>I realize that the phone world that MFS is part of operates
>differently, but this is networking equipment we are talking about,
>not phone switches, and UPSes are very old tech at this point.
>
>In other words, its silly for them not to have UPSed AC available.
I know I'm going to regret stating what I thought was obvious, but
when has that ever stopped me.
When ordering and installing equipment you need to be aware of
the environment you are placing the equipment. When installing
equipment in a normal office, use standard 120 AC powered boxes
because thats the power source you find in a normal office. When
installing equipment in large data centers, the best power comes
from three-phase 208-volt outlets with strange plugs. Order
the right equipment for the job, or you might get stuck trying to
fit a square plug in a round hole. When installing equipment in
a telco facility the best power comes from -48 volt DC power
sources. Once again, ordering the right equipment for the
environment it will be housed will avoid many problems later.
Its true telcos don't have much experience running data centers for
customers, formally known as timesharing, now known as co-locating.
But the folks who do, EDS, IBM, Digital, etc, sense the gap in the
market and are moving quickly to fill it. Maybe the trend will reverse
and telcos will start co-locating at data centers instead of data
centers co-locating at central offices.
Operationally, "web hosting" isn't that much different from the
timesharing services of twenty years ago. The question for network
operators is who do you think will have an easier time. The billion
dollar computer companies bringing data centers up to central office
communications standards. Or the billion dollar telephone companies
bringing central offices up to data center standards. If you think
you know the answer, place your bets, err, I mean orders.
--
Sean Donelan, Data Research Associates, Inc, St. Louis, MO
Affiliation given for identification not representation
