Cart and Horse

Mon Apr 13 15:49:51 UTC 2009

Wouldn't some authentication system be more useful than trying to lock
all the manholes?  Picture a system maybe using RFID or some other radio
system where you walk up to manhole, wave your 'wand' (like a Mobil
Speedpass), you hear a couple beeps, and you're cleared to open the
manhole.  Without authenticating, you can still get in, but the NOCs at
local utilities and telcos are notified, maybe police as well.  If you
can tie access to a particular person's ID, I doubt that person will
misuse it.  Of course, this requires power and battery backup.  On the
other hand, maybe it's time to put the blame on the unions.  If the
saboteur is found to be a union member, maybe penalize the entire union
somehow, since they're acting like a terrorist group at that point.

Chuck

-----Original Message-----
From: Lamar Owen [mailto:lowen at pari.edu] 
Sent: Monday, April 13, 2009 11:22 AM
To: nanog at nanog.org
Subject: Re: Cart and Horse

On Monday 13 April 2009 11:06:55 Roy wrote:
> A friend mentioned at dinner yesterday that he spotted several AT&T
> trucks next to manholes in the area affected by the fiber cut.  They
> were busy welding the manhole covers to their rims.

:-)

Sounds like a cutting torch or portable chop saw will become standard
service 
equipment for them after all.