[leafnode-list] A beginners question

[Torbjørn Heltne]

Hello all!

I have just started to familiarize myself with the concept of usenet 
servers, message flow, up/downstream servers and so on. I have gone 
through the chapters I initially believe are relevant in the Usenet News 
HOWTO and also the FAQ for Leafnode.

I'm not sure that I understand the concept of upstream/downstream 
servers correctly. Let me try to explain and please correct me at any point:

The Usenet News HOWTO says
"Therefore, we use the term ``upstream server'' to refer to the server 
from which we receive the bulk of our daily dose of articles, and 
``downstream server'' to refer to those servers which receive the bulk 
dose of articles from us."

In a normal single user environment where the user has access to usenet 
through the ISP the downstream and upstream server is the same server. 
The reader polls the server now and then and newly composed articles are 
delivered from the reader to the server.

What I want to do is to set up a news server for a small group with less 
than 10 users at work due to the fact that our ISP does not have a news 
server anymore. Do I need to have access to a "normal" (read: ISP-type) 
news server to be able to have a working news solution w/ local Leafnode 
or are there "backbone" servers somewhere which I can connect my 
Leafnode to? My guess is the former.

All and any replies are welcome.

-- 
Torbjørn Heltne