In 1992, the University of Cambridge completed the installation of its own metropolitan wide fibre optic network, principally to support the transfer of ‘digital books’ for the Classics departments. On its 25th anniversary, Jon Holgate takes the opportunity to reflect on the lessons learned from deploying and managing the largest academic private fibre network in Europe. This presentation reflects on how assumptions made 25 years ago have transpired, the statistical probability of fence post boring machines and the price of peas