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

["Chris \"Oger\" Gebhardt" <oger@xxxxxxxxx>]

While the items Jeff lists are all valid, I would submit that not everyone
needs such robust facilities.

When we first opened our doors in 1995, we hosted 30 domains off a single
ISDN.  It would burst up to a whopping 128kbps.   It worked great until DSL
came into town, and we gave that a try.  Next came T1.

We now host over 500 domains on a single T1 we purchase from a second-tier
provider at a cost of about $500 / month.  We have a DSL failsafe.  Our
climate control and backup power is adequate, but not mind-numbing.

If you're thinking about hosting your own company's website, you can get a
lot of bang-for-your-buck by running in a DSL line and firing up your RAQ.

No, you won't have the robust facilities and failsafes a colo provider can
offer, but for the difference in price, it's an option to explore.   If your
company is like mine, they would not stand for having the server off-site.
That was another big consideration.

E-mail me off-list if you want more info on "growing your own."  With
respect to Jeff and the other reputable colo providers, I've got no axe to
grind....

--Chris


----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeff Lasman" <jblists@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <cobalt-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, March 28, 2002 12:14 PM
Subject: Re: [cobalt-users] Need advice on Colocating or Self Location


> "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
>
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