KPNQWest Admins Keep Bankrupt Network Running

sebastianw writes "Some of the network administrators from KPNQWest, although they have been (apparently) ordered to shutdown the network, took over control of the KPNQWest NOC. They are trying to keep the network running and keep customers up, regardless of KPNQWest's insolvency. The company warned on Thursday that they would be forced to shut down KPNQwest's entire European data network on Monday unless its customers paid their bills in full immediately." There's a related story on the Register, talking about the possible effect on UK internet access. If anyone needs to hire some network engineers...

Comments

At least it's efficient

[ThesQuid]

It makes you wonder just how many people they really need to run such a network.

It appears to be less than the number they thought.

Re:At least it's efficient

[Sorthum]

For a day or so, you can keep most large networks running with only one person or so. I work in a NOC that handles access for over 2000 sites, and for nights and holidays (weekends too), we have exactly one person here.

Though when things go bad, we have other people on call-- it can get hectic.

So if all goes well, they could hold out for quite some time (until something important breaks).

Re:At least it's efficient

[PurpleFloyd]

Since when has Cisco intentionally made bad hardware? I have found that while their prices are high, it is hard to make the hardware on a Cisco box fail short of running mains voltage through an Ethernet line.

noc admins

[meis31337]

I think this is great. Really... Big business could care less about their customers in recent years, but we have these guys generously keeping customsers online...even after they aren't being payed.... This is how customer service SHOULD be done. It is ashame that this is the EXCEPTION and not the true state of an industry in peril.

Re:noc admins

[hollow_man]

Let's not forget that whilst the guys are fighting to save the main NOC and keeping it running, other temporary NOCs have sprung up and the old KQ NOC in The Hague has also been resurrected.

We're all working very hard to make sure that disruption to our customers stays limited to the absolute minimum and all techies in this company have now shown to management that they can make their stand in the darkest hour of this company.

Needless to say I'm proud to work with these guys.

I think they just found out...

[ceejayoz]

It looks like they just found out they're on slashdot... they all started looking at the camera and something on the computer screens, lol.

in the end, it was Slashdot that ended them....

[bbh]

It would be funny if customers wondered why it was finally shutdown only to find that it was the Slashdot effect that took down the network. We can only wait and see...

bbh

Re:How?

[mnordstr]

They only need to keep it running for a short time, KPNQwest is trying to find a buyer for the network. Let's hope it finds one, as the european Internet will suffer a huge bandwidth shortage if the network goes down.

As a KPNQwest customer myself, I'd like to say that they've provided a great service over the years. This is absolutely the best ISP ever, no real outages, great customer service (as you might have noticed). It's a real shame it turned out like this.

The Ultimate Playground

[Caradoc]

Hell, if it weren't for my need to eat, I might put in some free time in a NOC like that one, if for no other reason than to have access to the hardware.

Call it the ultimate training lab. Make any change you want - nobody can really bitch much about it, since they're not paying for it anyway. The only motives to keep things running are to, well, keep things running...

Re:Just been on their webcam in the NOC

[Manitcor]

That's probably why they decided to stay in the NOC they aren't getting paid and the aero chairs are more comfortable than the curb in front of their apartment building.

Plus they can use the Internet access to do job hunting and play really fast QIII. (What you actually thought that they were maintaining the network?)

Actually I think it's great to see such dedication.

You fool!

[stefanlasiewski]

You can't wear a tie in a shop like that!

Just think of what could happen if your tie got caught in the bitstream!

*ZOINK* there goes access to Poland!

Wedding rings? *ZAAM* Oh damn, I think we just transported Roger's ring finger into the shared computer in Ms. Kingston's 3rd Grade class in Manchester, UK.

You gotta be careful when working around heavy data processing machinery, man! They aren't safe or simple, like a table saw or anything!

Re:Webcam!

[Indras]

These guys are way cooler than my coworkers!

It's the lack of ties around their necks. They have oxygen going to their brains. Makes people friendly and creative!

The story so far...

[hollow_man]

The actions of the guys in Brussels have been an inspiration for the rest of us in the company (those that are left).

I can pretty much assure that the UK network will keep running, definitely one of the main AS numbers of the UK (5571) has alternate transit so do most in-country networks. If anything it's the Eurorings that are at risks but even they are supported right now from Brussels AND The Hague (both IP NOCs are operational right now).

The actions of the last few days make me proud to be part of KQ, Ebone and Netcom and I really hope that we can all survive this crisis, and if we don't, it won't be from the lack of trying or courage.

just another Netcom/Ebone/KQ techie

Re:How bad will it be?

[ceejayoz]

Yes, it is designed to route around damage, but this isn't damage - it's the whole network going down at once.

Take a look at this map and you'll see the problem...

Finnish KPNQwest standing by to re-route

[Judge_Fire]

Interestingly, our local KPNQwest is leaving the mothership and this seems to be happening elsewhere, too.

On the Finnish company's page they state they're ready to re-route traffic and do what it takes. KPNQwest Norway got bought by Catch Communications and this might be the fate of the others, too. Seems Nokia is already on board as a customer.

http://www.kpnqwest.fi/yritys/uutiset/uutinen200 20 607.shtml (in Finnish)

Anyone got more on this?
J

Not Linux, Cisco and Fiberthings and HVAC

[billstewart]

The parts of KPNQwest that everybody's worried about these days aren't running either Linux or Windows - they're routers (probably Cisco) and fiber muxes of various sorts (which do have OSs for their configuration and user interfaces) and the air conditioners for the rooms the equipment runs in. Both non-HVAC categories are pretty reliable as long as there aren't technicians adding or changing things and as long as nobody backhoes any important circuits.

There are other parts of KPNQwest that do run on general-purpose computers, such as the administrative and billing databases, network management systems, etc. Probably some are running Windows or Linux, and others are probably running Solaris or HPUX.