[olug] (OT) - Free/Cheap Temporary Colo-space

[Craig Wolf]

Folks we are onto something worth looking into IMHO.  I am looking at
setting up a small webserver/file server at home with my registered
domain name but I am having to figure out how to "get around" cox's
residential plan/blocking to do it.  I say that our next meeting should
be just this discussion or setting the means to continue down this road.
 How many "members" would be willing to put some money upfront/ongoing
to do this, put forth hardware to get it started, dedicate time to
upkeep, paperwork, expanding it for "non-profit" reasons to meet our
needs, etc?  Who will lead the effort?  This would not be a weekend
event every 6 months, this would be ongoing.  I know that I would be
willing to donate time and some money but I am in that position right
now in my life where as some of our members are not.  (That could change
in the next month with the baby coming but so goes life.)  This
community of "geeks" is good but are we ready to take this next step and
continue down it or are we just happy with no "dues" and going to the
bar once a month??  Something to think about.......  

Craig Wolf
Linux Web Server Support
Desktop/Network Specialist
402-894-6283


>>> Sean Edwards <cybersean3000 at yahoo.com> 3/14/2005 >>>
The idea of a non-profit organization is to spend as
much as you bring in, thus the term non-profit.  The
problem soon becomes "as much as you bring in" part. 
Many businesses and other organizations give to
non-profit groups for the tax deduction, but the
non-profit organization needs to have a goal a little
loftier than "sponsor our electronic playground,
please."  If OLUG is already set up as a  non-profit
organization, there should be a mission statement
and/or a purpose for being in the articles of
incorporation, on file with the State of Nebraska.

Install fest is a good goal, to promote Linux in the
community.  If you look at other similar ideas in the
Linux community, you have Open Source projects, Linux
distributions, Source Forge, and many other entities
operating as non-profits.  There are other companies
which offer OpenSource projects with commercial
support, such as JBOSS and MySQL.  The trick is
finding an angle that attracts interest from the
business community.

Treasurer:
* getting the bills paid ?

Mebership Director:
* collecting "fees" from "customers" (or "dues"
from "members", if you prefer) ?

Secretary, President
(isn't OLUG already set up as a non-profit?)
* putting up with the gov'ment (they can get antsy if
they think we're running a business and aren't paying
our taxes)?

Secretary, President, Treasurer:
(don't forget liability)
* insurance (vandalism, fire, flood, etc) ?

Plenty of volunteers for this:
* sysadmin issues - infrastructure configuration and
maintenance, defining and enforcing an AUP and the
like?

Organize a Data Center exploration committee:
* getting all of the above figured out ?

-=Sean Edwards=-

--- Phil Brutsche <phil at brutsche.us> wrote:
> Jay Swackhamer wrote:
> > If you wanted to have an independant Data
> Center...
> > 
> > The industrial park at 156th & Center would be a
> good location
> > If I remember correctly, you can get bays in the
> size range of
> > 1000 square feet and up for around $800/month, so
> figure on
> > 
> > Space  $800-$1000/month
> > Utils  $300-$500 /month
> > T1/DSL $300-$500/month
> 
> That's on the low side for a T1, and we haven't done
> any research as to
> DSL availability in that area to know if it's
> available.
> 
> Cox Optical Internet may be a better idea
>
(http://www.coxbusiness.com/systems/ne_omaha/coxoptical.asp)
> - last I
> heard they run the fiber line to the premises.
> 
> > Initial Wiring Costs ~$3000(unless someone's an
> electrician)
> > Commitment would probably be a minimum of three
> years.
> 
> And let's not forget other materials - UPSs,
> switches, rackmount gear
> (shelves), etc.  Much of it is cheap enough that
> some people could
> donate hardware, but some of it isn't.
> 
> OK, just for the sake of argument, let's say we did
> it (rented a bay in
> an industrial park and set up a low-budget data
> center).
> 
> Who's going to be the point man (people?) for:
>  * getting the bills paid ?
>  * collecting "fees" from "customers" (or "dues"
> from "members", if you
>    prefer) ?
>  * putting up with the gov'ment (they can get antsy
> if they think we're
>    running a business and aren't paying our taxes) ?
>  * insurance (vandalism, fire, flood, etc) ?
>  * sysadmin issues - infrastructure configuration
> and maintenance,
>    defining and enforcing an AUP and the like ?
>  * getting all of the above figured out ?
> 
> Is it worth it to start a non-profit organization of
> some kind (note the
> question above about the government)?
> 
> Assuming a worst case of $2000/mo in expenses we
> would need several
> dozen "members" @ $50/mo - how much are people on
> this list willing to pay?
> 
> Assuming that we'll need more "members" than the
> list can provide, can
> we find enough people to be "members" to make it
> work - alternate
> hosting methods to help take up the slack, perhaps?
> 
> Are there cheaper alternatives, such as renting a
> cage at one of the
> already established colocation facilities (ie IP
> Revolution or First
> National)?
> 
> And no, I am *not* volunteering to do anything right
> now, I'm just
> trying to stimulate some discussion.
> 
> -- 
> 
> Phil Brutsche
> phil at brutsche.us 
> _______________________________________________
> OLUG mailing list
> OLUG at olug.org 
> http://lists.olug.org/mailman/listinfo/olug 
> 


		
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