Fed II Down

[drj30]

Folks, seems that the power outtage that we had before at the FED II Server site has caused more problems that just now showed up. The problem is currently being worked on and Fed just might be up by the end of the weekend. Right now they are also having problems with the email server and the website server as well and are trying to fix those also. We might be able to get an Email sent out over the Star Email, but not sure. So stay tuned as things happen.

Djentsch

[catspaws]

Here is the last update received from Freya:

IB staff and the engineers and technicians in the states have been working through the weekend, but there is no change to the ETA. The server has been rebuilt, and they are now working to restore emails, the web site, and the Fed2 files. Hazed should have more information later, but just know there's real progress, and we're closer to getting Fed2 up and running soon. Be sure to give Bella, Hazed and Freya a huge thank you for all the hours they're putting in to restore the game as fast as possible.

Cats

[drj30]

This just in From Fed Control:

We will start issuing all status updates through the website - Alan figures about once an hour.
Fi is starting to restore the full website, no ETA on that yet.

Let everyone know they can get updates on the website.

Thanks!
Barb

[nolepaul]

Thank you for the updates and thank you for all you guys do to run an awesome game. Im working on recruiting a friend to start playing once its back up.

[drj30]

For those that don't know yet, the Fed II website is UP. That's right, the web page is working as i'm typing this. there is a message from Hazed on it about what happened and as we all know, more updates will be posted there as things progress.

[trilleth]

As a temporary chat location, anyone is welcome to log-in to the Federation Refuge Camp. Point your telnet, SimpleMu*, or other MUSH-appropriate software at:

74.136.10.229
PORT: 6804

Create a character with one of your Federation character names in this manner:
create NAME PASSWORD (all caps not necessary, but it /will/ be case-sensitive)

For example:
create Trilleth bouncy (nope, that's not it, so don't bother trying)

There's not much there... why bother for a temporary MUSH? Not sure how many it can hold, either. But at least it's something, for those of you who just might miss chatting.

Trill

[drj30]

I just got this in Dealing with the website:

There's a small issue with the DNS zone files - which means you can't find the server in cyberspace. It's there and Alan's busy rebuilding Fed2. But you won't be able to find the website again untill DNS is sorted out. (DNS is the phone directory of the internet - 1 bad listing and Kablooey!)

Barb

[trilleth]

DJ:

I was off the computer for a whopping two hours since we put the refuge site up. Guess when you logged in?

Sorry!

Trill
in severe withdrawls now

[drj30]

I already know i'm gonna be on the hit list for posting this here, but hell with it.
There is a new update about Fed on the website, which is back up again. might take a little for things on the internet to update, but the site is UP. There is very IMPORTANT news on the site. Please take that news with a shaker of salt. Things happen that are beyond anyone's control, lets pull together and make Fed as great as we know it is and stick together through the think and thin.

BTW, i'll have been married for 1 year tomorrow to Marina, also it is her birthday as well. so please don't kill me for bringing this news to you all.

Djentsch

[catspaws]

There has been an update from Hazed on the website at www.ibgames.net/fednews/bulletin/bulletin02.html.

What's the saying, "Good news, and bad news?"

Cats

[smitty]

ouch, that is bad news from the fed front... i don't especially want to make any other comment. just go read the "special bulletin"

as for you DJ, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! and happy birthday to m.

[mell]

whats the bad news I cant get the web site to load up, and whats the good news to

Mell

[catspaws]

Oh, it could be much worse. We shall prevail. And soon we'll all be able to bop DJ with an I-beam at the Welcome Back party in the Cantina to congratulate him on one year of married...bliss?

Cats

[catspaws]

Assuming Mell may not be the only one having trouble accessing the web site, here's the special bulletin from Hazed in its entirety:

---------------------------

PROGRESS REPORT: WEBSITE
In a case of two steps forward and one step back, after we got the website running yesterday, a problem developed with the DNS (the telephone directory for the internet). That problem has been fixed now, but changes to DNS records take a while to propagate around the net, depending on how often your ISP updates its records, so it may take a day for that to be resolved.


THE GAME
Meanwhile, Alan is working to get Fed2 up and running again and if all goes well he'll have it back later today - or if he runs into problems it'll be tomorrow sometime.

So once your ISP has updated its DNS records you will be able to log back on.

However, when you do, you will find that the old records are not there, and you will need to set up a new account and character from scratch - and make sure you use the same avatar name.


DON'T PANIC!
Yes, you're going to be a groundhog when you log into the game, but we will be bumping everyone back up to your old ranks so you haven't lost all of your hard work. See below for details about how that's going to work.


WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO THE BACKUPS?
As I am sure you know, we take regular backups of all the files, so in the case of emergencies we can back out to a previous version. In this case, what happened was one of the few things backups can't protect us from - a corrupted file system.

The cause of this corruption is, we think, a knock-on effect from the problems back in June that were caused by the power outage. Alan has been examining the backup files and he feels that it is too dangerous to try to use the ones taken since the outage. If we put those files back in we could end up with the same situation in another few months.

The last reliable backup is as long ago as the beginning of June. It's safer to start from scratch and bump everybody up from groundhog!

We're extremely unhappy that this has happened because we put a lot of effort into our backup strategy. We will be installing extra hardware to cope with this sort of problem from now on.


HOW TO STOP BEING A GROUNDHOG
1) Set up a new account and character with your old character name.

2) Account ID and password do not have to be the same.

3) Once we have our email system set up so that the feedback address is working, I'll tell you what to do next.

Meanwhile, you will be able to log on, and have fun - but please don't promote above Commander, because all my magic promoting tools work from that level!

[mell]

Thanks Cats

Mell