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snmpstat monitor ver. 1.2.e - see http://noc.bn.ru/~alex/MON
by Alex P. Rudnev 24 Aug '99

24 Aug '99

I completed, as promised, the work of collecting distribution pack for the snmpstat monitor (version 1.2.e, where 'e' means _english menu available_). The system was tested for the FreeBSD and Solarys 2.6, but I believe it can work fine on any Unix where CMU SNMP library can be translated. This pack include: - the russion and english dicumentation; - the installation pack (tested for the fixed /p/stat and user: monitor group: monitor configs but theoretically allowing to use any location and user), including snmpstatd daemon, WWW interface to the monitoring system, LINKS data base and WWW interface for it, and (in addition) modems_poll monitor (withouth any WARRANTIES and docs). This (1.2) is SHAREWARE software - we ask you to contact us in case this appear to be usefull for your market or provision work, if you are the commercial company. I can't promise the next (with the object priorities, snmp polling of the modems, service monitoring etc) version should be just as free as this one, but it should not bee 100% commercial anyway. Aleksei Roudnev, Network Operations Center, Relcom, Moscow (+7 095) 194-19-95 (Network Operations Center Hot Line),(+7 095) 230-41-41, N 13729 (pager) (+7 095) 196-72-12 (Support), (+7 095) 194-33-28 (Fax)

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Re: cheap GPS
by Sean Donelan 23 Aug '99

23 Aug '99

scharf(a)vix.COM (Jerry Scharf) writes: >this is silly. If you compare the number of GPS receivers in the world and >the number of WWVB receivers, there should have been hundreds of thousands >to millions of complaints to have similar ratio. You forgot to compare it >to a MAE-East outage, current solar activity or hurricane Bret. Last time >I looked, nanog still had something to do with network engineering and >little to do with automotive navigation, surveying, or any of the other >GPS applications. > >In the timing world, which is the only thing that WWVB could impact, the >reports of major problems are not showing up. I didn't forget. My question was a bit of a Rorschach test. How would people perceive and compare the relative severity of two very small events. You are correct the number of GPS receivers used in timing applications, especially feeding the Internet, is a very small number compared to all GPS receivers. The number of stratum 1 clocks on the Internet is even smaller number. Most are maintained by people with a near obession for keeping track of the correct time. But I'm a psychologist. I'm interested why so many consumers didn't head the warnings, and take advantage of the the free upgrade offers from manufactures to fix their GPS units before the rollover. I mentioned I didn't find information on Pioneer's web site. Actually I just didn't go back far enough. It turns out Pioneer asked consumers a year ago to bring their units to be repaired. Another person told me about a company which needed to shutdown their operations for a couple of days because their consultant told them the wrong date for the rollover, so they weren't ready when it occured. Although I'm not sure waiting until the last week, even if you consultant did give you the wrong date, to update your equipment was very smart. And the Darwin factor is always an issue. Even after all the publicity, at least one boater who set sail without checking his GPS, needed to be rescued. When asked by reporters in Japan why they didn't upgrade their GPS receivers when the manufactures told them the units wouldn't work, consumers said "I didn't think it would affect my unit." No, I don't think japanese consumers are that different from any other consumers in the world. How does this affect network operators? Could we learn something from how consumers reacted? Do you set up a seperate contact number for consumers who waited too long, so they don't clogged up the queue for consumers with other problems? If you think its hard to reach a "cluefull" person on a normal day, will it be worse? -- Sean Donelan, Data Research Associates, Inc, St. Louis, MO Affiliation given for identification not representation

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Re: "Engineer" (Was: Tech contact for Qwest?)
by smd＠clock.org 23 Aug '99

23 Aug '99

| What's wrong about a good thread lasting long ? I wish Karl Denninger (famous Internet Engineer) was here to inform us that the governments mentioned in this thread are unlawfully supporting a monopoly, and imposing a barrier to entry against perfectly intelligent, competent people, and that the correct remedy now is to sue them, and that Karl's own lawyers are already preparing a case. Sean.

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Re: Tech contact for Qwest?
by Vadim Antonov 23 Aug '99

23 Aug '99

Michael Dillon <michael(a)memra.com> wrote: > That 10% mentor is more important than the percentages would suggest > because it acts as a catalyst for the other 90%. A good mentor will help > a less experienced engineer to make most effective use of their time in > learning the trade. It's not enough to just be available to answer > questions. Absolutely. Unfortunately being a teacher is a completely different profession which requires completely different talents. A lot of very good engineers are poor teachers. Having tried to teach professionally i know that it is much harder than it seems. --vadim PS Actually, i do not see shortage of clueful network engineers. What i see is complete lack of clueful managers. Engineers are often left without any useful managerial support, and all too often are simply screwed up by the bad management. That's why i think the fact that good engineers are getting more expensive is positive. When management if forced to pay through the nose for the professional expertise, they more likely feel compelled to follow the offered advice. It is quite possible to run a large backbone with two-three top-notch engineers - providing they can pick their assistants and don't have to spend most of their time dealing with bureaucratic idiocy.

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Re: "Engineer" (Was: Tech contact for Qwest?)
by Vadim Antonov 23 Aug '99

23 Aug '99

David Brouda <david(a)brouda.com> wrote: > Now, I have mentioned three key words: engineer, professional, and ethics. > As a student of engineering, I believe that these three words go > hand-in-hand. The facts that somebody is being professional, educated and ethical does not guarantee that he has any idea of what he is doing. The catch is that a clueless person is generally unware that he's clueless, so he can be quite eithcal and professional in what he thinks he is doing. Watch the hordes of ATM zealots - many of them with very impressive credentials. Does not make their "contribution" any more worthwhile. --vadim

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Off topic: Numbers of Internet engineers/operators
by Pete Kruckenberg 23 Aug '99

23 Aug '99

This is probably off-topic for the list, so I apologize. I'm trying to find some numbers (surveys, etc) that show the numbers of network engineers and operators (ie operations people, network engineers, network architects, possibly systems engineers, sysadmins, etc--for both Internet and/or intranet networks) that are working on the Internet today and maybe projections for the future. Numbers on personnel shortages would be good, too. Thanks for any references you can give me. Pete.

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mailing list
by Larry Birch 23 Aug '99

23 Aug '99

I made a post recently and was informed that it was off topic and that I should consult "newbie" mailing lists for questions of this type. I have a desire to develop some "clue" but unfortunantly I was not given any direction as to where to go to subscribe to these mailing lists. If someone would please point me in the direction of these mailing lists I would appreciate it. Off list responses are fine lbirch(a)wans.net . I realize this is not on-topic so please no flame.

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Re: cheap GPS
by Sean Donelan 23 Aug '99

23 Aug '99

>It's too early to say with high confidence, but you had to stretch pretty >far away from the question you asked (will it cause time problems with >NTP, etc) to find a problem with the GPS rollover. General reports are >that it went better than expected and that few critical systems were >impacted. If you had asked whether anyone would be hit by the rollover, I >would have said of course there were going to be systems and people hit. >It may be fun to watch the PR wars that result. I carefully avoided asking about NTP or any specific uses of the time signals. My question was would the GPS rollover cause more or fewer problems than when NIST set daylight savings time wrong in 1992. Approximately 600 people have reported problems, so far, due to the GPS rollover. NIST claimed fewer than a dozen reported problems when daylight savings time was set incorrectly in 1992. 12 < 600 Both are pretty small numbers, but as you point out people aren't very good at understanding extremely rare risks. You need to be carefull when you say XYZ will cause almost no problems, you didn't mean they specifically wouldn't have a problem with XYZ. See airplane crash, nuclear plant meltdown, etc. It is a PR problem, and technical people aren't always the best ones at explaining how a risk affects the public. -- Sean Donelan, Data Research Associates, Inc, St. Louis, MO Affiliation given for identification not representation

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Re: cheap GPS
by Sean Donelan 23 Aug '99

23 Aug '99

SEAN(a)dra.COM (Sean Donelan) writes: >>http://www.navcen.uscg.mil/gps/geninfo/y2k/gpsweek.htm >> >> Something to look forward to. :) > >Any predictions whether this will have more or fewer affects than >NIST setting daylight savings time in the wrong month a few years >ago on WWV/B? Those wagering the GPS roller over would have fewer affects, I think you lost. Pioneer, Japan reports they have 450 people answering phones from customers with car GPS navigation systems which have failed. Japan's MITA estimates 95,000 units in Japan are affected. I couldn't find anything on the engligh-language Pioneer.co.jp web pages about the problem. The US Air Force reports the satellites and control system rolled over without incident. The US Coast Guard has received no reports of civilian problems within the USA this evening. -- Sean Donelan, Data Research Associates, Inc, St. Louis, MO Affiliation given for identification not representation

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Re: cheap GPS
by Sean Donelan 23 Aug '99

23 Aug '99

bmanning(a)vacation.karoshi.COM writes: >http://www.navcen.uscg.mil/gps/geninfo/y2k/gpsweek.htm > > Something to look forward to. :) Any predictions whether this will have more or fewer affects than NIST setting daylight savings time in the wrong month a few years ago on WWV/B? -- Sean Donelan, Data Research Associates, Inc, St. Louis, MO Affiliation given for identification not representation

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