[ic] OT, but relevant?

[Dan]

> The third option is to go all the way.  Not only do you have your own
> box, you also have your own T1 or something connecting you to the
> net.  This gives you the ultimate level of control and flexibility.
> Here in the states, the cost of doing this is about $1500/month
> (approximately $800 for ISP charges and $800 for telco).  Plus, you
> have to buy your own networking equipment, UPS, computers, etc.

I disagree.  I think the "buy your own bandwidth" is less control and less
"all the way" than colocation.  Assuming someone bought a T1 to host their
site, what happens when they start getting 10x their regular traffic (after
an advertisement)?  They beg their phone company to please come install that
T3 as soon as possible.  45 days later, the phone company finishes the T3,
but since your site was so slow, everyone quit visiting your site, and you
could host the site on a 56k for the amount of visitors you have.

Colocation lets you say "I want 256k minimum, but burstable to 1meg" for x
dollars.  Or, for 2x $ you can have 1meg burstable to 100meg.  Etc.   For
example, we sell colocation services that is 512kbps burstable to 10meg for
1500/mo + overage.  Of course, that is the same price as a T1 for only 1/3rd
the speed, but how many T1's can scale to 10meg?  (And that includes the 3
days battery-supply + diesel generators, halon gas fire suppression system,
etc.)

Dan Browning - danb@cyclonecomputers.com