an over-the-top data center

Mon Dec 1 04:05:01 UTC 2008

On Nov 30, 2008, at 10:50 PM, Niels Bakker wrote:
> * patrick at ianai.net (Patrick W. Gilmore) [Mon 01 Dec 2008, 02:34 CET]:
>> On Nov 28, 2008, at 4:04 PM, Jean-François Mezei wrote:
>>> The advantage of this swedish data centre is that even if its  
>>> location is well known, it is pretty hard to harm the building.  
>>> You can't run a truck full of explosives into it for instance.
>>
>> Unfortunately, you also cannot run your own fiber there, colo  
>> equipment there, visit it for any reason, etc.
>>
>> I was going to say 'this probably hinders customers adoption at  
>> NetNod', but I know for a fact the "probably" is superfluous.
>
> I don't really get your reasoning here, Patrick.  What were you  
> going to do?  Put your servers in the same racks as Netnod's  
> switches?  Rate their patch fiber management skills?
>
> I can buy the argument that there is one bit of infrastructure (a  
> string of dark fiber) more between your router and the IX  
> infrastructure than you will get in other locations but in this age  
> of people connecting remotely to IXPs all the time this seems pretty  
> minor, especially given the box full of advantages it gives the IXP  
> operator regarding facility security and having a very clear  
> demarcation point.

I didn't say it would stop everyone.  Of course some people will not  
be deterred, but some absolutely have.

And most people are uninterested in the "box full of advantages it  
gives the IXP operator".  Further, I would submit the "box full of  
advantages" are ephemeral at best, and arguably imaginary.  Name  
another major IXP anywhere on the planet that has ever had a single  
issue NetNod's model would have avoided.

Now compare that to forcing every single participant to use unknown  
fiber paths into an unknown facility.  When are these fibers groomed,  
and onto which unknown paths?  Which fiber maintenance schedules might  
impact me without my knowledge?  Which construction projects elsewhere  
in the city might take me down and there's no way for me to even  
predict that?  Etc., etc.

I would prefer to take my chances with the known quantity,  
thankyouverymuch.  Feel free to do with your network as you please.

-- 
TTFN,
patrick

P.S. The demarcation point thing is pure BS and you know it.