://orders.xisp.net.
  • Xisp.net reserves the right to sell Excalibur IP Server/Security Gateway systems only to those Customers that agree to abide by the Xisp.net acceptable use policy and in the sole judgement of Xisp.net are likely to do so. In the event that a customer is found to be in violation of the Xisp.net acceptable use policy they are subject to the immediate termination of service and their actions along with all available records will be referred to the appropriate authorities.

Acceptable Use Policy

"Customers agree not to use Xisp.net provided equipment and/or services for the furtherance of the following activities:

  • distribution/sending of unsolicited electronic mail
  • unlawful or malevolent conduct"

This policy is subject to revision as necessary. If you have a question about the our policy and/or it applicability to what you wish to do please contact us.

System Warranty

Excalibur IP Server / Security Gateways offered for sale by Barnhard Associates, LLC trading as Xisp.net, uses a combination of branded hardware and software components which have separate warranties provided by each manufacturer that convey to the Customer effective on the invoiced date of delivery. In addition, Xisp.net makes use of a wide range of open source software which is released with no warranty under one or more licensing schemes.

  • Specific warranty details for each component are summarized in the manufacturer's hardware warranty table. In addition, Xisp.net provides a limited system performance warranty of ninety (90) days. During this period if there is a system performance problem with equipment installed by Xisp.net, Xisp.net will fix the problem, handling any required within warranty work (parts & labor) at no additional cost.
  • If there is a system performance problem with equipment Xisp.net has sold the Customer, that was installed/operated by others in accordance with Xisp.net directions, Xisp.net will assist the Customer in fixing the problem and handling any within warranty work at no additional cost.
  • Service actions required after the 90 day period, or to correct problems due to a failure to follow the Xisp.net directions, or due to unforseen events outside of the knowledge and/or control of Xisp.net shall be billable to the Customer on a time and materials basis at Xisp.net's prevailing rates at the time of service.
  • In the evident of an irreconcilable problem and/or a billing dispute between Xisp.net and the Customer, the Customer's sole and exclusive remedy and the entire liability of Xisp.net, its suppliers and affiliates under this warranty is, a prorated refund of the equipment purchase price.
  • Customers may submit service requests for equipment by sending an email to trouble@Xisp.net or by contacting Xisp.net by other means (www.Xisp.net). If any return or exchange of hardware is required please contact Xisp.net first in order to ensure that the matter is handled in the most reasonable manner possible.
  • Restrictions on Use. No warranty will apply if the Hardware and/or Software (collectively, "Product") (i) has been altered, except by Xisp.net; (ii) has not been installed, operated, repaired, or maintained in accordance with instructions supplied by Xisp.net in the documentation supplied with the product and updated from time to time at this web site; or (iii) has been subjected to abnormal physical, thermal or electrical stress, misuse, negligence, or accident.
  • It is the sole responsibility of the Customer to reach the determination of the fitness of purpose of this Product to any given task. Any questions regarding this should be directed to Xisp.net.
  • Xisp.net shall not be responsible for Customer's or any third party's software, firmware, information, or memory data contained in, sorted on, or integrated with any Product returned to Xisp.net, whether under warranty or not.
  • Customer is responsible for backing up its programs and data to protect against loss or corruption. Xisp.net's warranty obligations do not include installation support except as noted elseware.
  • Disclaimer. Except as expressly set forth above, Xisp.net makes no representation or warranty of any kind, express, implied or statutory, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, noninfringement or arising from a course of dealing, usage, or trade practice. Further, Xisp.net does not warrant that the software is error free or that buyer will be able to operate the software without problems or interruption.
  • Limitation of Liability. In no event will Xisp.net or its affiliates or suppliers be liable for any loss of use, interruption of business, lost profits, or lost data, or indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages, of any kind regardless of the form of action, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), strict liability or otherwise, even if Xisp.net or its affiliate or supplier has been advised of the possibility of such damage, and whether or not any remedy provided should fail of its essential purpose. The total cumulative liability to customer, from all causes of action and all theories of liability, will be limited to and will not exceed the purchase price of the product paid by customer.

Our Excalibur business IP Server/Security Gateways, provide a state-of-the-art IP communications platform that is powerful, flexible, and reliable enough to meet the demanding needs of communications intensive organizations in a cost effective manner.
(c) Barnhard Associates, LLC 2002