Two Out Of Three National Id Database Servers Down, Crisis Imminent

[taurus8]

sounds like a little sabotage just at this time....hmmmmm

[somchaiq]

Does somebody know who I have to contact to help? Looks like they need a good IT to fix the Problem.

[lomatopo]

In the article the OP linked the author subsequently says...

"As a disclaimer let me say I did not research this myself and merely translated the report that was read out on TV, so I did not interview the BORA people myself."

and

"I think it would be safe to guess that the only reason that replacement computers have not been procured is that the, ahem, minor issues of payment have not yet been resolved rather than any ulterior, wider ranging motive."

The Smart Card ID issuance problems from District Offices is definitely a huge, but different, problem.

[anterian]

How <deleted> hard is it to replace a server?

I swear, the Thais must have contracted out their IT to my employer. My company has had a massive problem for the past 3 months with its servers. Maybe they need to enforce a rule of no halo or warcraft games during work hours.

The Nation blog sever lost its database over 2 months ago, it is still not fixed. If they are representative of other organisations it is not so much the machines as the IT staff that use them. Which returns us to education, just how good is a Thai degree in IT when something goes wrong. Slightly off topic, nuclear power stations are also mostly contrilled by computers, particularly the automatic safety systems.

[Greenside]

and they want to build a nuclear power station here.......

heard at thai nuclear power plant :

"What are those red lights blinking?"

"Ah those. mai ben rai, its just the cooling system on reactor 1 and 2 that is broken. But dont worry, reactor 3's is still working"

In amongst all the Windows and pirate software jokes this really is the issue we should all be worrying about. National pride, vested supplier interest and the usual twisted political infighting will almost certainly override common sense at some point and the fallout from this kind of management incompetence will be real and deadly.

[dunkin2012]

That's what this country gets when they employ 3 Dong-A brand Pentium 4 desktops running "Windows 97 server". No doubt Mr. Somchai IT had his cousin's business provide the server solution...

...oh yes.... submarines and nuclear power plants. Good point. Most of these politicians can hardly run a somtam stand without corruption...

great witty skill , haha.... that Somtam thing + Sub and nuclear power plants = servers' crash my new maths formula

how did he come up with this cracking joke?

very amused!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited May 11, 2011 by dunkin2012

[PlastikbinLina]

Good that the country will soon have almost 10 submarines though!

Yes but that's an awful lot of submarines just to clean the bottom of an aircraft carrier isn't it?

[animatic]

The real question is what has gone so badly wrong with the first two servers that they can't be fixed...

When there's proper hardware involved (from Sun, HP, IBM, etc.) - not Linux boxes, or at least not Linux boxes without multiple Xeons / Opterons, the vendor can swap out motherboards readily enough, so any hardware problem can be sorted.

I do know of a case of a RAID array where 2 disks went at the same time (actually more common than you'd think as the hardware was bought at the same time, and all the disks are the same size from the same manufacturer, and often from the same production batch...), so that the company had to revert to a backup. But even there, the thing was working again the following morning as the failed disks had been replaced with new ones. (and they've apparently got a whole server still online, so no issues with data being lost...)

Whatever part or parts are broken should be replaceable in a matter of hours (maybe a day or two if they have to get something Fedex'd in, or need a technician from the manufacturer to fly in to do the work... - i.e. I could possibly understand servers being down for an extended period if the airport was closed again, but there's no valid excuse at the moment).

You are supposed to stagger RAID disk life cycles and swap out mirror disks to other less frequently used systems after a break in. That way you don't have two identical disks from the same vendor on the same lifecycle and same usage load....

Edited May 11, 2011 by soundman

[anterian]

Well at least I know now why my Thai partner has been stuck with a piece of yellow paper for several months. But it also illustrates how long this problem has existed unresolved.

This is the 3rd network collapse in two months, are they connected or just coincidence, perhaps the Chinese know :jap:

[KKK]

How <deleted> hard is it to replace a server?

I swear, the Thais must have contracted out their IT to my employer. My company has had a massive problem for the past 3 months with its servers. Maybe they need to enforce a rule of no halo or warcraft games during work hours.

I'm sure they're not playing games on them. Can't think of any that are compatable with Windows 3.11.

Don't you mean FreeDOS

Edited May 11, 2011 by KKK

[kutjebu]

I'ts not the server.It's the politic who is down.

How convenient for nothinverhe ser trking as we near election time. I could see something coming, but this one surprised me.

[KKK]

What the story doesn't say is HOW LONG they have lost these servers. An hour? A day? A Week? A Month?

Typical useless reporting here........NO FACTS

[Konini]

It's not technical nor happenstance.Quite deliberate....

Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.

[ianh68]

"We don't need no stinkin' clusters," he said, walking away and whistiling over Walrus lyrics, I am the eggman, I am the walrus....

"We don't need no education"...an anthem for the people?

[R10wota]

Sounds like typical government IT.

Before:

Everyone scared to spend money on a new server

After:

Everyone blamed for not spending money on a new server

One more Before and After Scenario:

Before (the News) : Crisis not Imminent

After (this Article) : Crisis Imminent (even if no one understands why)

What a headline..... "Crisis Imminent"

[Card]

National? <deleted>? Haven't they heard of clusters and san's? I'd be happy to install some proper systems for them.

pssst.... I'm not sure they really want proper systems.

[Buchholz]

What the story doesn't say is HOW LONG they have lost these servers. An hour? A day? A Week? A Month?

Typical useless reporting here........NO FACTS

It's coming from a blog entry not a news organization, so don't expect much.

[meelousee]

How <deleted> hard is it to replace a server?

I swear, the Thais must have contracted out their IT to my employer. My company has had a massive problem for the past 3 months with its servers. Maybe they need to enforce a rule of no halo or warcraft games during work hours.

I'm sure they're not playing games on them. Can't think of any that are compatable with Windows 3.11.

The IBM AS400 will run Win 3.11.08 and it happens they are the old ones from the Bangkok Bank, and the Amsing(sp?)bank guess who bought them? They were installed with Windows For Workgroups for the workstations which has, poker, chess, and several Windows network games

The IBM System/38 was introduced in November 1980 as a minicomputer for general business and departmental use. It was replaced by the AS/400 midrange computer in 1988 which was rebranded as the eServer iSeries in 2000

[KKK]

What the story doesn't say is HOW LONG they have lost these servers. An hour? A day? A Week? A Month?

Typical useless reporting here........NO FACTS

It's coming from a blog entry not a news organization, so don't expect much.

Well without some FACTS stating HOW LONG most of the comments here are jumping the gun critisizing the Thais for delays when the delay is not known...

[h5kaf]

It's not technical nor happenstance.Quite deliberate....

Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.

This succinctly summarises most 'official announcements'.

[MaiChai]

What a major player in the world and a leading light in South East Asia???????????????????? - Help!

Have you seen the neighbours? :unsure:

If they have budget to build those huge government offices over in Chang Wattana, then they have money to buy the computers. I mean not just the computers but foreign expertise to do it for them. Because thats how the Thai government departments work. They don't do the work themselves; they get huge budgets, which they skim and then they hire buddy companies who then skim, who then hire foreign companies who actually know what they are doing and do the work for them. Look at the train to the airport; financed by the government, 'managed' by SRT, then built by others. Could the SRT of Thailand do it themselves; like <deleted> they could, and they certainly would not loose face trying. But they feel big by calling the shots...

[jimbeam1]

Microsoft must have shut down their pirated copies of SQL Server.

You could just be right there.

jb1

[swerver]

A picture of their server room just leaked.

To wake up your dreamers about Land of Smiles and Sex

From many years experience working you has to understand this photo showing total mayhem is not the exception but the NORM when Thais are left to themselves operating equipment. The word PM (no that does not mean in this case Prime Minister) it means PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE this word to Thais is like everything else they do not want to bother with, FARANG and they are going back to sleeping, a subject they do best.

As mentioned in this Forum and its server, this morning it was on the blink again and I received a message: Server Overloaded – Try again sometime Later.

Thailand as a country is a wonderful country, but for the rest, that is another subject.

[animatic]

A picture of their server room just leaked.

To wake up your dreamers about Land of Smiles and Sex

From many years experience working you has to understand this photo showing total mayhem is not the exception but the NORM when Thais are left to themselves operating equipment. The word PM (no that does not mean in this case Prime Minister) it means PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE this word to Thais is like everything else they do not want to bother with, FARANG and they are going back to sleeping, a subject they do best.

As mentioned in this Forum and its server, this morning it was on the blink again and I received a message: Server Overloaded – Try again sometime Later.

Thailand as a country is a wonderful country, but for the rest, that is another subject.

Well I have little doubts about disarray in most IT rooms here in Thailand, but Thaivisa's servers are in Hong Kong I believe.

Edited May 11, 2011 by animatic

[sarahsbloke]

"Procurement to replace the broken servers were still ongoing."

How long does it take for someone from headquarters to drive to Pantrip Plaza?

If they don't know the way, they could always take a taxi!

[frenchcaptainbob]

How convenient for nothing to be working as we near election time. I could see something coming, but this one surprised me.

Yes can seem very innovative and unpredictable. Who's going to cast a stone ? The UK failed on their Social Security servers a few years ago, did not they, or did you forget already ?

I'm a French national. Last time I wanted to renew my Driving Licence in France, a couple of years ago ( got to be renewed as I carry ABCDE ) it took 6 months. Officially I was a resident in France, as stated on my official documents. I bet they came to doubt I was not, though certainly could not PROVE it. They explained they were in a trouble to reach the place of first issuing, French Polynesia. The phone line was wanting did they say. How do you like that one ? Six months, man...

When I wanted to renew my passport, being to French law a resident in a foreign country ( though to Thailand I am a non-immigrant ), I checked with the French consulate.

Had to wait for THREE months, carrying a piece of paper like you are speaking about. Of course could not travel. The Consulate told me, not a problem, a chance for me to visit in Thailand throughout... The French passports can be renewed in France only. The Consulate is just for transmission... Three months, man...

[frenchcaptainbob]

And why they can't make back up of the existing server. Surely, a lot of data, but surely ministry of interior would have some resources

I thought everything in this country had paper back-up in quadruplicate, or is it just my marriage visa

Would be paper, unfortunately a huge fire might have broken out in the house, and everything burnt to the last page.

A shame ?

Look up for the French bank Credit Lyonnais on the WEB.

Don't rememember the National Pension system, in the UK, broke up a few years ago ?

[animatic]

Having a French Permite du Conduire myself, and seeing my ex father in laws original from 1938, with the original picture still in use, I have long been assured you need not renew them at all. It is for life, treat it well.

[Phil Conners]

A picture of their server room just leaked.

To wake up your dreamers about Land of Smiles and Sex

From many years experience working you has to understand this photo showing total mayhem is not the exception but the NORM when Thais are left to themselves operating equipment. The word PM (no that does not mean in this case Prime Minister) it means PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE this word to Thais is like everything else they do not want to bother with, FARANG and they are going back to sleeping, a subject they do best.

As mentioned in this Forum and its server, this morning it was on the blink again and I received a message: Server Overloaded – Try again sometime Later.

Thailand as a country is a wonderful country, but for the rest, that is another subject.

Well I have little doubts about disarray in most IT rooms here in Thailand, but Thaivisa's servers are in Hong Kong I believe.

Singapore actually. The problems this morning was caused by unusual high traffic loads over a short period. It was quickly back to normal again. These things can happen.

[phillies]

That's it, about time I do something, I am donating an old IBM 386 with DOS and an Apple IIe to keep this country afloat