nanog mailing list archives
Re: Sun Project Blackbox / Portable Data Center
From: Jerry Dixon <jerry () jdixon com>
Date: Sat, 13 Oct 2007 23:49:07 -0400
Poor word choice on my part regarding command center versus data service augmentation.
However there are many capabilities that this setup can bring to bear no differently than a military TOC is established out in a forward operating site.
I do agree that a good DR plan and hot/warm sites are a necessity for critical services however there are uses for this capability. One only needs to look at Katrina or 9/11 where a solution like this would have shown benefits in augmenting a larger DR plan and quickly providing computing or network services depending on how it was built out.
Just to add a disclaimer, these are my opinions and not an official stance by the government.
Jerry Jerry () jdixon com On Oct 13, 2007, at 11:05 PM, Alan Clegg <alan () clegg com> wrote:
Jerry Dixon wrote:We've looked at these from a DHS perspective and they are a great concept. I know Sun has had the boxes here in DC on tour and worthchecking out. I believe FEMA was in process of looking into leveragingthem for disaster command centers along with the military.As a long time network professional, volunteer firefighter, CERT[*] team member/instructor, and Red Cross disaster response volunteer, I'd wonderwhy ANYONE would want one of these. If your "command center" is close enough to require this specialized configuration, YOU ARE TOO CLOSE. Please stay somewhere that you have functional/reliable power, walls that are not falling down, and hotel rooms for your staff. The idea of moving your data center INTO the hot zone would scare the bejeebers out of me. I've been to large fires, hurricane aftermath,floods, tornado paths, and nowhere have I seen a need for these things.If you have a spare data center somewhere "geographically diverse" fromyour primary, you're golden and you don't need a unit like this. The concept of moving one of these things into an area that is stillwithout normal utilities is not only dangerous to the equipment "in the box", but also begins to steal from the limited resources that are beingused to rehabilitate the incident scene. Why not get a couple of high-powered communication trucks that wouldallow network connectivity from the disaster zone instead of endangeringyour hardware and putting non-essential personnel into a dangerous situation? Who's going to hire the private army that you are going to need to protect these monsters? (I understand that one is available) And who's bringing in the food for the poor technicians that are being deployed with the crate? If you have the choice of using preciously scarce fuel to power yourdata center in a box or to help prepare and transport meals to people inneed, which will you do? Maybe I'm missing the point.If you told me you were using one of these to deploy a preliminary datacenter while a permanent facility was being built, I'd think you were much more on track, but for emergencies? AlanC [*] Community Emergency Response Team, not computer related: http://www.wakecountycert.org
Current thread:
- RE: Sun Project Blackbox / Portable Data Center, (continued)
- RE: Sun Project Blackbox / Portable Data Center Lorell Hathcock (Oct 13)
- RE: Sun Project Blackbox / Portable Data Center Jim Popovitch (Oct 13)
- Re: Sun Project Blackbox / Portable Data Center Andy Davidson (Oct 14)
- Re: Sun Project Blackbox / Portable Data Center Simon Lyall (Oct 14)
- Re: Sun Project Blackbox / Portable Data Center Nathan Ward (Oct 14)
- RE: Sun Project Blackbox / Portable Data Center Lorell Hathcock (Oct 14)
- Re: Sun Project Blackbox / Portable Data Center chuck goolsbee (Oct 17)
- Re: Sun Project Blackbox / Portable Data Center Jim Popovitch (Oct 17)
- RE: Sun Project Blackbox / Portable Data Center Lorell Hathcock (Oct 13)
- RE: Sun Project Blackbox / Portable Data Center Jerry Dixon (Oct 13)
- Re: Sun Project Blackbox / Portable Data Center Alan Clegg (Oct 13)
- Re: Sun Project Blackbox / Portable Data Center Jerry Dixon (Oct 13)
- RE: Sun Project Blackbox / Portable Data Center Lorell Hathcock (Oct 15)