5 ms·

Its the storage disks the government need, not the rest of the server hardware, if they cant come up with an agreement then shutdown all the servers, take out t

by bshep 15y ago

Its the storage disks the government need, not the rest of the server hardware, if they cant come up with an agreement then shutdown all the servers, take out the disks, catalog, and put in a warehouse somewhere. They are now free to re-use the rest of the server for something else. That would satisfy the needs of the government if they need access to the data, preserve it if in the future people are allowed to download it, and prevent the MPAA from complaining that it was given back to Megaupload. I'm sure the cost of storage would not be minimal, but they could still use the rest of the hardware and not have to keep the servers powered up. Possible problems: - Maybe the servers cant be shutdown and brought back up without certain passwords or encryption keys - Labor cost of shutting down and catalogging all those disks ( if done progressively would probably work ) - Others?

sukuriant 15y ago
Some people have legitimate files on MegaUpload. They can no longer access them. Should they be able to get those files back somehow?
- bshep 15y ago
  People with legitimate file can't access them now anyway, this would not change that. I'm just proposing a way out for Carpathia while the case is decided in court.
  - sukuriant 15y ago
    Correct, but perhaps after this ends, MegaUpload could return the legitimate files. I don't expect the government to do the same. And I very, very much do not expect the MPAA to do the same.
jlawer 15y ago
You want to pull 1,103 server's disks? The compatibility problems you have trying to get data off a disks in a hardware raid make it impractical (do you have the EXACT SAME version hardware revision & firmware; without this you can't guarantee you can read it back)? Its either that or you have to pay data recovery guys to rebuild it. Not to mention hard drive costs are still high, post thai floods. For enterprise gear we are getting most quotes ~ $300 AUD a disk, for consumer gear its ~ $130. Most servers are running at least 2 disks... that $286K worth of disks alone if your talking cheap - low capacity disks, not including labour to change the disks and test the hardware before you deploy a workload to it.
- bshep 15y ago
  Well as I said the could do it piecemeal (10 servers at a time or what have you) and it would require that the data (harware/versions/etc) for the source machine be archived with the disks. (good cataloguing) Also $286K / $9k / day ~= 32 days, so in 32 days it costs them more to keep it all running that simply replace the disks. Not to mention they could now lease those servers to another client and make money off of them.
  - jlawer 15y ago
    Yeah, I think you would also consider that with a fairly standard equipment lifecycle program you would have 1/3rd to 1/4 of the equipment up for renewal in the next 12 months. Maybe you bring that renewal forward... and maybe you spec some nicer hardware (new Xeon E-5, etc) and are able to get a better consolidation happening so you don't replace everything. I just wonder if they would be in a better financial position declaring it a loss and claiming the tax break / insurance then actually doing the work? As long as they can support the hit to the cashflow, they are likely to be able to claim the damages back from either one of the parties of the case once its decided and / or insurance.
- Karunamon 15y ago
  >The compatibility problems you have trying to get data off a disks in a hardware raid make it impractical (do you have the EXACT SAME version hardware revision & firmware; without this you can't guarantee you can read it back)? Its either that or you have to pay data recovery guys to rebuild it. Forgive me for for sounding like a member of Anonymous but.. So? That's the government's problem. I don't see why a private company should be in any position where they're required (at wallet or gun point) to help in an investigation at their own expense. Pull the drives, warehouse them, and let the FBI do what they have to do. They have IT to rebuild the RAIDs.
  - lotu 15y ago
    Carpathia wants to be paid $9000 a day like they were before the Megaupload case started and pulling the drives and telling the FBI that it's their problem doesn't do that.

by bshep 15y ago

sukuriant 15y ago

Some people have legitimate files on MegaUpload. They can no longer access them. Should they be able to get those files back somehow?

bshep 15y ago
People with legitimate file can't access them now anyway, this would not change that. I'm just proposing a way out for Carpathia while the case is decided in court.
- sukuriant 15y ago
  Correct, but perhaps after this ends, MegaUpload could return the legitimate files. I don't expect the government to do the same. And I very, very much do not expect the MPAA to do the same.

jlawer 15y ago

You want to pull 1,103 server's disks? The compatibility problems you have trying to get data off a disks in a hardware raid make it impractical (do you have the EXACT SAME version hardware revision & firmware; without this you can't guarantee you can read it back)? Its either that or you have to pay data recovery guys to rebuild it. Not to mention hard drive costs are still high, post thai floods. For enterprise gear we are getting most quotes ~ $300 AUD a disk, for consumer gear its ~ $130. Most servers are running at least 2 disks... that $286K worth of disks alone if your talking cheap - low capacity disks, not including labour to change the disks and test the hardware before you deploy a workload to it.

bshep 15y ago
Well as I said the could do it piecemeal (10 servers at a time or what have you) and it would require that the data (harware/versions/etc) for the source machine be archived with the disks. (good cataloguing) Also $286K / $9k / day ~= 32 days, so in 32 days it costs them more to keep it all running that simply replace the disks. Not to mention they could now lease those servers to another client and make money off of them.
- jlawer 15y ago
  Yeah, I think you would also consider that with a fairly standard equipment lifecycle program you would have 1/3rd to 1/4 of the equipment up for renewal in the next 12 months. Maybe you bring that renewal forward... and maybe you spec some nicer hardware (new Xeon E-5, etc) and are able to get a better consolidation happening so you don't replace everything. I just wonder if they would be in a better financial position declaring it a loss and claiming the tax break / insurance then actually doing the work? As long as they can support the hit to the cashflow, they are likely to be able to claim the damages back from either one of the parties of the case once its decided and / or insurance.
Karunamon 15y ago
>The compatibility problems you have trying to get data off a disks in a hardware raid make it impractical (do you have the EXACT SAME version hardware revision & firmware; without this you can't guarantee you can read it back)? Its either that or you have to pay data recovery guys to rebuild it. Forgive me for for sounding like a member of Anonymous but.. So? That's the government's problem. I don't see why a private company should be in any position where they're required (at wallet or gun point) to help in an investigation at their own expense. Pull the drives, warehouse them, and let the FBI do what they have to do. They have IT to rebuild the RAIDs.
- lotu 15y ago
  Carpathia wants to be paid $9000 a day like they were before the Megaupload case started and pulling the drives and telling the FBI that it's their problem doesn't do that.