How engineers at Digital Equipment Corp. saved Ethernet
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How engineers at Digital Equipment Corp. saved Ethernet
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Re: How engineers at Digital Equipment Corp. saved Ethernet
#2What a great story. The spanning tree algo is under appreciated: this allowed people who didn’t understand networking to plug networks together the way you would plug extension power cables together,* making networking simple ( or alternatively insanely broken, when people had 400 computers on a single LAN with a rat’s nest of bridges and hubs…but unlike the extension cord case, nothing would catch literal fire).
* don’t try this at home or work!
Re: How engineers at Digital Equipment Corp. saved Ethernet
#3[flagged]
Re: How engineers at Digital Equipment Corp. saved Ethernet
#4What a great story. The spanning tree algo is under appreciated: this allowed people who didn’t understand networking to plug networks together the way you would plug extension power cables together,* making networking simple ( or alternatively insanely broken, when people had 400 computers on a single LAN with a rat’s nest of bridges and hubs…but unlike the extension cord case, nothing would catch literal fire). * d…
> but unlike the extension cord case, nothing would catch literal fire
Somewhere, out there, is a story of an overburdened network setup literally catching fire, and it’s hopefully making its way to us.
Re: How engineers at Digital Equipment Corp. saved Ethernet
#5What a great story. The spanning tree algo is under appreciated: this allowed people who didn’t understand networking to plug networks together the way you would plug extension power cables together,* making networking simple ( or alternatively insanely broken, when people had 400 computers on a single LAN with a rat’s nest of bridges and hubs…but unlike the extension cord case, nothing would catch literal fire). * d…
Occasionally people don't understand how to plug extension power cables together, either, especially during times of high stress and low sleep.
Once upon a time, when I was in IT support, I got a call from someone in a satellite office across town saying that their computer wouldn't turn on. A new production had begun and everyone was a bit frantic, so this was an urgent request. After asking them to hold the power switch in for a few seconds and try to turn it on again, I asked them to make sure the power cable was secure and that the computer was plugged in. It was, of course, but the computer still wouldn't turn on, so it was time to jump on the bicycle and ride across town with a new power supply in tow, figuring it would be a quick fix.
When I arrive, I see that, indeed, the computer was plugged in to a power strip. And that power strip was plugged in to itself. From then on, I always made sure to ask, "Is the computer plugged into the wall?" Saved myself a few bicycle trips that way.
Re: How engineers at Digital Equipment Corp. saved Ethernet
#6[flagged]
I think the great architectural challenge would be - how does one add that byte to the IP header in a non-breaking way?
Re: How engineers at Digital Equipment Corp. saved Ethernet
#7What a great story. The spanning tree algo is under appreciated: this allowed people who didn’t understand networking to plug networks together the way you would plug extension power cables together,* making networking simple ( or alternatively insanely broken, when people had 400 computers on a single LAN with a rat’s nest of bridges and hubs…but unlike the extension cord case, nothing would catch literal fire). * d…
> but unlike the extension cord case, nothing would catch literal fire Somewhere, out there, is a story of an overburdened network setup literally catching fire, and it’s hopefully making its way to us.
C'mon HN, I'm counting on you...
Re: How engineers at Digital Equipment Corp. saved Ethernet
#8Re: How engineers at Digital Equipment Corp. saved Ethernet
#9What a great story. The spanning tree algo is under appreciated: this allowed people who didn’t understand networking to plug networks together the way you would plug extension power cables together,* making networking simple ( or alternatively insanely broken, when people had 400 computers on a single LAN with a rat’s nest of bridges and hubs…but unlike the extension cord case, nothing would catch literal fire). * d…
Occasionally people don't understand how to plug extension power cables together, either, especially during times of high stress and low sleep. Once upon a time, when I was in IT support, I got a call from someone in a satellite office across town saying that their computer wouldn't turn on. A new production had begun and everyone was a bit frantic, so this was an urgent request. After asking them to hold the power s…
heh, with power strips that have very long cables, I've seen them plugged into themselves a few times as well.
Re: How engineers at Digital Equipment Corp. saved Ethernet
#10What a great story. The spanning tree algo is under appreciated: this allowed people who didn’t understand networking to plug networks together the way you would plug extension power cables together,* making networking simple ( or alternatively insanely broken, when people had 400 computers on a single LAN with a rat’s nest of bridges and hubs…but unlike the extension cord case, nothing would catch literal fire). * d…
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