OUTAGE: Aug 3, 1998

Tue Aug 4 04:11:42 UTC 1998

It appears several Cascade switches in Worldcom's frame-relay network
had a problem.  Atlanta, Dallas and Washington DC are reportedly the
focus of current repair efforts.  Although we saw problems in PVCs passing
through several other locations.

I received a private comment on my previous message.  I'm not trying to
pick on any one service provider.  I know stuff happens to everyone.  I too
have royally messed up a network, and have my share of dumb programming
mistakes. I attempt to rotate the particular concrete examples used.
Hypotheticals are nice, but until you name names, no one pays attention.
Which is more effective? Using the Hinsdale Central Office fire as a
concrete example, or discussing in general the importance of employee
training and responding to remote alarms.

There are some common themes which run through my messages.  It should
be interesting to compare how Worldcom and Ascend handle this incident
compared to how AT&T and Cisco handled their frame-relay incident.  Oh,
by the way, those Worldcom sales people who were calling AT&T customers
last time.  Guess what. What comes around, goes around.
-- 
Sean Donelan, Data Research Associates, Inc, St. Louis, MO
  Affiliation given for identification not representation