RE: Cross-country shipping of large network/computer gear?

[JC Dill <nanog () vo cnchost com>]

> At 11:19 AM 8/27/2003, Matthew Zito wrote:
>
> I was wondering if anyone could provide any advice or suggestions on
> shipping heavy/bulky equipment (~300 pounds, about a half-rack worth of
> gear) on short notice cross-country?  We're obviously looking to minimize
> cost, but realistically it can't be in transit for more than two days.

Is the problem moving them ASAP or moving them with the least delay while 
in transit?  If you have enough time to buy airplane tickets at a 
reasonable rate it can often be more cost effective to fly someone to pull 
the gear and fly with the boxes.  I pulled and moved a rack full of servers 
in and out of colos quite a few times, flying out with new equipment and 
bringing the old equipment back, or flying out with empty boxes and packing 
the equipment in the right boxes (with the right foam inserts etc.) and 
bringing them back.  You can save quite a bit by not having to pay "remote 
hands" at the other end to pull and pack the gear.

I believe that most airlines allow you 3 items of checked luggage up to 70 
lbs at no additional charge.  Extra checked items were ~$50 per box, and 
occasionally ~$50 extra if the box is overweight.  I had a carry-on for my 
personal needs (clothes, laptop).

If you need a rental car, get an SUV and get one where the rear deck "folds 
down flat".  The largest passenger SUVs (like a Lincoln or Ford) sometimes 
have a rear seat that sits on top of the rear deck and can NOT be removed, 
check this when making reservations as it's a big PITA to put boxes in and 
over this lump.  I highly recommend a Durango instead.

Every time I shipped boxes instead of flew with them there were shipping 
delays.  *Especially* when going thru international boundaries.  When I 
took boxes with me thru customs as checked luggage, no delays.

If the computers you need to move are going to or from the west coast, I'm 
available if you want to hire someone to do this, if you can't spare a 
person to fly.  Email off-list.

HTH

jc