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