Re: read this before you consider EXODUS

[Sean Donelan <SEAN () SDG DRA COM>]

ravim () iname COM (Ravi M) writes:
> In the past few weeks, eBay has been in talks with several Exodus
> competitors for a new contract to move a portion of its Web servers to a
> new vendor, the sources say. Exodus Chief Executive Ellen Hancock says
> its relationship with eBay is in good shape. eBay spokesman Kevin
> Pursglove declined to say whether it was mulling a move of its primary
> Web servers but says that a top priority is to figure out where to house
> a key backup system.

While both eBay and Exodus have problems, I see this as a good thing, not
a bad thing.  When looking for a place to house your backup servers, its
smart to have some diversity.  The problem with co-location facilities
operated by the carriers themselves is a lack of many types of diversity.
Bringing an AT&T line into a UUNET facility, or a Sprint line into a
GTEI facility can be a problem and sometimes actively discouraged
by the operator.  Owning your own fiber doesn't mean you have a clue how
to design or operate a co-location facility (or even an IP network).

So-called neutral facilties like Equinix and maybe PAIX help with carrier
diversity.  But even then I would consider putting my backup servers in
a different co-location facility than my primary servers.

Although co-location has become an important and growing part of the business;
many of the "older" (in Internet years, 1 or 2 years) facilities weren't
designed or operated to meet what customers are now expecting.  Two words:
MAE-East, Garage.

People are learning how to build these facilities. I've been very impressed
with several facilities built in the last year.  Co-location is  not just
a telephone office with some computer servers stuck in a corner, nor a
data center with some fiber muxes stuck in a corner.
-- 
Sean Donelan, Data Research Associates, Inc, St. Louis, MO
  Affiliation given for identification not representation