an over-the-top data center

Mon Dec 1 16:53:58 UTC 2008

On Dec 1, 2008, at 11:06 AM, Måns Nilsson wrote:

>> End of day, an IXP is not some magical thing.  It is an ethernet  
>> switch
>> allowing multiple networks to exchange traffic more easily than  
>> direct
>> interconnection - and that is all it should be.  It should not be  
>> mission
>> critical.  Treating it as such raises the cost, and therefore  
>> barrier to
>> entry, which lowers its value.

> You did not answer my question on usability of fiber based on amount  
> of
> knowledge about where it is.

Of course knowing where the fiber is does not stop the backhoes.  It  
was obvious you were being silly, so I ignored it.  By that logic,  
providers should not check any fiber path they purchase because it  
will not stop the backhoes.  I suspect most providers will continue to  
buy from multiple providers, check the paths themselves, ensure  
grooming onto a single path is not a problem, and several other  
perfectly valid operational best practices which are impossible at  
NetNod.

OTOH: My paragraph above yours is a serious consideration, which you  
have blithely ignored.

As I said before, feel free to use what you please, where you please.   
Your network, your decision.  I frequently do things which would not  
be considered best practices in certain instances, but that does not  
make them valid for everyone everywhere, and I would not argue such.

-- 
TTFN,
patrick