[kictanet] [KICTAnet] TEAMS | EASSY Fiber Cables Cut? SEACOM | LION?

Mon Mar 5 09:49:12 EAT 2012

For Kenya, isn't lack of power for data centers an imaginary issue ?

On 3/5/12, Norman Boinett <nboinett at gmail.com> wrote:
> Now that we have sufficient geothermal potential, we should encourage
> investment in geothermal powered and cooled data centers. Geothermal
> sources can have a dual benefit of providing guaranteed power and cooling.
> Long term pricing agreements may be arranged with investors. this already
> being discussed and implemented  in Iceland and in New Zealand.
>
> http://thinkgeoenergy.com/archives/8319
>
> http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2009/08/13/geothermal-data-center-is-leed-platinum/
>
>
> On Sat, Mar 3, 2012 at 9:43 AM, robert yawe <robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> Longwe,
>>
>> The world is going green, even IBM have realised that the best way to
>> penetrate the developing country markets is to resolve the frequently
>> quoted bottleneck reliable power supply.
>>
>> http://www.aiso.net/news-coverage.html?id=58
>>
>>
>> http://www.networkworld.com/community/blog/ibm-illuminates-solar-power-system-aimed-data
>>
>>
>>
>> http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/intelligent-energy/apple-reveals-details-on-solar-powered-data-center/13294
>>
>>
>>
>> http://www.care2.com/causes/microsoft-files-patent-for-wind-powered-data-center.html
>>
>>
>> Assuming you have read the articles I have shared you then realise that
>> for us to attract the Microsofts, Googles, IBMs, Facebooks and others to
>> setup locally what we need to concentrate on is not the size of the data
>> centres we can built but the level of green (refer to Peter Marangi for
>> elaboration) we can provide or even go truly Savannah with a concept like
>> "compute with the big 5" and place the data centre in the middle of Tsavo.
>>
>> Regards
>>
>> PS. Safaricom is also implementing solar as an alternative power supply
>> for remote base stations.
>>
>> "Was there life before Google?"
>>
>> Robert Yawe
>> KAY System Technologies Ltd
>> Phoenix House, 6th Floor
>> P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
>> Kenya
>>
>> Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696
>>   ------------------------------
>> *From:* Brian Munyao Longwe <blongwe at gmail.com>
>> *To:* robert yawe <robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk>
>> *Cc:* KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
>> *Sent:* Wednesday, 29 February 2012, 10:38
>>
>> *Subject:* Re: [kictanet] [KICTAnet] TEAMS | EASSY Fiber Cables Cut?
>> SEACOM | LION?
>>
>> I don't like talking to myself because most of the time people make
>> wrong judgements about me ;) but I have to say this...
>>
>> It is interesting to note that the US Govt has a Federal Energy
>> Management Program that among other things maps out data center energy
>> requirements
>> http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/program/dc_energy_consumption.html
>> and (presumably) plans suitable interventions in collaboration with
>> industry according to the projected requirements.
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Brian
>>
>> On Wed, Feb 29, 2012 at 9:56 AM, Brian Munyao Longwe <blongwe at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>> > Dear Robert,
>> >
>> > Like it or not Nicholas' point is fundamentally true.
>> >
>> > Let's go back to Internet 101: You either have eyeballs or you have
>> > content. If you have content, the eyeballs will need to get to you so
>> > you need to sit your content somewhere accessible, affordable and
>> > secure. If you have eyeballs you need to provide them with a means to
>> > get to the content or else they will go to someone else who can.
>> >
>> > The problem with Kenya is not just that our energy is expensive. The
>> > biggest problem is that it simply is not enough. Ask Dr. Ndemo or Paul
>> > Kukubo what one of the leading questions any content owner asks when
>> > they come visiting to find out what all the buzz is about Kenya and
>> > whether they should consider putting up here? Yes, you got it - "can
>> > you meet our energy needs?" Without a fail in every case the answer is
>> > "no".
>> >
>> > This is an issue that needs to be considered very carefully if we
>> > intend to be a serious contender on the global scene.
>> >
>> > Tried to find online stats about the average energy usage of a Google
>> > data centet but apparently these are well kept secrets. But I remember
>> > hearing sometime back that a single Google data center uses more
>> > energy than the city of Nairobi(sic).
>> >
>> > Regards,
>> >
>> > Brian
>> >
>> >
>> > On Wed, Feb 29, 2012 at 8:33 AM, robert yawe <robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk>
>> wrote:
>> >> Hi Nicholas,
>> >>
>> >> I strongly disagree with you on the issue of developing local hosting
>> >> capacity, the only way we can reduce our reliance on the marine cable
>> and
>> >> also to give the rest of the world reason to keep us lit is if we have
>> >> content to offer.
>> >>
>> >> Eugene makes a valid point in saying that we are spending hundreds of
>> >> millions to make round trips on the internet it is essential that we
>> carry
>> >> out a true cost of connectivity analysis after which I will assure you
>> that
>> >> we shall still be better off setting up local data centres even with
>> >> the
>> >> high electricity costs.
>> >>
>> >> The world also needs to look for disaster recovery locations in safe
>> >> heavens, Egypt might have lower energy costs but as it seems now its
>> status
>> >> as a safe destination has become questionable what is the worlds
>> alternative
>> >> if not Kenya with or without its high energy costs?
>> >>
>> >> Until recently I wore shoes made by Bata, recently I visited one of
>> their
>> >> shops to pick a new pair just to realise that it was made in China
>> >> after
>> >> which my loyalty weaned and now I will look at other stores that do not
>> have
>> >> local manufacturing capacity.
>> >>
>> >> Safaricom might enjoy the lower costs of hosting MPesa in Germany but
>> when
>> >> they are forced to route their traffic over expensive satellite
>> connections
>> >> suddenly the savings do not seem has lucrative.
>> >>
>> >> Regards
>> >>
>> >> Build local, use local, grow local and be local
>> >>
>> >> Robert Yawe
>> >> KAY System Technologies Ltd
>> >> Phoenix House, 6th Floor
>> >> P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
>> >> Kenya
>> >>
>> >> Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696
>> >>
>> >> ----- Original Message -----
>> >> From: Nicholas J Dear <ndear at sundayafternoon.me.uk>
>> >> To: robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk
>> >> Cc: 'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions' <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
>> >> Sent: Tuesday, 28 February 2012, 17:07
>> >> Subject: Re: [kictanet] [KICTAnet] TEAMS | EASSY Fiber Cables Cut?
>> SEACOM |
>> >> LION?
>> >>
>> >> This only makes sense if it makes sense to build data
>> >> centres in Kenya - I don't believe it does.
>> >>
>> >> If you look at all the recent major data centre build outs
>> >> (Apple, Google) - they're either happening where there is
>> >> enormous amounts of cheap energy, or where it's extremely
>> >> cold. Kenya doesn't have either of these features and I
>> >> can't see how it's going to generate large quantities of
>> >> cheap energy any time soon.
>> >>
>> >> N.
>> >>
>> >>> -----Original Message-----
>> >>> From: kictanet-
>> >>> bounces+ndear=sundayafternoon.me.uk at lists.kictanet.or.k
>> >>> e [mailto:kictanet-
>> >>> bounces+ndear=sundayafternoon.me.uk at lists.kictanet.or.k
>> >>> e] On Behalf Of Eugene Lidede (Synergy)
>> >>> Sent: 28 February 2012 16:55
>> >>> To: Nicholas J Dear
>> >>> Cc: 'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions'
>> >>> Subject: Re: [kictanet] [KICTAnet] TEAMS | EASSY Fiber
>> >>> Cables Cut? SEACOM | LION?
>> >>> Importance: High
>> >>>
>> >>> +1 Michuki on your good points
>> >>>
>> >>> > 1. Today we import more than 80% of the Internet
>> >>> traffic consumed in
>> >>> > Kenya causing an "Internet Transit Deficit" where
>> >>> significantly less
>> >>> > Internet traffic is generated locally than accessed
>> >>> from overseas,
>> >>> > similar to what was experienced between Europe and
>> >>> the US during the
>> >>> > late 1990's.
>> >>>
>> >>> However, what constitutes this traffic? Is it local
>> >>> content held abroad or
>> >>> is it genuinely content that cannot otherwise be
>> >>> obtained/generated locally.
>> >>> If it is local content held abroad, of which I am
>> >>> convinced it is, what is
>> >>> the best solution pre-2030: more fiber - both under sea
>> >>> and terrestrial,
>> >>> more redundant landing stations, better behaved
>> >>> shipping lines or more
>> >>> capacity and enabling environment for local hosting and
>> >>> local content
>> >>> providers?
>> >>>
>> >>> Considering a typical case where my suppliers are in
>> >>> Kenya, my means of
>> >>> production is in Kenya, my clients are in Kenya with an
>> >>> occasionally client
>> >>> or two from abroad. If I had an extra shilling to spend
>> >>> on my business, what
>> >>> would make more sense, reengineer my offering to
>> >>> attract more international
>> >>> clients or strengthen my local offering?
>> >>>
>> >>> How is it that we are comfortable with our top publicly
>> >>> listed telco,
>> >>> Safaricom delivering traffic to our top publicly listed
>> >>> media house in the
>> >>> UK? What ought to be the focus of our policy makers,
>> >>> regulators and
>> >>> licensors: facilitating scenarios as these or
>> >>> formulating ways to reverse
>> >>> such? Are there any benefits of such traffic
>> >>> transactions happening here in
>> >>> Kenya say at KIXP? How much would it cost say Safaricom
>> >>> to host say NMG's
>> >>> suite of websites, even if free of charge, verses how
>> >>> much does it cost them
>> >>> in terms of procured capacity, to deliver NMG bound
>> >>> traffic to the UK? Are
>> >>> there any short/long term benefits? Can both firms and
>> >>> others be given tax
>> >>> incentives to facilitate the above as opposed draining
>> >>> money on software
>> >>> certifications, a duplication of what more tax-payer
>> >>> money is already
>> >>> successfully doing at public universities?
>> >>>
>> >>> --
>> >>>
>> >>> Growing up in the seventies and eighties was
>> >>> interesting... Across all homes
>> >>> I knew, my friends, my cousins and even the one I grew
>> >>> up in, the best of
>> >>> everything was not for regular use by the "locals". The
>> >>> best cutlery, the
>> >>> best linen, we even had a term "Sunday Best" to
>> >>> describe that one Kaunda
>> >>> suit that could only be worn on Sundays. Chicken was
>> >>> only to be served when
>> >>> there were visitors (read "foreigners").  Back then,
>> >>> things were done more
>> >>> for the benefit of "foreigners" than for the benefit of
>> >>> "locals" - or how do
>> >>> you explain those grandiose wooden chests in the living
>> >>> room with all manner
>> >>> of expensive cutlery on display while "locals" made do
>> >>> with plastic cups and
>> >>> recycled blue-band tins.
>> >>>
>> >>> Fast forward 30 years, and yes only time has "changed".
>> >>> We the lads and
>> >>> lasses growing up in the seventies and eighties are now
>> >>> in our  30s, 40s and
>> >>> 50s and yes, we are policy makers but as you know old
>> >>> habits die hard and so
>> >>> do bad ones. Our preoccupation is on how to better
>> >>> facilitate delivery of
>> >>> traffic abroad for what has been generated locally and
>> >>> is to be consumed
>> >>> within our borders. This we see as good practice: pay
>> >>> for export of our
>> >>> locally produced content and pay some more for its
>> >>> delivery back home
>> >>> unmodified for consumption. We see no problem giving a
>> >>> foreign company most
>> >>> of our government data via opendata because they are
>> >>> more competent than
>> >>> locals in deciphering and analyzing the data on and
>> >>> about the locals
>> >>>
>> >>> Why are we so preoccupied with the international market
>> >>> as though there are
>> >>> no business opportunities for locals?
>> >>>
>> >>> If indeed ICT and ecommerce is the next economic
>> >>> frontier, "naomba
>> >>> sirkal"... Nkt!
>> >>>
>> >>> Regards
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> -----Original Message-----
>> >>> From: kictanet-
>> >>> bounces+eugene=synergy.co.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke
>> >>> [mailto:kictanet-
>> >>> bounces+eugene=synergy.co.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On
>> >>> Behalf Of Michuki Mwangi
>> >>> Sent: Tuesday, February 28, 2012 12:10 PM
>> >>> To: Eugene Lidede
>> >>> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
>> >>> Subject: Re: [kictanet] TEAMS | EASSY Fibre Cables Cut?
>> >>> SEACOM | LION?
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> On 2/28/12 9:06 AM, James Mbugua wrote:
>> >>> > Brian
>> >>> >
>> >>> > TEAMS general manager Joel Tanui said it will take
>> >>> three weeks
>> >>> > although that may be to avoid over promising.
>> >>> >
>> >>> > I'm told Eassy also has a cut near Djibouti and is
>> >>> currently being
>> >>> repaired.
>> >>> >
>> >>> > Operators now have no option but to switch to the
>> >>> very expensive
>> >>> > Seacom. By some accounts it is three times as
>> >>> expensive as TEAMS.
>> >>> >
>> >>> > Safaricom which carries 80 per cent of Kenya's
>> >>> internet traffic
>> >>> > usually has 50 per cent going through TEAMS and has
>> >>> switched this to
>> >>> > Seacom.
>> >>> >
>> >>>
>> >>> IMHO we need to have a clearer understanding of the
>> >>> bigger picture to
>> >>> set the long term goals and objectives.
>> >>>
>> >>> 1. Today we import more than 80% of the Internet
>> >>> traffic consumed in
>> >>> Kenya causing an "Internet Transit Deficit" where
>> >>> significantly less
>> >>> Internet traffic is generated locally than accessed
>> >>> from overseas,
>> >>> similar to what was experienced between Europe and the
>> >>> US during the
>> >>> late 1990's.
>> >>>
>> >>> 2. We are dependent on a single East-Bound path from
>> >>> "Nairobi - Mombasa
>> >>> - (Mumbai/Fujaira) before going to Europe. This is
>> >>> despite the fact that
>> >>> we have terrestrial capacity from Cape Town to Cairo to
>> >>> provide an
>> >>> North-bound path that would complement the longer path.
>> >>>
>> >>> 3. The BBC article did not mention that, with the
>> >>> Submarine cable cuts
>> >>> the Internet traffic between the East African Countries
>> >>> Kenya, Tanzania,
>> >>> Uganda, Rwanda are most adversely affected. My current
>> >>> tests are showing
>> >>> over 1sec latency from Nairobi to some networks in
>> >>> Tanzania, Rwanda and
>> >>> Uganda. This is despite the reality that Uganda and
>> >>> Rwanda are largely
>> >>> dependent on the terrestrial cables passing through
>> >>> Kenya onto the cables.
>> >>>
>> >>> 4. South bound Internet traffic (to Southern Africa)
>> >>> has acquires
>> >>> satellite like latencies (higher than 500ms). As a
>> >>> result of the cable
>> >>> cuts. There's more than sufficient capacity
>> >>> terrestrially but we still
>> >>> have to go to Europe before going back South.
>> >>>
>> >>> If we can work towards resolving the above issues with
>> >>> concrete plans
>> >>> and solutions. It's likely that such cable cuts in the
>> >>> future will not
>> >>> cause the level of attention and anxiety that we see
>> >>> are experiencing today.
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> My 2 cents.
>> >>>
>> >>> Regards,
>> >>>
>> >>> Michuki.
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> _______________________________________________
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>> >>> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
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>> >>>
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>> >>> gene%40synergy.co.ke
>> >>>
>> >>> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTAnet) is a multi-
>> >>> stakeholder platform for
>> >>> people and institutions interested and involved in ICT
>> >>> policy and
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>> >>>
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>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> _______________________________________________
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>> >>> ear%40sundayafternoon.me.uk
>> >>>
>> >>> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-
>> >>> stakeholder platform for people and institutions
>> >>> interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation.
>> >>> The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the
>> >>> ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT
>> >>> enabled growth and development.
>> >>>
>> >>> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of
>> >>> acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real
>> >>> life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share
>> >>> knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect
>> >>> privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or
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>> >>> -----
>> >>> No virus found in this message.
>> >>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
>> >>> Version: 2012.0.1913 / Virus Database: 2114/4836 -
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>> >>
>> >>
>> >> _______________________________________________
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>> >> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
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>> >>
>> >> Unsubscribe or change your options at
>> >>
>> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/robertyawe%40yahoo.co.uk
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform
>> for
>> >> people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
>> >> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
>> >> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and
>> development.
>> >>
>> >> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors
>> >> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and
>> bandwidth,
>> >> share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy,
>> do
>> >> not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
>> >>
>> >> _______________________________________________
>> >> kictanet mailing list
>> >> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
>> >> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
>> >>
>> >> Unsubscribe or change your options at
>> >>
>> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/blongwe%40gmail.com
>> >>
>> >> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform
>> for
>> >> people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
>> >> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
>> >> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and
>> development.
>> >>
>> >> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors
>> >> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and
>> bandwidth,
>> >> share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy,
>> do
>> >> not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > --
>> > Brian Munyao Longwe
>> > e-mail: blongwe at gmail.com
>> > cell:  +254715964281
>> > blog : http://zinjlog.blogspot.com
>> > meta-blog: http://mashilingi.blogspot.com
>> >
>> > "Give us clear vision that we may know where to stand and what to
>> > stand for, because unless we stand for something, we shall fall for
>> > anything."
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Brian Munyao Longwe
>> e-mail: blongwe at gmail.com
>> cell:  +254715964281
>> blog : http://zinjlog.blogspot.com
>> meta-blog: http://mashilingi.blogspot.com
>>
>> "Give us clear vision that we may know where to stand and what to
>> stand for, because unless we stand for something, we shall fall for
>> anything."
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> kictanet mailing list
>> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
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>>
>> Unsubscribe or change your options at
>> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/nboinett%40gmail.com
>>
>> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform
>> for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
>> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
>> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and
>> development.
>>
>> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors
>> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth,
>> share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do
>> not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
>>
>
>
>
> --
> *“And one should bear in mind that there is nothing more difficult to
> execute, more dubious of success, nor more dangerous to administer than to
> introduce a new order of things; for he who
> introduces it has all those who profit from the old order as his
> enemies,and he has only lukewarm allies in all those who might profit from
> the new. This lukewarmness partly stems from fear of their adversaries . .
> . and partly from the skepticism of men, who do not truly believe in new
> things unless they have actually had personal experience of them.”
> *
> (From Chapter VI of Niccoló Machiavelli,The Prince. Peter Bondanella and
> Mark Musa,translators. Oxford University Press revised edition,
> 1984, p. 21.)
>

-- 
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