[PLUG] dynamic IP and economics

[Jeff Abrahamson <jeff@purple.com>]

This email asks the following three questions:

    (1) Should I favor searching for fixed IP at all costs
    (2) Should I consider using dynamic DNS
    (3) Should I use dynamic DNS and rent a virtual linux box

Read on for detail and nuance, hit delete now if you don't care.

I'm moving[1] soon and so forced to consider questions of ISP.  The
hard part is that I like having a fixed IP address.  But fixed IP,
even assuming it's available in the new location, typically means
paying more money.  It seems worth computing how much is worth paying.

For me, I want fixed IP (currently) because

    - I receive mail
    - I want to be able to ssh into my box
    - Maybe I want to set up an asterisk server

If I can serve the odd web page, great.  I not, no worries, web space
is cheap to free in the world.  My concern, possibly unfounded, is
that there are brief periods when dynamic IP addresses don't resolve
correctly because of TTL lag.  Perhaps there are other problems.  So,
question (2) hinges at this point: should I care if I have fixed or
dynamic IP?  What are people's experiences using DynDNS and the like?

If the answer to (2) is that dynamic is just fine, it's just newer so
some of us haven't gotten on the bandwagon, then I'm done.  But if
not, I must choose between (1) and (3).  Suppose that the difference
in price is D (i.e., consumer grade dynamic IP costs X, fixed IP
serve-what-you-want costs Y, and Y-X=D dollars per month, typically a
positive number.

At some value of D, it's cheaper to buy a virtual debian box somewhere
(3) to receive mail and asterisk connections[2][3].  I can collect
mail by imap.  I can use the virtual debian box as a smart host for
sending mail, possibly over ssh if outgoing port 25 is blocked by my
ISP.  Asterisk can forward on some high port, I think, and if I'm
momentarily unreachable, it can in any case take a message.  Ssh is in
the same boat, where a momentary failure once in a blue moon is
probably acceptable if I'm saving money.  I can also have a process on
my home box set up ssh tunnels and just restart them if they fail,
should it come to that.

Any advice on the feasibility of (3) as outlined?  Am I missing
something?  It's more complicated than (1) to be sure, but I only have
to set it up once.

Thanks very much to all for any informed musings on these topics.

-- 
 Jeff

 Jeff Abrahamson  <http://jeff.purple.com/>          +1 215/837-2287
 After 6/2007: +33 06 21.83.26.20     (From U.S.: 011-33-6-2183-2620)
 GPG fingerprint: 1A1A BA95 D082 A558 A276  63C6 16BF 8C4C 0D1D AE4B


[1] I'm finishing my PhD (defense to be scheduled for Fall), but have
    a CS-ish job starting in September at a finance firm in London.

[2] and to deal with eventual blocked ports, depending on my ISP

[3] If anyone has any suggestions or advice (pro or con) on virtual
    debian boxes to be rented, I would appreciate that, too.

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