[Info-vax] We regret to inform (VMS uptime)

[Rich Jordan]

On Aug 24, 8:19 pm, VAXman-  @SendSpamHere.ORG wrote:
> In article <566ad9c4-fde9-4b08-a998-9d69e99a1... at 19g2000vbv.googlegroups.com>, abrsvc <dansabrservi... at yahoo.com> writes:
>
>
>
> >On Aug 24, 8:07=A0pm, VAXman-  @SendSpamHere.ORG wrote:
> >> In article <6rcgi8-t1v.... at nntp.local.net>, Single Stage to Orbit <alex.b=
> >u... at munted.org.uk> writes:
>
> >> >On Wed, 2011-08-24 at 15:47 -0700, Rich Jordan wrote:
> >> >> that our second place VMS Uptime system, an Alphaserver DS10 currently
> >> >> at 932 days 20 hours, is in the Bahamas and is about 99% likely to go
> >> >> down due to the storm there which is currently projected to hit
> >> >> nearby. =A0This is after our previous (recent) high uptime box ran wel=
> >l
> >> >> over 1000 days before being knocked out by an extended power failure.
> >> >>=3D20
> >> >> Oh well.
>
> >> >Why not bring up another VMS box and cluster it with it before the storm
> >> >hits, even an emulated one on x86 laptop could do it. Then when all is
> >> >back to normal, bring it back online within the cluster and keep that
> >> >precious long uptime?=3D20
>
> >> That doesn't maintain the node's uptime; only its cluster incarnation tim=
> >e.
>
> >> However, if that's the time considered, that would do the trick. =A0Now, =
> >the
> >> only issue is was this node configured as a cluster or standalone?
> >> --
> >> VAXman- A Bored Certified VMS Kernel Mode Hacker =A0 =A0VAXman(at)TMESIS(=
> >dot)ORG
>
> >> All your spirit rack abuses, come to haunt you back by day.
> >> All your Byzantine excuses, given time, given you away.
>
> >When I started a similar thread a while ago, I was hoping to get to
> >1000 days.  At this point, I'm at 949.  I'm hoping that the power
> >systems at our datacenter will survive the storm this weekend.  I too
> >hope to exceed the 1000 days.  At some point soon, I need to change
> >the hardware which will require a reboot, so the clock will restart,
> >but I'd really like to record the 1000 day mark somehow.
>
> >I hope you survive the storm!!
>
> Hurricanes, schmurricanes...
>
> The last 3 storms in past 2 weeks here were far worse than any huuricane
> I've been through.  We were without power for 44 hours 2 weeks ago.  I've
> now got a 7kW generator and several 5 gallon gas cans. ;)
>
> Here are some pix of trees that fell in my neighborhood due to the storm
> of 2 weeks ago:
>
> http://tmesis.org/images/storm_1.jpghttp://tmesis.org/images/storm_2.jpghttp://tmesis.org/images/storm_3.jpg
>
> --
> VAXman- A Bored Certified VMS Kernel Mode Hacker    VAXman(at)TMESIS(dot)ORG
>
> All your spirit rack abuses, come to haunt you back by day.
> All your Byzantine excuses, given time, given you away.

The site is, of all things, a fuel terminal.  They have generator
backup but a corporate decision was made to power down and send
everyone home.

We're in the market for a generator at home.  Since we're in a
townhouse with attached garage we cannot store gasoline (more than 1
gallon), but I can have a propane BBQ and keep an extra 20 pound full
bottle.  A diesel genset would be great since I could store fuel for
it, but they're too heavy for my wife to handle and very expensive for
properly built ones (not no-name chinese).  So I think a tri-fuel
Yamaha or Honda; the extra propane bottle will get us through short
outages or until we can get gasoline (I do have some of the good NATO
jerry cans, but fire code prevents keeping them full at home).  Its
not a cheap option but the versatility (and the quiet operation of the
quality inverter generators from those two manufacturers) makes it
worth it for us since we don't need to run anything really big (well
pump, central AC).  I could even leave my home VMS systems up during
an outage unless the room they are in gets too warm.

So one of the requirements for our new propane grille is a large
enough undercabinet to store two propane bottles.