Re: [cobalt-users] Need advice on Colocating or Self Location

[Jeff Lasman <jblists@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"John D. Gorena" wrote:

> What do I need to have in my office to host a Raq4i except a dedicated line and
> a static IP address?

You need everything you need to make the dedicated line work.  It should
NOT be a DSL line; when they go down (and they do that often) they don't
get repaired quickly enough, as the telco's involved don't consider them
to be mission-critical solutions.  So you'll need either frame-relay or
T-1 to your office.

So don't minimize that "dedicated line and static IP address"; they're
going to cost you in the area of $1,000 a month in most parts of the
country to get the speed you need to make you a credible provider.  And
that's before you talk redundancy, which of course is another $1,000 a
month.

You'll also need a Router on your end to make it work.  And a CSU/DSU,
to go betwen the router and the telco's line (some Routers have them
built in).

You'll need at the minimum a good UPS, set up through software to be
able to shut down the Raq if the battery gets too low before the power
goes back on.

If the power goes off more than once a year, or for longer than ten
minutes or so, you'll probably need a backup generator.  If you're ever
more than five to ten minutes away from your server in worst-traffic
conditions you'll need that generator to know how to start automatically
and shut down automatically, as required.

You'll need air-conditioning to ambient temperature 24/7 of about 70
degrees F.  Don't foget backup power for the airconditioning if the
power might go off during warmer days.

You'll need a good consultant who understands routing issues, as
otherwise you won't get any respect with the line-provider's helpdesk
when the line goes down.  Because eventually it will.

You'll also need to put the RaQ in a room where no one will ever get
close to the power switch, or the power cord.  Or any of the buttons.

And you still won't be able to advertise the benefits of good
colocation: security, redundant OC-3 lines, 5 to 10 megabit per second
peak speeds, 24/7 on-site line monitoring, bgp routing, etc.

The first time we (my ex-partner and I) installed a small "colo room" in
our office it cost us about $15,000 before we could flip the switch.

The second time it cost him (I was no longer a partner) $35,000.

> If I choose to host in my office, What is the best way to transfer all of my
> accounts to the new machine in my office?

We use CMU.

> Is there more information that I should know about?

Call or write me for other advantages of colocation and perhaps even a
quote <smile>.

Jeff
-- 
Jeff Lasman <jblists@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Linux and Cobalt/Sun/RaQ Consulting
nobaloney.net
P. O. Box 52672, Riverside, CA  92517
voice: (909) 778-9980  *  fax: (702) 548-9484