Re: Phone networks struggle in Hurricane Katrina's wake
You get high marks for your crumudgeon level. However, if I have to point it out and lead you to it like a child, then so be it. If I was mistaken in thinking that the referenced article: "Red Cross looks to IT for post-Katrina recovery" http://www.computerworld.com/securitytopics/security/recovery/story/0,10801,... ..would perhaps elicit some operational suggestions from the peanut gallery on how to perhaps assist in this effort, or prhaps contribute to the BellSouth issues, etc., then mea culpa. Sniping certainly accomplishes nothing. - ferg -- Richard A Steenbergen <ras@e-gerbil.net> wrote: On Wed, Aug 31, 2005 at 01:22:13AM +0000, Fergie (Paul Ferguson) wrote:
I'll file that comment where it belongs -- in file 13.
If a major catastrophe, albeit more human than network-related (although lots of network-related issues here, too), isn't on-topic, than I fail to see what is.
North American Network Operations perhaps? Talking about the impact to networks is on-topic, talking about steps being taken to protect or restore networks is on-topic, talking about networking infrastructure as it relates to the public communications infrastructure is on-topic during an event like this. Replying to idiotic slashdot articles asking really stupid questions is not on topic. Telling the entire NANOG reader base that you like your POTS line and will never switch to VoIP is not on topic. Technically speaking a human tragedy isn't even on topic. Like I said, it might be different if there was some actual insight being provided here. If someone was talking about some specific data relating to the reliability of the infrastructure or otherwise something OPERATIONAL to talk about that would be one thing, but this is not operational, this is simply chatter. Chatter has its place, that is why people read Slashdot and watch the news, but replacing an operational mailing list with the slashdot commentary section and seeing what happens is not my or anyone else's idea of a good time. -- Richard A Steenbergen <ras@e-gerbil.net> http://www.e-gerbil.net/ras GPG Key ID: 0xF8B12CBC (7535 7F59 8204 ED1F CC1C 53AF 4C41 5ECA F8B1 2CBC) -- "Fergie", a.k.a. Paul Ferguson Engineering Architecture for the Internet fergdawg@netzero.net or fergdawg@sbcglobal.net ferg's tech blog: http://fergdawg.blogspot.com/
On Wed, 31 Aug 2005, Fergie (Paul Ferguson) wrote: If I was mistaken in thinking that the referenced article: "Red Cross looks to IT for post-Katrina recovery" http://www.computerworld.com/securitytopics/security/recovery/story/0,10801,... ..would perhaps elicit some operational suggestions from the peanut gallery on how to perhaps assist in this effort, or prhaps contribute to the BellSouth issues, etc., then mea culpa. Slightly operational; I tried several times earlier today to donate to the Red Cross via their website. I was stymied by constant errors from their MS SQL Server backend. Its sad to think of how much in donations they've missed out on, by relying on some rinky-dink software. If anyone has operational contact with the redcross website engineering folks, you might want to let them know that its time to "reboot the server". matto --matt@snark.net------------------------------------------<darwin>< The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. - Edmund Burke
"Red Cross looks to IT for post-Katrina recovery" http://www.computerworld. com/securitytopics/security/recovery/story/0,10801,104250,00.html
..would perhaps elicit some operational suggestions from the peanut gallery on how to perhaps assist in this effort, or prhaps contribute to the BellSouth issues, etc., then mea culpa.
There is also the issue of planning. By examining what happens during a disaster situation we can learn lessons and fix our own disaster plans before we need to implement them. For instance the communications failures in New Orleans were predictable. That's why the RedCross moved in comms gear prior to the hurricane. Even in an event where the physical damage is miniscule in comparison, i.e. the 7th July attacks in London, the cellular networks were overloaded and difficult to use for an entire day. So, perhaps portable WiFi gear like the Breadcrumbs here http://www.rajant.com/ would be something more of us should be stocking. If there is a disaster in your city, how will you communicate between your data centers and offices if the cell and phone networks go down? And if you set up a network of devices like the Breadcrumbs, then you are essentially building an alternate communications network that is connected to the Internet, i.e. you are an ISP and a wifi comms network connected to you is part of the Internet. So, to take this a step further, how many of the telecommunications companies on this list have an emergency comms plan coordinated with local emergency authorities in which you plan TO BE A PROVIDER OF EMERGENCY COMM SERVICES, and not just a user. According to meteorlogists, we are entering a period of a dozen years in which hurricanes can be expected to be stronger on average. And there are expected to be another 4 to 5 bug hurricanes before this year's hurricane season is over. And hurricanes are unpredictable. Canadians who think they are immune should check what happened in Southern Ontario during Hurrican Hazel in the 1950's. Holland, Germany and England have experienced storm surges even without hurricanes. And the list of possible disasters goes on. We cannot predict what will happen and where it will happen but we can confidently predict that SOMETHING will happen on a regular basis. So, how can ISPs make plans to be part of the solution when a disaster does happen? --Michael Dillon
participants (3)
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Fergie (Paul Ferguson) -
Matt Ghali -
Michael.Dillonļ¼ btradianz.com