On 11/15/24 10:23, Ethan O'Toole wrote:
If you're looking for something like that, look for a Summa Four VCO/4K switch, later sold as Cisco. (Cisco acquired Summa Four) A complete switch, with Sun management systems, is two rack footprints. These have been around awhile, and while not iconic like a 5ESS, they are manageable, they speak SS7, and they are serious, grown-up CO switches.
Wild, never heard of it. Only care about it being a 5ESS.
Certainly understandable.
It was the iconic thing that all the hackers wanted access to back in the day. I remember reading about COSMOS and stuff in Phrack magazine. I remember someone from Canada having access to a bunch of telcos in the USA, and the stuff of movies happening. And telenet and tymnet and all that.
Also the first con I went to in Atlanta, someone turned the payphone across the street into a free phone and there was a line of randos at it once word got out in the hood.
Ah ok. I guess I grew up early; never got into the "messing with other peoples' stuff is cool" vibe. I was always on the other side of that particular fence, trying to keep big networks running (to keep us all fed) with kids pecking at them relentlessly from every angle.
It's just a random trophy that might be cool to tote to some cons. Has to be a 5ESS, and compact model.
I don't know if that's a realistic expectation. I've never seen nor heard of a 5ESS that didn't weigh several tons. The processor is a minimum of four earthquake-rated 23" racks that, I believe, are not separable, or may only be separable in pairs. (3B20D vs. 2x 3B20S) There's the VCDX variant, in one rack, which is also technically a 5ESS but it's actually an emulator that runs on Suns. (i.e. "inflatable doll", it'll get the job done but it's not what you really want) -Dave -- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA