Serial line fbsd installation with no CD

[Bill Vermillion]

While Jez Hancock was trying to figure out why data written to 
/dev/null on Mon, Apr 14, 2003 at 16:52  was not readable, 
he gave up and decided to grace us with this:

> 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).

Hm.  We're small - but dedicated - and we both worked in highly
time sensitive businesses - the broadcast industry - so we know the
value of down time.

However even though we are small we have rack-space in the Level3
facility in Orlando.  We got it when it first came up and before
they put the current minimum useage in place.  Our customers - few
as they are - love us.

> 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.

And could you give an example of what those costs are?  I'm curious
as to the rates around the world.

> > 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.

It's a communications facility and now that the bloom is off the
dot.com boom of a few years ago so much they sell is dark fibre.
I asked a tech installing equipment in a cage behind our rack how
much it was worth.  Her comment was "I'm not sure but the one
almost like it in Miami cost $14,000,000"  OC192 equipment is not
cheap.  The backup generator is a 1,250,000W monster behind the
building - with a 6000 gallon tank of diesel fuei.  I've seen many
colos but never one like L3.

One client who hosts exclusively on Macs but a new Xrack in last
week to augment his other server.

> 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 :)

Usually follows by about 3-4 weeks judging from the past.

Bill
-- 
Bill Vermillion - bv @ wjv . com