Re: Repository services and budget

[thomst@netcom.com (Thom Stark)]

As regards the budget for the central registry, I think it's extremely
important to separate *startup* costs (i.e.--one-time, non-recurring
items) from *operations* costs (i.e.--annual, recurring expenditures).

I also think the same dichotomy needs to apply to any revived discussion
of the budget for review of registrar applications.

Why?

Because, regardless of the initial source of the startup funds, any cost
recovery via fee-for-service for *startup* costs, in order to be fairly
allocated, needs to be amortized over the service lifetime of the line
items and fees to recover those costs should be borne by *all* the new
registrants who join the registry over the course of the service life of
the startup line items.

In other words, everybody who joins the registry should wind up paying
his/her/their fair share of the cost of starting the thing, based on
how much useful life remains in the equipment before it gets worn out
and must be replaced.  This avoids the fundamental unfairness of making
the intial group of registrars bear the entire cost of starting the
system up, while giving a free ride to latecomers.

Again, and for the exact same reasons, I think this also ought to apply 
to the funding scheme for the registrar application review mechanism, as 
well.

Meanwhile, the cost of current-year *operations* ought also to be borne
by the parties who most directly benefit from them.  In the case of the
central registry, that's the existing registrars (beginning with the
intial set).  In the case of the registrar application review entity,
that's the applicants for new registrar status.

The problem I have with Dave Crocker's example budget is that it fails
to draw this distinction.  Instead, startup costs (database servers,
workstations, desks, etc.) are lumped in with operations costs (rent,
connectivity, salaries, telephone, etc.).

In terms of Dave's line-item cost estimates, I think $10K per database
server is not unreasonable.  The present-day cost of generic 72-pin EDO
SIMMs is ~$5.00 per megabyte, U.S.  I make 256 MB out to be $1280.00.
SCSI drives are running in the neighborhood of $0.25 per megabyte.  A
mirrored 4GB, 7200rpm SCSI subsystem, with PCI controller, is right
around $2000.

Unless you're buying Compaq ProSignias or SGI boxes, the stuff just
isn't that expensive and the price trend is steeply downward.

Of course, all the RISC fanciers will now throw rocks at me for my 
plebian PC bias.. ;->

However, surplus DEC and NEC Alpha boxes are dirt cheap right now.
Onsale.com has been auctioning stripped boxes (processer, power supply,
box and floppy) for an average of $400-$600 just in the past 2 weeks.

In my opinion, the major startup cost for the central registry will be
in database programming.  Most of the rest of the costs can be fairly
easily whittled down by soliciting donations and grants.  I suspect
that almost any one of the big ISPs would be happy to donate 
connectivity, and there's really *no* reason why the registry staff
has to physically be located in the same building as the servers, which
allows the staff offices to be located in less-expensive surroundings.

Of course, your mileage may vary, objects in mirror are closer than 
they appear and contents are packed by weight, not volume..

Regards,

Thom Stark

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