[olug-colo] Colo - Virtual requirements

[Dan Clough]

Anthony,

I run a small website, database server and mailserver for my own personal
use.  I'm currently colocating my 1U server in Kansas City at $50/month.
The package I'm currently on is what I consider to be optimal for my needs.

1-4U Rackspace
1 Ethernet drop, additional ports $5/port/mo
1.5TB transfer on a 100Mbps port
/29 IP assignment
$50/mo

I'll admit having a server 4 hours away as opposed to just 1 hour is a bit
of an inconvenience, and I don't like having to rely on remote hands to do
the work for me.  This is why having a datacenter close to home is a
definite plus for me, and in addition having 24/7 physical access to my
server would be an even bigger plus.

I would suggest that you look at the services provided in Kansas City to get
an idea of what CoSentry should be offering, and maybe even base your
starting price around what you'll find there.  I may not tolerate a 4 hour
drive, but I know there are people who will just to save a few bucks.  From
my previous experiences with CoSentry I know it's not budget service, but I
believe if you're looking for a one-size-fits-most solution, you should aim
for $50-70/month.  Even if that means you have to create a separate BGP mix
of "cheap" providers (quite a broad term, I know), it would help to attract
customers like me.

Some providers to pay attention to/mimic:
http://www.wholesaleinternet.com
http://www.joesdatacenter.com

In the VPS/cloud ecosystem, you should be looking at companies like VPS.net,
Rackspace Cloud, Slicehost, and so on.  In the VPS realm it might be a bit
harder to compete because there's practically no switching cost compared to
a traditional colo client.  Churn rates tend to be very high in the VPS
market.

Thanks for the heads-up on the new prospective business ventures.  I'll be
watching CoSentry with great interest.

Dan


On Mon, Jun 21, 2010 at 10:57 AM, Luke-Jr <luke at dashjr.org> wrote:

> On Monday 21 June 2010 10:07:41 am Anthony Johnson wrote:
> > My name is Anthony Johnson, and I am a Solutions Consultant with
> CoSentry.
> >  We have several datacenter facilities in Omaha, as well as Kansas City
> and
> >  Sioux Falls, and we are looking for a way to accommodate folks with a
> 1-4
> >  U requirement (as well as virtual/cloud services), along with the need
> for
> >  internet bandwidth.  I'd be interested in getting some input from some
> of
> >  you so that we can design a service that fit's the largest possible
> >  audience.  Please let me know what an "optimum" service would look like
> to
> >  you.
>
> I specialise in services with geographical diversity. Currently, I have two
> servers in the US, and VPS in Europe and Australia.
>
> My main server is a Core2Quad Q6600 with 8 GB RAM that I pay $65/mo for.
> My other US server is a 3 GHz Pentium 4 with 1 GB RAM which costs $30/mo.
> Both VPS run me under $10/mo.
> All these have 100 mbit ports, on shared (as opposed to dedicated)
> bandwidth.
>
> The main reason I rent dedicated servers rather than buying one and
> colocating
> it is that the colo costs often turn out higher even ignoring the up-front
> expense of buying a server to colocate. Therefore, an optimum service to me
> would need to be reasonably low for mere colocation (maybe $10-$15/mo at
> most), or a competitive price which includes a dedicated server rental.
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