Computer Crash Wipes Out Years of Air Force Investigation Records

#1

Post by joering2 » Tue, Jun 14, 2016, 9:18 PM UTC

Computer Crash Wipes Out Years of Air Force Investigation Records
govexec.com

Re: Computer Crash Wipes Out Years of Air Force Investigation Records

#2

Post by jtchang » Tue, Jun 14, 2016, 10:44 PM UTC

Really? Like there are no backups? Is this amateur hour?

Re: Computer Crash Wipes Out Years of Air Force Investigation Records

#3

Post by stonogo » Tue, Jun 14, 2016, 11:06 PM UTC

jtchang wrote: post #2

Really? Like there are no backups? Is this amateur hour?

This is a Lockheed snafu, so yes, it is amateur hour.

Much of the data is backed up, and more of it will be retrievable from original sources. Maybe not all of it; I'll be very interested to see what gaps remain when they declare the issue resolved.

Re: Computer Crash Wipes Out Years of Air Force Investigation Records

#4

Post by molecule » Tue, Jun 14, 2016, 11:10 PM UTC

> He also criticized the Air Force for notifying Congress on Friday afternoon, five days after senior service leaders was told about the problem.

Prime time for burying bad news.

Re: Computer Crash Wipes Out Years of Air Force Investigation Records

#5

Post by mnarayan01 » Tue, Jun 14, 2016, 11:27 PM UTC

jtchang wrote: post #2

Really? Like there are no backups? Is this amateur hour?

Edit: Agreed.

Re: Computer Crash Wipes Out Years of Air Force Investigation Records

#6

Post by _quick_q » Tue, Jun 14, 2016, 11:32 PM UTC

jtchang wrote: post #2

Really? Like there are no backups? Is this amateur hour?

From the article:

>> It’s possible that some data is backed up at local bases where investigations originated.

Re: Computer Crash Wipes Out Years of Air Force Investigation Records

#7

Post by koolba » Tue, Jun 14, 2016, 11:32 PM UTC

mnarayan01 wrote: post #5

jtchang wrote: post #2

Really? Like there are no backups? Is this amateur hour?

Edit: Agreed.

That's a pretty stupid reason not to have backups. If anything, a lack of backups makes me feel like any safeguards for protecting PII would be sub par.

Re: Computer Crash Wipes Out Years of Air Force Investigation Records

#8

Post by jdavis703 » Tue, Jun 14, 2016, 11:37 PM UTC

stonogo wrote: post #3

jtchang wrote: post #2

Really? Like there are no backups? Is this amateur hour?

This is a Lockheed snafu, so yes, it is amateur hour. Much of the data is backed up, and more of it will be retrievable from original sources. Maybe not all of it; I'll be very interested to see what gaps remain when they declare the issue resolved.

The cynic in me says the gaps will be for whoever was being investigated and triggered this corruption.

Re: Computer Crash Wipes Out Years of Air Force Investigation Records

#9

Post by toyg » Tue, Jun 14, 2016, 11:53 PM UTC

The joys of IT. Back in the day, to wipe years of records you had to burn or shred tons of paper in multiple locations. Now you just crash one little system... Despite 20 years of Microsoft-induced crashes, clear best practices and yadda yadda, most organizations will still have a single backup system for any given data repository -- if they have one at all.

And the answer when shit happens is "outsource! Go to the cloud!" -- so that local managers won't be responsible when the snafu happens and data is lost (if it happens to Google, it can and will happen to anyone).

Progress, eh.

Re: Computer Crash Wipes Out Years of Air Force Investigation Records

#10

Post by taneq » Tue, Jun 14, 2016, 11:56 PM UTC

Ah, the great flood of '76. Thousands of records were lost.

Very convenient, that flood.