Several days ago, a customer of mine reported problems with remotely accessing their file server. In reality, it wasn’t a server in the strictest sense of the term, but rather a Linux-based Multi-function appliance called a Chilibox from a company called Chili Systems. I’d recommend this device for their small office back in early 2006 because of its low cost and versatility. Let’s face it, why put in a full-fledged Windows-based server for a small office when they can get all the functionality they need for a fraction of the cost?

The Chilibox performed — and continues to perform until I figure out what to replace it with — several key network functions for this client. It servers as a Firewall/Router, a wireless access point, and a shared network drive. On top of that, I have it configured to run scheduled backups to a tethered USB hard drive. It even e-mails me a backup report after it completes each backup. The other neat feature was called ChiliDrive, which allowed users to access files stored on the Chilibox remotely via the Web. This is what I mean — it is really a brilliant piece of network hardware. Here’s my review of it from May 2006.

It was this feature — ChiliDrive — that first clued us in that something was wrong. My clients were trying to access some files remotely when they noticed that the Web site didn’t look right. This site was where you would log in to your Chilibox — and the site simply was gone, replaced with boilerplate text “Welcome to your Web site creator; you have not yet published your Web site.” Oddly enough, when I did a WHOIS lookup, it said the domain is still registered to Chili Systems, Inc. Go figure. So I looked up their telephone number from some of the support documentation PDFs I had, called it, and guess what — that number was no longer in service. It was clear that Chili Systems, Incorporated was no more.

Which brings me to the point of this post… there is a right way and wrong way to cease doing business. It’s not exactly an expensive proposition to keep your Web site up a little bit longer and to put up some information informing former customers of what happened. Almost like a favorite neighborhood store that might have gone under after a Wal-Mart opened that puts a sign in the window “Thanks for your support, we lost our lease”. It would have been nice if Chili Systems at least posted something acknowledging them going out of business. But to let their domain be snatched up by some random entity and to leave customers in the lurch. Shameful.

In the meantime, I found a quick work around for their remote access conundrum by mapping a UNC on the Chilibox to a drive letter on a desktop PC on their LAN that happens to be running I’mInTouch. I’ve setup accounts for people to use so they can remote into that PC, then grab files via the mapped drive. In the long run, I’m going to build them a replacement solution, as I don’t want to keep this client running on an unsupported solution from a defunct company indefinitely. I’m thinking just a decent wireless router plus some flavor of network attached drive. Buffalo Technologies has their LinkStation Live family of NAS drives, which include the ability to remotely access files from across the Web. I’ve used other LinkStation products with a few other customers with good results, so this will likely be the direction I take.

In the end, I guess the ChiliBox was simply a great solution that too few people knew about. I’m guessing that they didn’t have the sales figures that were necessary to stay in business. I’m sure many of you can relate to this situation — when a great service, product or company just disappears without a trace.