I don't condone this, however I fail to see how this is dishonest on Cisco's part. I fail to even see the use of this command; hence the inquiry. You have to reload the router either way to upgrade software, right? So, you can issue the command via a reload, or you can "test crash." The only difference is that the router displays "System restarted via reload" or "System restarted via memory parity error at 0x67393028", or something. So, what do you use this for? To 'prove' to your boss that you didn't f*&k up? "It wasn't my fault, the router crashed. See?" I could see this being used on a production box, where an operator foolishly does a 'debug ip packet detail' on an edge box with a rapidly aging cache, the messages kill the console, and he needs to save his arse. So, he reloads the box via power on, the runs a "test crash", so when the boss asked why they lost Orlando for 30 minutes, he can say, "I dunno, router crashed. Look." Chris

Not only interesting, but dishonest. Forcing a company to spend money on false premise is tantamount to theft or conversion. That cisco gives them the opportunity for doing so is aiding an abetting. Particularly so when the upgrade cost adds to cisco's revenue. In other words, I sincerely hope that you are joking. Yes, I'm a "suit" and only a part-time operator/developer these days.

At 05:52 AM 10/29/98 -0500, Martin, Christian wrote:

...

Sean,

Why would they use this feature for that purpose? To fake a router crash in order to load new software? Interesting way of "breaking the rules."

Chris

...

This was put in to allow a small handful of engineers in various companies to load new software into boxes outside the maintenance windows imposed upon them by misguided but fanatical operations management.

This particular feature saved the Internet on several occasions.

Sean.

___________________________________________________ Roeland M.J. Meyer, ISOC (InterNIC RM993) e-mail: <mailto:rmeyer@mhsc.com>rmeyer@mhsc.com Internet phone: hawk.mhsc.com Personal web pages: <http://www.mhsc.com/~rmeyer>www.mhsc.com/~rmeyer Company web-site: <http://www.mhsc.com/>www.mhsc.com/ ___________________________________________ I bet the human brain is a kludge. -- Marvin Minsky