USPS Server Meltdown

m2pc writes "The US Postal Service is experiencing major server issues for its shipping API web services. After spending about an hour debugging my own eCommerce software for a client, I found the problem was with the USPS shipping servers being unavailable. Further research showed that message boards for OS Commerce and other e-Commerce packages are filling with posts from angry users who are experiencing crashing Web store applications and frustrated customers. Developers are scrambling to find interim solutions, from hard-coding fixed price shipping, to 'rolling their own' shipping calculation APIs based on the USPS Fixed Rate Zone Tables, to disabling the USPS option altogether. One user reported yesterday that a call to USPS yielded the response 'we expect it to be down all day.' As of 9:20 AM PST the service is still unavailable."

Comments

Bailout?

[erik76]

Sounds like the USPS is just angling to get some of that federal bailout money! Oh wait...

Re:Bailout?

[imamac]

Actually, I work for the USPS. And I always wondered what the big red button that says "DO NOT PUSH" actually did. Oops.

Proof that computers corrupt all!!!!

[banbeans]

"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds"

But the computers will!!!

What can Brown do for you?

[HeavyD14]

Provide a web service, apparently.

Re:What can Brown do for you?

[Anonymous Coward]

While UPS is up and USPS is down, do you happen to know if the UPS at USPS is the cause for the UPDT (unplanned down time)?

Great idea!

[Anonymous Coward]

When servers go down, the best idea is to Slashdot them.

Couldn't have come at a worse time

[RemoWilliams84]

This is sure to piss off a lot of people being between that Thanksgiving and Christmas period. Lets hope nobody that ordered me something is having problems.

Re:Couldn't have come at a worse time

[maxume]

The crap I get, I hope that people buying me things are having problems.

Through snow and sleet and driving rain...

[NinthAgendaDotCom]

...but not through server crashes, apparently. :-)

What would USPS do?

[140Mandak262Jamuna]

It would probably snailmail patches to all the vendors connecting to their site ;-)

Express Delivery

[Statecraftsman]

An unexpected error occurred. An exception occured in module:

USPS

at address: 0x1234 Main St., Hometown USA, zc=0x10001

Re:Very poor design

[sunking2]

This is why my company ships 2 of everything that is ordered. One via USPS and the other by UPS, just in case one gets lost. Always need redundancy.

Re:That's what you get....

[lysergic.acid]

that's why i design all my e-commerce sites to accept cash only. (always makes sure the bills are facing up before you feed them into the floppy drive!)

Re:Sounds like fun.

[Fulcrum of Evil]

Did you get the security guy who came in and told you not to surf porn on company time, then ramble about how the USPS computer network was more important than the DOD? I got that, and they tried to do good cop/bad cop on us - it was comical.

Re:Very poor design

[WilyCoder]

Does your company offer mail order brides?

Re:That's what you get... for not using FedEx

[Anonymous Coward]

Can you imagine FedEx or UPS being afflicted by such an issue?

Having worked in IT for one of them this year... yes, without question, yes.

Re:USPS rate API SUCKS

[SnarfQuest]

If you want to get USPS's attention, FexEx them a package. For some reason, it really pisses them off.