[AusNOG] Experience with Global Switch, Sydney?

[Matthew Palmer]

On Mon, Oct 22, 2012 at 01:43:30AM +1100, Emily Ozols wrote:
> We'll recently the company I work for has been looking at expanding our
> network to Sydney and we're currently looking at getting a rack with Global
> Switch.
> Does anyone have any experience with them? Are they any decent, if they're
> crap what's a good alternative? I've been looking around for a bit and
> Global Switch seems to impress me the most.

We've got 50 or so racks with GS.

* You can't "get a rack with Global Switch".  They deal in suites of racks
  only.  Plenty of people do by-the-rack colo within GS, but costs, T&Cs,
  quality of service varies considerably.  Do your homework.

* Dealing with GS directly can be painful.  They're a big organisation, and
  it shows.  I'll just leave it at that.

* Working through a colo provider buffers you from much of GS directly, but
  it also means that if one of their rules impacts you, you've got even less
  sway than usual in fixing the problem.  So choose your colo provider
  carefully.

* The facilities are at the utilitarian end of acceptable.  You get power,
  you get aircon, you (might) get locks on your cage door.  Everything else
  (network, racks, tools, cables, KVMs, etc) is your problem (or that of
  your colo provider).  Carefully examine what your colo provider promises
  to give you (in writing), and budget for *everything* else.

* The infrastructure is acceptably reliable.  The only time there's been a
  hiccup while we've been there was when GS lost one of their power feeds;
  the only things of ours adversely impacted were some legacy gear that
  wasn't redundantly powered.

In summary: they're a good deal for the price, but don't expect *any*
frills.

- Matt

-- 
I still can't see a wasp without thinking "400K 1W"
		-- Derek Potter, uk.misc