Jeff Kell <[log in to unmask]> warns:

> My my, you are a trusting soul.  <cisco-bias> I would insist on read

Well, we're kinda forced into being that trusting.  When you only have two
people in IS, something has to give somewhere...

> only telnet access and/or the read community string.  As it stands, you
> cannot validate the status of your line (is it really down on your end,
> or is MCI throwing you a line?  Are you dropping packets?  How many?
> What's the error rate?  If it's frame relay, how many burst packets are
> getting zapped?  How often?  Are you getting the CIR you are paying
> for?).  As for http, the router can do that too with the proper version
> and configuration.  Where is NAT?  You *should* know!
> Is it dynamic?  Static?  A combination?  Is it overloading a pool?
> Typically you do the NAT, although I could also buy into MCI giving you
> RFC1918 addresses and using an unnumbered serial port to get to them,
> but I would doubt they want to offload the NAT overhead to their border
> router [that would be hideous]).  </cisco-bias>

As it stands, I wouldn't know a burst packet from a bratwurst!  That's why
we pay the FR provider (which may not be MCI much longer!) to monitor the
network for us.

> You would be surprised what your upstream provider won't tell you.

And you might be surprised at what I wouldn't understand even if they did
tell me...

BTW, why the <cisco-bias> </cisco-bias> tags?  We are using Cisco routers,
if that matters....

Jim Phillips                            Manager of Information Systems
E-Mail: [log in to unmask]     Therm-O-Link, Inc.
Phone: (330) 527-2124                   P. O. Box 285
  Fax: (330) 527-2123                   10513 Freedom Street
  Web: http://www.tolwire.com  Garrettsville, Ohio  44231