In the Interest of Transparency; Communications

The following is an email from Mr. Engelmann to Ms. Wood. We are passing it along so everyone will know about communications between the town and Rainmaker Network Services.

> From: Fred Engelmann <fengelmann@mac.com>
> Subject: Thurman Network management Access
> Date: May 7, 2016 at 6:24:58 PM EDT
> To: Evelyn Wood <thurmansupervisor@verizon.net>, Michael Eddy <mmeddy1@verizon.net>, John Youngblood <jeyoungblood163@gmail.com>, Gail Seaman <seamangg@aol.com>, Susan Shepler <sshepler.thurmanboard@yahoo.com>, Jeanie Sprague <thurmantownclerk@verizon.net>
> Cc: Mark Shaw <mshaw@storedtech.com>, Teri McNall <tmcnall@storedtech.com>, Mark Schachner <mschachner@mmshlaw.com>, Lynn Engelmann <lengelmann@mac.com>, Ava Ashendorff <ava@rainmaker-ns.com>
>
> Supervisor Wood,
>
> The attached file Thurman Switches.zip contains two PDFs from the documentation previously provided to you. I have copied Mark Shaw and Teri McNall of StoredTech, in case you utilize their network knowledge to verify your network management access.
>
> The helpful tips below can be provided to any qualified network technician or engineer, so they can verify the Town’s management access, which was and always has been available from any switch at any pole.
>
> These helpful tips should not even be necessary for any qualified network technician or engineer, as it is all industry standard and common technology. The individual configuration files, also previously provided, document all network parameters including port usage, DHCP service and remote access described below.
>
> The HP switches are used at all poles except Valley and Groff, which use the Ubiquiti switches for PoE.
>
> The 184.x.x.x  network is on the default VLAN, accessible from port 10 on the HP switches, and port 8 of the Ubiquiti switches. The MSM720 access controller supplies DHCP addresses in this range.
>
> The 10.x.x.x  network on the management VLAN is accessible on port 9 of the HP switches, and port 7 of the Ubiquiti switches. The SonicWall firewall does not provide DHCP, so any connected management computer will need to have a static IP configured per the IP addressing document.
>
> For remote access, the Town will need to obtain and configure a firewall that supports at least two IPSec VPN tunnels, as we had discussed last year. From the Town Hall, one tunnel would have a peer of the MSM720 WAN IP, for access to the 184.x.x.x network. A second tunnel to the SonicWall firewall WAN IP will provide access to the 10.x.x.x  network.
>
> If your consultant does not understand these common industry standard technologies used, I would recommend engaging Stored Tech to help.
>
> Fred Engelmann
>
> Rainmaker Network Services
> Adirondack Internet /Public Access
>
> Chestertown NY
>
>

The following is in response to an article written after the most recent town Board meeting.

The Town never had remote network management access, as they did not purchase the necessary firewall.

I made absolutely no changes to their existing management access at the equipment, which they have always had and still do.

No signals or their strength has changed.

There is nothing to restore other than the services I offer as an operator. The Town can purchase and install their own management equipment and network monitoring software, or find an operator that uses tools similar to mine.

There are no discrepancies in the number of subscribers receiving services and the subscriber list Engelmann has submitted to the town. Joe Groff is not on the list because he doesn’t pay, and Evelyn has known this since December.