rradina
join:2000-08-08
Chesterfield, MO
1 edit | reply to Kearnstd
Re: Open Thread During Storm Large chain stores have crisis response teams that roll generators and potentially wireless/SATCOM networking to the affected stores. (Cash-only business results in a lot of lost sales and today, especially in this economy, it's WAY too risky to do off-line auths.)
ISPs also have generators. The challenge, when is the last time they tested that they can run the data center on them? How much on-site fuel do they have and do they have a plan in place to acquire additional fuel should there be an extended outage.
Of course that's why cloud-based virtualization makes so much sense for critical 7x24 systems. It's bringing down the cost of moving services from the affected data center BEFORE power is lost or flooded or whatever... |
|
|
|
 koitsuPremium,MVM
join:2002-07-16
Mountain View, CA
kudos:19 | You should try making that claim about "cloud-based virtualisation" making sense to folks who have found quite the opposite. This was just brought up yesterday on outages-discussion in fact. See thread "Unpleasant discovery":
»puck.nether.net/pipermail/outage···html#596
Please be sure to read all the posts.
You know the phrase I'm sure -- you're only as strong as your weakest link...
--
Making life hard for others since 1977.
I speak for myself and not my employer/affiliates of my employer. |
|
KearnstdElf WizardPremium
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ | one issue in outage situations is overload of backups when the data is rerouted. Sometimes alternate locations cannot handle the load shunt.
--
[65 Arcanist]Filan(High Elf) Zone: Broadband Reports |
|
 IowaCowboyWant to go back to IowaPremium
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA
 ·Comcast
 ·Verizon Broadban..
| reply to rradina
said by rradina:Large chain stores have crisis response teams that roll generators and potentially wireless/SATCOM networking to the affected stores. (Cash-only business results in a lot of lost sales and today, especially in this economy, it's WAY too risky to do off-line auths.)
ISPs also have generators. The challenge, when is the last time they tested that they can run the data center on them? How much on-site fuel do they have and do they have a plan in place to acquire additional fuel should there be an extended outage.
Of course that's why cloud-based virtualization makes so much sense for critical 7x24 systems. It's bringing down the cost of moving services from the affected data center BEFORE power is lost or flooded or whatever...
I know around here that Lowe's has a generator behind their store. I bought my generator there last year during the October snowstorm and they have reduced lighting but their POS systems function normally so they can ring up sales normally. Waited in line two hours and scored a generator. When I went behind the store to load the genny, their generator was running. The Stop & Shop next door also was running on a genny but only enough for the lighting and POS terminals. They had to move the perishable goods to refrigerated trucks so the customers were not allowed to use carts as they were being used to evacuate the perishable goods.
I think Big Y just disposed of their perishables and wrote it off as a business loss.
I just wish there were laws requiring gas stations to have backup power like Florida.
--
Romney-Ryan and Scott Brown are the Right Choice as they are Hope & Change you can count on. |
|
KearnstdElf WizardPremium
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ | guess its our old Northeastern ideal, buy the gas before the storm.
Supermarkets here do have generators for POS and Lighting, But most I know will use those for x number of hours and then shut down the store as the generator is costly to run.
--
[65 Arcanist]Filan(High Elf) Zone: Broadband Reports |
|
rradina
join:2000-08-08
Chesterfield, MO | reply to koitsu
That thread does not diminish virtualization being a fantastic tool that offers the opportunity to easily remove critical services from the path of a predicted natural disaster. However, like any tool, it can be wielded in ways that are highly successful and in ways that cause unexpected results.
This reminds me of the Simpsons episode where Krusty drank diet shakes to the point where he was morbidly obese. Another episode depicted him covering his body with nicotine patches and frantically searching for an open patch of skin. |
|
rradina
join:2000-08-08
Chesterfield, MO | reply to IowaCowboy
Lowes is different than a supermarket -- they have no perishable merchandise. They don't need a huge generator to operate safety systems and the POS. Although some merchandise is sensitive to cold, it doesn't take much electricity to run the blower motors if they have natural gas heat.
It's also important to consider that network communications will also go down and a suitable backup should be available. That's why the crisis response team should also have a SATCOM or wireless alternative for payment auths. |
|
 djdanskaRudie32Premium,MVM
join:2001-04-21
San Diego, CA
kudos:4
·Cox HSI
·Verizon Broadban..
·Clear Wireless
·Time Warner Cable
| said by rradina:Lowes is different than a supermarket -- they have no perishable merchandise. They don't need a huge generator to operate safety systems and the POS. Although some merchandise is sensitive to cold, it doesn't take much electricity to run the blower motors if they have natural gas heat.
It's also important to consider that network communications will also go down and a suitable backup should be available. That's why the crisis response team should also have a SATCOM or wireless alternative for payment auths.
nevermind |
|
 Simba7I Void Warranties
join:2003-03-24
Billings, MT | reply to koitsu
..because we all know Fiber Optic lines carry High Voltage.
I swear I just had a brain aneurysm from just reading that. |
|
| reply to IowaCowboy
Parts of South Florida is under a law like you mentioned. The big gas stations have back up generators. |
|
koitsuPremium,MVM
join:2002-07-16
Mountain View, CA
kudos:19 | reply to Simba7
said by Simba7:..because we all know Fiber Optic lines carry High Voltage.
I swear I just had a brain aneurysm from just reading that.
That's been discussed as well. It might surprise you what some carriers do:
»puck.nether.net/pipermail/outage···576.html
Again, please be sure to read the entire thread in full (only 8 or 9 posts), as it's quite eye-opening.
--
Making life hard for others since 1977.
I speak for myself and not my employer/affiliates of my employer. |
|
WhatNowPremium
join:2009-05-06
Charlotte, NC | reply to lv66vette
A generator would only help the stations that were not flooded. I would not want to buy gas with salt water in it. |
|
