North American Network Operators Group

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Re: links on the blink (fwd)

  • From: Avi Freedman
  • Date: Sat Nov 04 23:49:48 1995

> One would think there is a nice little business in running exchange
> points around the country.  Get co-lo space on a contract that will
> let you sub-let, put in a nice FDDI Gigaswitch, heavy-duty power
> with generator backup, good remote hands, plenty of DS3 entrance
> facilities (ideally on OC12 or faster sonet for growth!), monitoring
> and statistics gathering facilities, out-of-band management network,
> and a nice NOC somewhere to coordinate with all your customers.
> 
> Put locations in major metro areas and go to town.  You may need
> some up-front cash, but hey, this Internet thing is hot, so you
> can probably find investors (big grin).
> 
> So how much do you have to charge subscribers to make this work?
> 
> 	-mo

(1) Find out whether anyone has a clue about how to add more major 
    exchange points and actually usefully use them in their routing fabric.

But anyway:

I was looking at the Tech Data catalog (we've been very happy with a 
$3k 24-port 3com Etherswitch we got from them).  I found:

Digital GIGAswitch platform with a 2-port FDDI line
card; switches up to 3.6Gbps, forwards at 290kpps per
port, 11 slots, FDDI point to point and ring connections,
future ATM ready......................................... $30,000   $21,784

GIGAswitch 2-port FDDI Line Card, hot swappable.......... $ 9,000   $ 6,525
GIGAswitch 4-port FDDI Line Card, hot swappable.......... $12,500   $ 88085

A backup switching proc. is $15k, a backup 20amp power supply $2k.
Last time I was at MAE-East, I only remember < 20 ports on the Gigaswitch.
And there's no generator @ MAE-East.  And I'm not sure that those batteries
mean diddly.  In Philly, the batteries are for DC only.  @ MFS, we're on
our own for AC backup.

Anyway, with some etherswitches with FDDI uplinks and a GIGAswitch or
two, you're off.  I don't have list prices on the Catalyst series...

Then, as mentioned above, NOC & telco facilities, and you're off.
We're talking with an IXC about taking an OC3 from Pennsauken to
NYC and handing FDDI off for $4k and Ethernets for $2k @ 60 Hudson.
We ourselves don't have an interest in it, but hey...

Of course, an extended NY Nap that hits 60 Hudson, a building in Philly,
and Pennsauken could be interesting...  I don't know how crazy a mac-level
bridged medium like a bridged FDDI in 3 locations many ms apart would
function.  And the technology they're thinking of using doesn't scale well - 
Netedges speaking to each other over OC3s.

But if they can get 4 customers @ $4k per, they'll do it.

Avi