The internet was designed so that if any part is broken data traffic is rerouted and so info flow is never stopped. But info flow stopped for Alaska Airlines yesterday.
The airline had to cancel 78 Alaska and Horizon Air flights, delaying some 6,800 passengers. The biggest delays were at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, but flights were "significantly delayed" across its 64-airport network.
OK... so why did it not reroute in a split second?
The computer problems began when a Sprint fiber-optic cable running in the ground by railroad tracks between Chicago and Milwaukee was accidentally cut early Monday morning during maintenance work, said Crystal Davis, crisis communication manager for Sprint. The cable carried Alaska Airline's connection to the Sabre ticketing system.
Exactly. So then what?
But then, said Davis, the overhead fiber-optic cable between Tacoma and Portland that had been rerouting the Sabre connection was also cut.
Well, why did that not also reroute instantly? There are parallel systems and lines as well. So it is no longer true, or it never was true, that the internet automatically reroutes? This is significant. At a very minimum, everyone should have "no internet" back up manual systems if their business depends on the internet.
But more to the point, if it is not true our internet routes data traffic automatically, then one of our fundamental logistical assumptions is not true. And we paid a lot for it.
Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.
The airline had to cancel 78 Alaska and Horizon Air flights, delaying some 6,800 passengers. The biggest delays were at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, but flights were "significantly delayed" across its 64-airport network.
OK... so why did it not reroute in a split second?
The computer problems began when a Sprint fiber-optic cable running in the ground by railroad tracks between Chicago and Milwaukee was accidentally cut early Monday morning during maintenance work, said Crystal Davis, crisis communication manager for Sprint. The cable carried Alaska Airline's connection to the Sabre ticketing system.
The Sprint spokeswoman said when a cable is cut, the digital traffic is automatically rerouted.
Exactly. So then what?
But then, said Davis, the overhead fiber-optic cable between Tacoma and Portland that had been rerouting the Sabre connection was also cut.
Well, why did that not also reroute instantly? There are parallel systems and lines as well. So it is no longer true, or it never was true, that the internet automatically reroutes? This is significant. At a very minimum, everyone should have "no internet" back up manual systems if their business depends on the internet.
But more to the point, if it is not true our internet routes data traffic automatically, then one of our fundamental logistical assumptions is not true. And we paid a lot for it.
Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.
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