Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watnot!watmath!clyde!rutgers!ames!ucbcad!ucbvax!buit1.bu.EDU!jsol
From: jsol@buit1.bu.EDU.UUCP
Newsgroups: mod.protocols.tcp-ip
Subject: [dae%psuvax1.bitnet@jade.Berkeley.EDU: Network horror story]
Message-ID: <8703220422.AA13307@buita.bu.edu>
Date: Sat, 21-Mar-87 23:22:02 EST
Article-I.D.: buita.8703220422.AA13307
Posted: Sat Mar 21 23:22:02 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 22-Mar-87 16:41:04 EST
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Distribution: world
Organization: The ARPA Internet
Lines: 43
Approved: tcp-ip@sri-nic.arpa


This won't be news to any of you who are bitnet people, but I think
it will be to some others.

Bitnet has a routing system based on static lookup tables (hey, IBM
software rules!).  Updated versions of these tables are generated once
a month and sent all over bitnet...

One problem with this is that the huge amount of data swamps several
major network links (like PSUVM<->OHSTVMA).  Recent mail from our
fearless leaders at BITNIC follows:

        From LINKFAIL@BITNIC.BITNET Tue Mar 17 09:23:08 1987
        Received: by psuvax1.UUCP (4.12/4.7)
                id AA18551; Tue, 17 Mar 87 09:22:57 est
        Message-Id: <8703171422.AA18551@psuvax1.UUCP>
        Received: From bitnic.bitnet By psuvax1.bitnet ; 17 Mar 87 14:22:37 GMT
        Received: by BITNIC (Mailer X1.23b) id 6139; Tue, 17 Mar 87 09:08:23 EST
        Date:         Tue, 17 Mar 87 09:01:39 EST
        Reply-To:     Scott Earley <EARLEY@BITNIC>
        Sender: BITNIC LINKFAIL List <LINKFAIL@BITNIC>
        From: Scott Earley <EARLEY@BITNIC>
        Subject:      "March" routing tables
        To: "Dave Eckhardt (Penn SU Comp Sci VLSI Dev" <DAE@PSUVAX1>

        What were once known as the "March routing tables" have been
        twice delayed from delivery -- both irregular circumstances.
        The proposed solution to the immediate dilemma is as follows:

        Tables for all sites on the Penn State side of the PSU-Ohio link
        will be sent through the UCBCMSA--CUNYVM link as usual.  Tables
        for all sites on the Ohio side of the PSU-Ohio link will be put
        on tape and mailed overnight to a pre-appointed individual who
        will reintroduce them into the network from there.  This will
        eliminate sending about 200 tables through the PSUVM--OHSTVMA
        link.  In the future, those tables will be generated by a site
        on the far side, as a more permanent solution.

        ...

That's right.  Mag tape.

--Daemon