Blog updates for teknikol pepole
5.10.06
Daniel doesn't configure your Cisco
Nope. Sure don't. This isn't to be confused with "I can't configure your Cisco router", because I can. But, I don't and some customers can't seem to wrap their minds around that fact.
To preface this, I work for an ISP that services small to medium businesses. The work I do involves making changes to the heart and soul of the data network and assisting the customer with getting their data services up to their satisfaction. This is mainly done using our managed router service.
Most of the time, these installs go smoothly. Yeah, there are a few bumps in the road at times, but they get resolved. The advantage of these hard times, though, is that regardless of cause we own the problem. Our core, our CPE, our local loop. But, for every 50 installs I do under these conditions, there is one install were the customer wants to use "their router".
Fortunately, most customers have vendors they hire to actually configure those things themselves.....but then there are those that don't. Those are the customers that heed the advice to "get a Cisco 'cause they're guuuuuuuud", but refuse to purchase any support from Cisco to help configure their new router. Why? Because they just finished dropping $2800 on the freaking thing...and that's what the ISP is for, right? Eeehhh, wrong!
1) No matter how desperate you are, allowing me telnet or ssh access into your device opens up a "well he was in it" window I'm not prepared to crawl through. Not only is there a liability issue, but when it breaks, where is that finger going to point?
2) We're your ISP, not vendor. "Good customer service" does not involve extending demarcs, installing programs, configuring your private CPE, or walking your dog (though I do like dogs). Point is, there are many people that fill roles in supporting a business and we all have our niche.
3) This may be personal, but why would I do for free what I can charge you $100/hr for under any other circumstance?
What I will do is provide you with all the IP info you need, suggest you use PPP encapsulation (heck, I'd even set my encapsulation to HDLC-compatible), and probably warn you not to plug your FE interface into the DSX port off of our channel bank (once had a cust turn his PIX 501 into a 3 port firewall like that).
Oh, yeah....I'll also suggest getting that official support. It'll be the best money spent.
12:39 am in 7.12.05
Idiot note #5021
When you hear Spanish audio coming from digital channel 32 (Nick at Night) at 11:30 pm on July 11th 2005, it's not because Charter is currently working on the migration from standard analog broadcast to all digital broadcast that is suppose to start on July 12th 2005. It's because you tinkered with the television's audio setting and changed it to SAP....because it "sounded better."
11.30.04
Never use "Reply All"
A kindly reminder for anyone planning to respond to an email message:
NEVER USE "Reply All" as your default reply button! You never know who inside or outside your company may be on the receiving end of your criticism...
...Especially when you plan on calling them later today to "walk them baby steps through how to do their job."
UPDATE - Funny how when "Mr. Reply All" sent another email to me, he was sweet as pie. Even saying, "Dear Daniel".
11.23.04
T1 Economics
A T1 data connection is a channelized circuit divided into 24 time slots. Each time slot has 64kbps of data capacity. A full T1 circuit has 1.536mbps of data capacity (64 x 24)
A fractional T1 is, as you likely guessed, anything UNDER a full T1 of data capacity.
Fully utilized, a T1 on an ISP's router should provide capacity for around 3 customers in this fashion:
Time slots 1-8 = 512kbps, 9-16 = 512kbps, and 17-24 = 512kbps.
That is a typical data amount for customers. Other popular rates are, for example, time slots 1-12 and 13-24 for 768kbps of data each, or 1-16 for 1024kbps and 17-24 for 512kbps.
Now, what happens when orders come in for 704kbps (using up only 11 time slots) or better yet, the famous 7 channel/448kbps genius move? Things get in a word....jacked up! Sorry, that was two words.
Unless more orders like "these" come in, it will nearly impossible to completely use the available space on the T1 because most providers don't sell single 64kbps timeslots and most people wouldn't even consider getting that little amount. To further this problem, a T1 is a member of a much larger circuit called a T3 or DS3. That T3 has 28 of these things on it. Over the span of the T3, you can almost find enough "remnant" capacity to fill at least one whole T1.
If capacity can't be found, and all the T1s are filled up, guess what...you've got to get a new T3....an interface for the router....line card for the cross-connects....and man hours to wire it all up. All because one more little channel of data wasn't ordered.
10.27.04
I have a wrench, can I fix your car?
Imagine it. The Model "T" just came out, and most people are finally able to afford their own car. One day, the car breaks. You don't know what's wrong and there are few "certified" people available to do the work.
Your neighbor, Frank, says, "I once changed the wheels on my wagon and reshoed my horse. I can fix your engine." Would you trust him? Yes you would. Why, because you don't know any better. He knows something more than you do, so your willing to entrust him with your valuables.
Well, it's the 21st century and people are doing the exact same thing with their job's computer network. In my job working for an ISP, I talk with people everyday that entrust the functionality of their day to day productivity to people who, at most, hooked two computers together with a Linksys router to share Internet access.
Folks, this is dangerous...and stupid. Dangerous because these people call in and request a 512k T1 and "need" a block of 16 IP addresses. No firewall will be used, so you have 13 potential machines spewing out viruses, SPAM and are likely dorment zombie BOTs waiting to be activated.
This is stupid because under no circumstances would these same individuals use a 13 year old "C-" math student audit their business records. So why would they even consider letting someone with little know-how do the equivilant? I think the reason is two-fold.
First, high-speed connections are being hyped as the norm for modern living. In a world where communications is quickly becoming IP-centric, the network industry (both service providers and manufacturers) need to build an audience that isn't afraid to use their products. DSL can nearly alienate their users on its own, so "Providers" are forced to find a way to make this broadband transition as easy as possible. Unfortunatly, making things simple gives users a false sense of knowledge of all things networking.
Second, there's no education. Driving has traffic laws, traffic schools, driving certifications. While I'm not saying we need an authority to moderate use of a computer, there should be a more proactive approach to educating people to the danger high-speed Internet access poses.
OK, I know education will never happen...and yes I mean NEVER, but since the push in communications is truly "always connected, always available" access, sitting back and letting "Timmy from down the street take a look at it" will only cost in the long run.