Linux at local Internet service providers

[richb at pioneer.ci.net (Rich Braun)]

Was just updating my list of local access providers, http://www.pn.com/neci/
providers.html, and was musing about how many of them run Linux as part
of their operation.  Thought this might be an interesting angle for a
future meeting.  Here is the result of an informal survey:

Provider			Host			O/S
--------                        ----                    ---
Connix				www.connix.com		?
Paradigm			www.pcnet.com		SunOS

Biddeford			www.biddeford.com	BSDI
MaineStreet Communications	www.maine.com		Linux 1.2.1

Aesop				ns1.aesop.net		Linux 1.2.0
Bitwise				bitwise.com		SunOS
Blue Sky			www.bluesky.net		SunOS
CENTnet				nic.cent.net		SunOS
				newsie.dmc.com		BSDI
Channel 1			www.channel1.com	FreeBSD
Cove				www.cove.com		Linux 1.1.59
Crocker				www.crocker.com		Linux 1.2.3
FOURnet				www.four.net		SunOS
Genesis				genesis.tiac.net	?
Internet eXchange Limited	fuji.ixl.net		SysVr4
Intuitive Information		www.iii.net		?
MassInternet			www.usa1.com		?
NEARnet				www.near.net		SunOS
Networx				worx.net		Linux 1.1.72
North Shore Access		www.shore.net		SunOS
Open Access			www.oa.net		SunOS
Pioneer Global			wizard.pn.com		Linux 1.2.0
StarNet				venus.star.net		Linux 1.0.9
TerraNet			www.terra.net		Linux 1.2.1
TIAC				www.tiac.net		Linux 1.2.0
The Internet Connection		www.ici.net		SunOS
The World			www.std.com		BSDI
UltraNet			www.ultranet.com	OSF/1
Wilder Systems			www.wilder.com		SunOS
Wrentham Internet		www.riva.com		Linux
Xensei				www.xensei.com		Linux 1.1.95

Destek				www.destek.net		OSF/1
MV Communications		www.mv.com		?

IDS World			www.ids.net		SunOS

AlterNet			www.alter.net		BSDI
Databank			www.databank.com	BSDI
Global Connect			www.gc.net		?
Internet Online Services	www.ios.com		SunOS
Netcom				netcom.com		SunOS
Net99				www.net99.net		IRIX
MCI				www.mci.com		?
NovaLink			www.novalink.com	SysVr4
PSI				www.psi.com		?
Sprint				www.sprintlink.net	?
Vnet				www.vnet.net		SunOS

--------
Of 45 systems surveyed, the breakdown is as follows:

  SunOS		14
  Linux		11
  BSDI		5
  SysVr4	2
  OSF/1		2
  FreeBSD	1
  IRIX		1
  Undisclosed	9

O/S names were extracted from the publicly-available banner issued by
'telnet' on each system.  Some service providers prefer not to make their
system architectures public, and either block incoming telnet or change
the banner so as to conceal the O/S type.

Given the result of this quick survey, it's not hard to imagine that
Linux may already be the world's most popular Unix-derived operating
system (Internet access customers are more likely to run Linux than
SunOS, and Linux is second only to SunOS at the providers).  However,
I suspect that a survey conducted on the West Coast would probably
yield more FreeBSD and BSDI users than one conducted here.  (I do not
know of an equivalent list of West Coast providers.)

-rich