MAE-West is up again ( RA Contract Value )

Sun Jun 2 16:56:56 UTC 1996

> But on the other hand, even though 'technically or administratively' 
> MAE_WEST RA was of named status 'not-production'; when it crashed 
> if it effected the daily production operation of networks, then
> questions and introspection are expected.
> 

	Yo, Timster,
		Please reread the solicitation again carfully.
		I am not aware of any language that indicates
		MAE-WEST, housed at NASA-AMES or MFS-SanJose
		was part of the agreement.  These systems were
		put there out of the good graces of ISI and MERIT.
		No-one was paying for them or thier on-going operations.
		When folks wanted to peer, they were explicitly told
		these were not production machines.  Something that
		the RA team did on the side, with spare cycles,
		BECAUSE it was/is important.

		Now, lets look a bit more into that high dollar
		award, shall we?  Reread that soliciation again.
		No where does it state that the RA gets a free ride
		at any of the NAPS.  We have to pay, just like everyone
		else.  And we have two connections, where most everyone
		else has one. And who is the RA paying, with our award
		dollars?  Your right! Its your local telco/NAP operator.
		Just as a datapoint, one of them had set inital pricing
		at $60,000.00 per MONTH per connection. They have been
		talked down from that number, but it still would eat
		that paltry 10M award in much less than 5 years.

-- 
--bill