[ubuntu-us] Ubuntu US cluster

[Arno Weber]

I think the US LoCos would benefit from having their own servers, even if all they do is mirror the EU ones.  I would think that if we mirror theirs, they would at least consider reciprocating.

I see a few options.  A myriad plethora of options, really.

Top of the list would of course have to be funding a network of server farms through grants, preferably of the research variety.  I have a number of ideas concerning this, which I am hesitant to push out for perusal blindly due to their in no small part proprietary nature.  Since this approach involves the cost being no object, it is of course my favorite.

There are some other funding options, the nature of which involve concerns similar to those above, but again have the advantage of requiring only insignificant financial outlay.

A third option would be to use donated servers.

A fourth would be to solicit donation or at least use of existing clusters.  In csae you are wondering, I have several in mind, such as the 'stone soup supercomputer.'  I know that allegedly officially this cluster has been taken offline, I can't help but suspect someone may be interested in recreating it, as long as the servers are shaken up at someone else's house, or, preferably, as funded above, a warehouse.

Lastly, I can't help but think a consensual ghostnet of local swap files may work well as a server network until new machines and warehouse space is obtained.  

Also the Alaska LoCo needs a new mentor.

Feel free to email me on this.

Also, I know some of you may be intimidated by the complicated and potentially dangerous and unpopular nature of grant writing.  Let me just say we have trained professionals who have already assembled the guides and sample proposals.  Only the names need to be changed.