Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 20:45:52 -0500 (EST) From: BCPL.NET SysAdmin To: BCPL.NET News Subject: BCPL.NET NEWS: Unexpected Service Interruption -------------------------------------------------------- UNIX SERVER CRASH CAUSES UNEXPECTED SERVICE INTERRUPTION -------------------------------------------------------- At 7:59 PM this evening (Friday, December 13) our main UNIX server (mail.bcpl.net) crashed. I rebooted the server at 8:25 PM, and all seems to be well for the moment. The symptoms you may have experienced depended on what you were trying to do while the server was down. If you were already dialed in when the crash occurred, you could no longer send or receive e-mail, access the BCPL.NET web site, or make Telnet or FTP connections to your UNIX shell account. If you were trying to make a dialup connection while the server was down, you could not because your username and password couldn't be authenticated. If you're the superstitious sort you might make a connection between the crash and the fact that it's Friday the 13th. In reality this crash and the others mail.bcpl.net has suffered recently are just a sign of old age. It is a Sun SPARCserver 1000E that has been in continuous use here since June 1996, but the design dates from 1994. Server-quality UNIX computers like the 1000E have a much longer useful lifespan than your average desktop PC, but this one is well past its prime and is becoming increasingly unreliable. We're looking into a replacement, but it will take time. Our apologies for the interruption, and thanks for your patience. Chip -- BCPL.NET INTERNET SERVICES 320 York Road Towson, MD 21204-5179 U.S.A. CONTACTS: -------- Web Site: http://www.bcpl.net Administration & Policy: ispadmin@bcpl.net 410-887-6180 Sales, Renewals, Account Status: accounts@bcpl.net 410-887-4172 Technical Support (Help Desk): help@bcpl.net 410-887-3297 Usenet News Newsgroup Requests news-admin@bcpl.net 410-887-6180 E-Mail & Newsgroup Abuse Reports: abuse@bcpl.net 410-887-6180 Domain Name Service Issues: dnsadmin@bcpl.net 410-887-6180 FAX: 410-887-2091