Subject: Example RFI for colo provider selection Date: Mon, Aug 09, 2010 at 08:48:15PM -0400 Quoting Jason Lixfeld (jason@lixfeld.ca):
I'm researching a list of some colocation providers I have here to find the most suitable one to provide services for a project I'm working on. My thought is to send out an informal RFI, which I believe is something others may have done too. If anyone is able to share, I'd be interested in having a peek at some of these colo-centric RFIs to understand what questions others have asked in the past, as it may help me come up with some questions that I may not have thought of myself.
* Most overlooked: Does the backup power system cope with the cooling power requirements? * Several fiber providers connecting the facility, or one heavily multi-pathed. * If you intend to buy transit, number of (and perhaps prefered) transit providers. * If you intend to make your own IP-infrastructure, which transmission providers are present? * Space to grow, price. (ie. where do I leave the underpriced introductory offer and go into more expensive list-price setups) * Power, as previously mentioned. Three-phase is IMNSHO a must. But, then, I'm from Yoorp. In power, several subtopics: - Dual circuits, independently UPS-backed. - Generator backup. - Frequency of full-scale and load tests of power backup systems. Anything less than load test several times per year and at least one full-scale axe-in-mains-feeder -type test per year means that the "Diesel promise" is a lie. - They should have monitoring and trend watching systems set up to stop accepting new customers once any UPS is at 50% of rated load (What happens when one UPS side commits seppuku and fails to bypass?) - Power protection systems, for overvoltage, spikes, thunderstorms, etc. More could be added and has been. My 0,05 €, this. -- Måns Nilsson primary/secondary/besserwisser/machina MN-1334-RIPE +46 705 989668 I want a VEGETARIAN BURRITO to go ... with EXTRA MSG!!