RE: Planning to build private network

[John Case <case@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Does anyone have any comments or sugestions for the person that posted the 
below, about one month ago ?  I was very interested in this topic, but 
there were no follow-ups ...


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I am currently planning to build a private TOR network for 50 users.  The 
goal of the network is to provide anonymous browsing and access to hidden 
services for the group while trying to avoid the low speeds seen in the 
public network.  The users will not be using the the network for file 
sharing or high bandwidth applications like streaming media.  The group 
currently uses the public network, and 12 are hosting relays.  The main 
complaint from the group is that the public network is too slow for 
comfortable use of some internet applications. (No big surprise)

I have a few questions.

1) Will a private network address the speed concerns if built properly?  I 
have read considerable amounts on the subject of TOR's speed, and 
understand that the number of relays is not the overriding concern.

2) If the answer to 1 is yes (i believe it is), what would be the optimum 
number of relays to ensure privacy and speed? Is there a formula that 
determines the number of relays need for X number of users, with a say a 3 
hop path? What about hidden services?  If there a rule of thumb for 
determining the number of exits to relays?

3) What would the minimum specs of a individual relay be? How much 
bandwidth per relay should we strive for?

4) Assuming we build it properly, and do not abuse it, what kind of speeds 
can we expect from the network?