Internet structure problems

[DavidBarkey]

This is a question for those that understand the workings of the internet .
What is your take on the failure that brought down Rogers internet . Other than keeping some cash on hand , how does the average person protect themselves from problems like that with interact not working in so many places .

[Timj]

I don't think there is much more we can do. I think having cash and at least few days of food is the minimum.
It doesn't seem to make sense that everyone relies so much on a single system with little to no backup. Cash is good if the business is set up to take it. And to think there's a serious want to do away with cash.

I was in a major fast food restaurant and there system went down and the registers wouldn't work. Everyone just gave up and stood there, deer in the headlights, except one older lady. She said does kitchen still work? Got the manager to get her some cash and she was taking orders on paper and making change and teaching the kids there how to do it old school. The young manager said I don't think we should be doing this, she asked her if she was just going to stand their or close the doors.
There's been enough wakeup calls recently to major infrastructure that was shut down due to E issues. I sure hope that something is being done.

My rant for today.

[Eugen]

Good rant Tim! they're crazy stupid to think a cashless system is good. Too vulnerable to accidents or attacks. On the other hand, the local kids have big problems taking my order for a guy named Eugene. They ask me how you spell that and still get it wrong. Doesn't bother me but what's the chance this person can do basic 13-7.35?

[Eugen]

@DavidBarkey , it's very surprising to me that something of that magnitude could happen. From my knowledge about computing it seems to me there are only two possible causes. Either an extremely incompetent structural design of their entire national infrastructure, or they got hacked. But even if they got hacked, it seems to me too much dependency among systems. Both their cellular and all internet infrastructure went down, across the whole country. Interdependence of components is very bad. It should never be done in critical systems. They need to hire me to make it work like a Case tractor!

[JSinMO]

This situation is a good indication of how fragile a communication network can be. Could a company build a more robust system with redundancy? Yes but most don’t because of the cost vs there profits. Even if they did a major outage could still happen. As far as what can we as individuals do? I think Tim is right. Try to have a little extra of the things you need so you don’t have to scramble around when something happens.

[Timj]

Good rant Tim! they're crazy stupid to think a cashless system is good. Too vulnerable to accidents or attacks. On the other hand, the local kids have big problems taking my order for a guy named Eugene. They ask me how you spell that and still get it wrong. Doesn't bother me but what's the chance this person can do basic 13-7.35?

Yep, that day in the restaurant, aside from all she was doing, that gray haired lady was trying to teach the kids how to make change and count it back. It was priceless.

[propane1]

Great rant Tim. And a no cash world is what “ they “ want, who ever they are.
And not much the little people can do. All control by governments, big business and the rich people of the world.
I keep cash on hand. Can’t trust any thing these days. Convenience has takin over the world whether we like it of not.

Sunday ramble.


Noel

[DavidBarkey]

Great comments guys. I was watch an old scifi movie last night and the Aliens created a massive solar flare that wreaked havoc on earths weather and wiped out all communication , interrupted all electrical systems . Now that was just an old movie . But what if there was a massive solar flair for real . The kind that would last for days and bomb bard the earth . We already know solar flairs can cause all kinds of problem . They go on about what if a big meteorite hit , well what if a large solar event ?

[Eugen]

We have a plentiful life style now. Imagine a global shortage of food and other resources.

[propane1]

I don’t want to imagine that. People would turn very nasty and it would a very un safe situation.

Noel