Serial line fbsd installation with no CD

[Jez Hancock]

Hi again Bill,

On Sat, Apr 12, 2003 at 02:47:39PM -0400, Bill Vermillion wrote:
> > The problem was with ipfw2 and in general it's just the fact
> > this is currently not a production server and we'd rather have
> > a fresh install of 4.8 (the NOC currently installs 4.6.2 for
> > some reason and it might become the case that they'll start
> > installing 4.8 by default when they answer us - negating the
> > need for a solution to the subject question:).
> 
> Ah - so it's a company that does more than just put the server in
> place and does install too.  I'm not used to that as about the only
> help I'd get in the colo is a 'helping hands' if needed - but I'm
> only 1/2 hour away.   It's basically a top-tier tranport provider
> who provides facilities for anyting you'd want - but is not 
> a colo of the 'we provide everything you need'.
> 
> We have our own racks and do all our own work - the only thing the
> NOC does is give us connectivity.  Different perception on my part.
> 
> If I have a problem one of us [small company] goes and changes the
> machines ourselves, or accompanies one our clients while they
> change their own machine.  Security is strict so we have to arrange
> for anyone else to get into the building.
To be honest I feel that this is synonymous to the setup of our NOC.
I'm actually only a 'coadmin' - in the sense that I do not talk
to the network op centre, my 'admin' 'boss' does (lots of 's).

It's incredibly frustrating that the cost of colocation in the UK
(where I am) and in AUS (where my friend is) is so high and as
such we have to colocate in US where bandwidth is much more reasonably
priced.

> > My plan was to install a stock 4.8 system and immediately cvsup
> > to STABLE. Perhaps as you mention it would be better to stay
> > with 4.7-RELEASE until 4.8 is out of it's infancy.
> 
> I run stable on my personal machine and a backup machine but never
> going beyond a patch-level release for production units.
Yes this tip is appreciated and as such we will probably track 
4.7-RELEASE on the production and 4.8-STABLE on the dev servers.

> > Hopefully the NOC support will get moving on providing at least a 4.7
> > CD for installation.
> 
> With our totally local appoach we've pullled a couple of systems
> from 'national' providers who just didn't understand small custom
> individual attention.  I think we might actually qualify as one
> of the smallest ISPs in existance :-)  We're small but we've seen
> others in the same facility disappear. 
:)
 
> But having machine with connections not less that 100Mbs running
> for a few hundred feet before it gets onto a global 10Gbs backbone
> does have it's advantages.
Yikes that's some pipe.


Still waiting for news on the availability of 4.7-RELEASE CDs in the 
NOC, I can well see me mailing a disk off to them :)

Thanks again,
Jez