I would have thought that AA only keep what is at docklands just to anything relating to transit of data.
It is here they will have their gateway routers which is where BTw will hand over all of AAISP's end users data. From that gateway where traffic goes next will depend upon final destination eg:
- Anything destined for AAISP will be routed to Maidenhad.
- Anything destined for other AAISP customers will go back out onto the BTw Core.
- Anything staying inside the UK is usually exchanged at Docklands eg your traffic to the BBC/Google CDN services / other ISPs is peered by LoNAP directly on to their network.
- Anything going out globally to the rest of the world will be handed over to one of AAISP's transit providers.
All their other servers for services such as Mail, hosting, databases, Netapp storage and a zillion other things will be at the the Maidenhead CoLo
I wonder how Maidenhead is linked to docklands,
Both Docklands and Slough are CORE node locations. There's a list here of the core nodes locations -
21CN Core & Metro Nodes.
You may also find the following page useful -
The ISP Network.
It is slightly dated now as it was written prior to 21CN, but if you substitute 'Central Plus' with 21CN/WBC and ignore the sizes of the pipes, then the theory remains similar.
I wonder if any AA staff are just living in central London anyway.
Wouldn't have thought it mattered.
As per previous post the gateway servers and routers require little maintenance once set up. It may not require any attention for years. Any config changes are done remotely.
Plusnet never had any staff located in London - there was no need to ever visit the gateways on a regular basis. The only time staff needed to go down there was to set up new ones.
Its similar to our modems, but on a much larger scale. Since I set up my VMG8324 I hardly ever touch it. If I want to make any changes to the config then I just either use the WebGUI or telnet via my PC. I don't ever physically do anything with the modem router itself, other than perhaps stand it upright again if one of the cats have knocked it over
I don't think there is a need for anything other than transit related to be located at Docklands... and the only reason most ISPs put a gateway there is because thats where the most transit providers and peering companies have a presence. There's nothing stopping AAISP from putting in their gateways at one of the other core nodes.. in fact Zen have done that and have one of theirs in Manchester.