Seven ways to make Toronto a world-class city again

[Riverdale Rink Rat]

Global data hub?

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/tech...ming-a-major-global-data-hub/article24002491/

Lots finance related, but also tech, etc. The thread connects with Google, etc. moving employees downtown, WT building out tech infrastructure on QQE for Corus and GBC.

Given that the banks probably have slower Canadian growth as RE corrects, nice to see some diversification (even if HFT must have been a main driver of this location.)

 

[rbt]

Given that the banks probably have slower Canadian growth as RE corrects, nice to see some diversification (even if HFT must have been a main driver of this location.)

HFT might be a driver for their TR1 location (even 151 Front is questionable for that purpose compared to co-locating with TMX directly) but this thing is nearly 2km from the TSX making it pretty useless for that (copying packets to RAM/CPU are considered slow, so many are putting their HFT algorithms directly on the network cards now). Some exchanges have their own data-center for HFT and guarantee that every machine has exactly the same length of network cable to the same switch with equal priority; hence the drive to make the computers internal communication as fast as possible (nanoseconds matter).

I don't actually know what TSX does (TMX has a co-location at 130 King West AFAIK) for this but I can't imagine their services are more than a few years behind the more modern exchanges.


I think it'll be used for what the CEO claims. Mostly large companies (Netflix) using it as a regional caching layer with excellent access to TorIX (Internet Exchange Point, where multiple carriers connect networks together) at 151 Front but without the massive cost of actually locating equipment at 151 Front.

Local companies will still use something like Q9 but a global firm negotiating for multiple sites world-wide will probably find using a single vendor the better option.


All that said, it is nice to see non-finance tech moving back downtown again; some days I miss my old office at 190 York.

 

[WislaHD]

I guarantee everyone that reducing on-street parking in the downtown core will do more to creating a more walkable and aesthetically pleasing urban environment and public realm than burying wires or eliminating our wooden hydro poles.

 

[Riverdale Rink Rat]

I guarantee everyone that reducing on-street parking in the downtown core will do more to creating a more walkable and aesthetically pleasing urban environment and public realm than burying wires or eliminating our wooden hydro poles.

Heretic! Burn him!

 

[James]

+1 for reduced on-street parking.

 

[bobbob911]

HFT might be a driver for their TR1 location (even 151 Front is questionable for that purpose compared to co-locating with TMX directly) but this thing is nearly 2km from the TSX making it pretty useless for that (copying packets to RAM/CPU are considered slow, so many are putting their HFT algorithms directly on the network cards now). Some exchanges have their own data-center for HFT and guarantee that every machine has exactly the same length of network cable to the same switch with equal priority; hence the drive to make the computers internal communication as fast as possible (nanoseconds matter).

I don't actually know what TSX does (TMX has a co-location at 130 King West AFAIK) for this but I can't imagine their services are more than a few years behind the more modern exchanges.

For what its worth, the actual TSX stock exchange computers are in Markham (3500 Steeles E) and have been for years. 130 King West is basically the back up site now if the main facility explodes And yes, they offer co-location services at the Markham site.

 

[rbt]

For what its worth, the actual TSX stock exchange computers are in Markham (3500 Steeles E) and have been for years. 130 King West is basically the back up site now if the main facility explodes And yes, they offer co-location services at the Markham site.

Hah. Thanks. I thought the colo fees looked kinda low.

Out of curiosity, do you know if the Markham site has a guaranteed network cable length (for equal ping to the main switch), or do they auction off the rack positions, or something else?

 

[bobbob911]

They specifically do not guarantee cable length. First come, first serve.

That being said, IMO cable length in the facility is not really an issue - we're talking about 1's or low 10's of nanoseconds at best, which is still currently in the noise for latency, even for HFT applications.

 

[Admiral Beez]

"Again"?

When was Toronto a world class city?

 

[salsa]

"Again"?

When was Toronto a world class city?

Read the first post in the thread. The title came from a globe and mail opinion piece.

 

[salsa]

Recall that Toronto was ranked the best city in the world to live just a couple of months ago. Now a new ranking comes out saying that Toronto is the 2nd unhappiest city in Canada. Interestingly, the number 1 unhappiest city is Vancouver, the same city that is often called "best place on earth" because...

 

[W. K. Lis]

Would it be a good thing to bury the hydro wires? Yes.

Does hydro wires at street level determine whether a city has "world class" status or not? No.

They buried the electricity wires along St. Clair Avenue West. However, the penny-pinchers blew their tops because it actually cost money to do so.

When it came Roncesvalles turn, to appease the penny-pinchers, they just kept the overhead electricity wires. Then came the screamers that they should have buried the electrical wires.

It comes down to the fact that if you want the city to look good, the city has to spend the money to do so.

 

[Adjei]

It comes down to the fact that if you want the city to look good, the city has to spend the money to do so.

Exactly, if we are cheap and don't spend money beautifying the city what do we expect?

I read a comment online when someone was saying why we don't have a park like Millennium Park in Chicago..

Do you know how much that park cost? $475 million...It's money well spend and it's getting rave reviews around the world...Imagine Toronto spending that amount on a park? The likes of Minnan Wong and Ford would have a field day..

 

[SunriseChampion]

I'm all for spending half a billion on a nice park. Hell, I'd find a way to spend ten times that amount, if I had the money....but, that's the problem. We don't have infinite resources. What we do have is a revenue problem and a populace that want everything without having to pay for it. In a situation such as this there is no choice but to prioritise the allocation of finite resources while keeping revenue increases to a minimum (if not decreasing revenue altogether, ie the current federal government).

Now, unless we all agree as citizens to willingly pay for all that we want provided for us we have no complaints to be making about our politicians' (mostly really shitty) attempts at prioritising the allocation of resources.

We can't all agree to this so we're left with what we have. A massive police budget, for example...and a non-existent hydro wire burying one, for example; coupled with paltry property tax increases and no new sources of revenue, ie highway tolls.

Its the citizens that are to blame, really.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Exactly, if we are cheap and don't spend money beautifying the city what do we expect?

I read a comment online when someone was saying why we don't have a park like Millennium Park in Chicago..

Do you know how much that park cost? $475 million...It's money well spend and it's getting rave reviews around the world...Imagine Toronto spending that amount on a park? The likes of Minnan Wong and Ford would have a field day..

And Millennium Park got multi-million donations from the corporate sector as well. How much did Deco chip in for the public realm, instead of asking what the city works can facilitates its' 50th anniversary bash?

AoD