nanog mailing list archives

Re: Famous operational issues


From: Sean Donelan <sean () donelan com>
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 2021 17:51:07 -0500 (EST)


Biggest internet operational SUCCESS

1. Secure Shell (SSH) replaced TELNET. Nearly eliminated an entire class of security problems on the Internet. But then HTTP took over everything, so a good news/bad news.

2. Internet worms massively reduced by changed default configurations and default firewalls (Windows XP proved defaults could be changed). Still need to work on DDOS amplification.

3. Head of Line blocking in IX switches (although I miss Stephen Stuart saying "I'm Sorry" at every NANOG for a decade). Was a huge problem, which is a non-problem now.

4. Classless Inter-Domain Routing and BGP4 changed how Internet routing worked across the entire backbone, and it worked! Vince Fuller et al rebuilt the aircraft in flight, without crashing.

5. Y2K was a huge suggess because a lot of people fixed things ahead time, and almost nothing crashed (other than the National Security Agency's internal systems :-). I'll be retired before Y2038, so that's someone else's problem.



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