[c-nsp] Placing a server in a PoP

[Justin M. Streiner]

On Tue, 4 Oct 2005, Kim Onnel wrote:

> We're a considerablly big ISP, a customer asked us today to host a server
> for him in the same LAN as our sole internet gateway, i need peoples
> opinions about how this should be done right,

If you have a data center or other space normally used for customer 
colocation, what is the feasibility of putting the Internet cafe scratch 
cards and his server in a separate VLAN, then extending that VLAN to your 
data center?

I'd push strongly against putting customer-owned gear in your POP, 
if you don't already do it for anyone else.  If you do, I'd hope your 
infrastructure racks/cabinets are physically separated from the customer 
colocation spaces.

1) It sets a bad precedent if this is the first case.  Sooner or later, 
someone else will request the same service, knowing you did it for XYZ, 
even if that was a "totally off the map, one-time deal" :-)
2) Access.  I'm assuming your POP is located in some type of secured 
space.  If your customer puts their own server in your POP, then you 
either need to arrange for them to access your POP, or clearly spell out a 
policy with your customer stating "If this breaks, physical access to the 
machine is done on an escort-only, best effort basis"

jms