Well we are starting a project of replacing our core switch
infrastructure for faster backbone connections between switches.
First one we’re doing has an uptime of over 7 years, 40
weeks…sigh.
We usually don’t ever get that type of uptime due to maintenance
working on power, or power outages, etc, so this is pretty rare.
–
Stevo
Hey Stevo:
[color=blue]
over 7 years, 40 weeks[/color]
I was a lot younger then.
–
Kim - 3/8/2016 7:56:54 AM
kgroneman sounds like they ‘said’:
[color=blue]
I was a lot younger then.[/color]
So my response to kgroneman’s comment is…
As was I, I was even in a previous decade of age ‘numbers’.
–
Stevo
Stevo:
Yes, that IS rare, considering that most areas have at least one
power outage every few years, for one reason or another! 
–
Susan
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Hi Susan
[color=blue]
considering that most areas have at least one
power outage every few years, for one reason or another![/color]
This made me chuckle - where I live we have power outages called “Load
Shedding”. Essentially the one and ONLY power supplier in South Africa
has a schedule by which they turn power on and off by. During our
winter months when demand is high the outages are two hours at a time
twice a day according to their schedule. That’s not counting the 24 -
36 hours that you will sit without power everytime misguided individuals
steal the power cables which, unfortunately, is a fairly regular
occurance. All of our data centers and critical equipment are protected
by massive diesel generators as UPS’s just aren’t enough. So, when we
talk power outages… we look at our wrist watches and not the calendar
Cheers,
–
Laura Buckley
Technical Consultant
IT Dynamics, South Africa
laurabuckley’s Profile: https://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=122
View this thread: https://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=497231
Hey laurabuckley:
[color=blue]
So, when we
talk power outages… we look at our wrist watches and not the
calendar[/color]
The more you tell us about where you live, the more I’m hoping your
birth certificate mess can be fixed. And to think: South Africa is
one of the most, if not the most advanced country on the entire
continent.
–
Kim - 3/9/2016 1:23:17 PM
Good grief, Laura, that must be fun to have to work around in IT. I
can understand the need for large generators with such a reality.
When I was in Hawaii, we had a power outage in our area, usually of
very short duration, about once a month, and we had a small power
plant right across the street!
When I first move to Hawaii in 1970, the phone system was pretty
interesting. It must have been quite old. You would dial a number,
and get someone on the entire opposite side of the island, with a
different exchange than you’d dialed, on a fairly regular basis. I
referred to it as telephone roulette. You never knew when you’d get
some complete stranger, but you knew it would happen fairly often!
How do individual homes deal with those kinds of outages, especially
with the weather down there? I’d imagine even a couple of hours of no
power would soften the ice cream in the freezer. Does everyone have a
standby generator?
–
Susan
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Hey Kim,
Our government would try make you believe that South Africa is a first
world country - they lie!
As for my birth certificate, well that could take another year to two
years to sort out 
Hopefully I have it by the time I can apply for
Maltese citizenship in three years time! I live in hope 
Cheers,
–
Laura Buckley
Technical Consultant
IT Dynamics, South Africa
laurabuckley’s Profile: https://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=122
View this thread: https://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=497231
Hi Susan,
Many folk in the more affluent areas have had generators installed.
With the demand for generators being so great the price of them has
nearly trippled putting them out of reach for the average, middle-income
households. Don’t get me started on the fact that unemployment figures
sit at nearly 30% and that the vast majority of our population live
below the bread line
Being a bit of a camper I’m quite equipped to do without electricity for
periods of time. I just get out my little camping stove, solar powered
lanterns, etc. I have also become very used to cold showers. I grew up
on a subsistance farm where power was a luxury only turned on at
critical times so I’m not really phased by load shedding. Having said
that, the city-slickers who have grown up without ever having to deal
with power outages like those that have hit us in the past few years
have no idea how to adapt and sit around grumbling and being grumpy.
Adapt or die I say.
Businesses like restuarants have installed generators and make a fortune
by being able to trade during power outages. Those that can afford to
simply go out for dinner! Unfortunately smaller businesses have gone
out of business because of not being able to put in generators - hurting
our economy and unemployment issues. South Africa is on the brink of a
recession with our projected economic growth to be below 1% this year.
Our government, in their wisdom, are building coal-powered,
steam-turbine power stations. Disasterous for the environment. With
our drought we don’t have enough water for these power stations to even
operate at capacity. Now they are trying to get the Russians to build
nuclear power stations at the cost of hundreds of billions essentially
bankrupting what’s left of our economy. Clever indeed - NOT!
With our severe drought water restrictions have been implemented in the
most effected areas. Where I live a warning has been issued that water
restrictions are going to be implemented within the next month or so
meaning that our water supply is going to be turned off for several
hours a day in order to force folk to use less water. Again not a big
deal for me, but a shocker for those who have never had to deal with
water shortages before. It is also estimated that we are going to have
to import approximately 600 million tons (metric) of maize this year.
Considering that our currency has lost nearly 40% of it’s value against
the US dollar in the recent times (roughly the last year) you can
imagine what this is going to do to our food prices. Our inflation rate
is already sitting at about 5%.
I live in interesting times, in an interesting country. And people
wonder why I am immigrating within the next few years once I can get my
paperwork sorted out. Every country has it’s issues. No country is
perfect. But some are by far better to live in than others
So, enough of my moaning and complaining for today. I now endevour to
go forth into my day with a positive outlook and find new ways to adapt
to whatever it is that comes my way today
Cheers,
–
Laura Buckley
Technical Consultant
IT Dynamics, South Africa
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View this thread: https://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=497231
Laura:
You certainly have the pioneer spirit, and it sounds like, with the
way things are going down there, that you need it!
Good grief, I had no idea things were that bad in South Africa. You’d
think they’d be all over solar power. Dealing with both electrical
and water droughts is pretty challenging. You have my admiration for
doing so with aplomb.
When we had a very large fire nearby recently (70,000 acres), we lost
power because the fire took out a power sub-station that fed the
area, not to mention most of the poles and all of the wires. John had
previously acquired a large power converter, and we were able to turn
on the Prius and plug into it, to use as a generator. The Prius turns
itself on and off, as needed, to recharge its batteries.
We already had a 1500 watt backup battery, with an extra battery in a
series on it, so between that and the Prius, we were able to run the
refrigerator for an hour at a time, then recharge the backup battery
with the Prius, and run the TV, internet, tablets, a small heater and
the phone with the Prius. I’ve never been so happy to have a specific
make and model of car in my life!
That kept us going for the four days or so that it took our power
company to truck in a dozen HUGE container-sized generators that they
set up in town to bring power back to those of us that hadn’t been
forced to evacuate because of the fire.
The morning after the fire started, I went into town and bought many
bottles of water, just in case the outage lasted long enough that the
reservoir tank of the well pump was depleted, and we managed to get
by fine, but you could feel the cheers throughout the area when the
electricity went back on the fifth night. We waited long enough for
the water to heat up again and took a shower, just in case the power
went off again! I’ve had to take a couple of cold showers due to
power outages, and the fewer the better, for me. LOL
I hope you’re able to get your paperwork sorted out soon! It sounds
like leaving and moving to somewhere a bit more financially sound is
a great idea!
–
Susan
Novell Community Chat Moderator
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Please read the following before posting in here:
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Hey laurabuckley:
[color=blue]
the city-slickers who have grown up without ever having to deal
with power outages like those that have hit us in the past few years
have no idea how to adapt and sit around grumbling and being grumpy.[/color]
Yes we do.
[color=blue]
Where I live a warning has been issued that water
restrictions are going to be implemented within the next month or so
meaning that our water supply is going to be turned off for several
hours a day in order to force folk to use less water.[/color]
Around here, severe water restrictions means we have to alternate
days we can water our gardens…and people get angry about that!
“I cried because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet”
–
Kim - 3/10/2016 8:18:16 AM
Have you considered a solar option? I use it camping all the time.
When I go camping I take a 50 watt solar panel, with a battery/inverter
pack to connect to it (I have it connected to more solar panels and
more batteries when I’m home, just as an emergency measure). We also
have a solar oven for cooking we use camping, and in the summer at home
so we don’t have to heat up our house.
Nevermind…living where you do, it would probably get stolen. :-\
–
Kim - 3/10/2016 8:31:54 AM
Hi Kim,
Yes I have considered solar… ZAR35K just to put my geyser onto solar!
Oh, I would also need a new roof to support the panels and I was quoted
ZAR150K for that! That’s as far as my consideration went I’m afraid
Solar panels and the other stuff that go with them are frightfully
expensive - or else I’m just not paid enough - chuckle.
Cheers,
–
Laura Buckley
Technical Consultant
IT Dynamics, South Africa
laurabuckley’s Profile: https://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=122
View this thread: https://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=497231
Hi Kim,
WHAAAAAT… you water your gardens???
I harvest the “grey” water from my washing machine to do that.
I’ve learnt to harvest and reuse my water at every turn. My monthly
household water consumpution is under 3 Kilolitres. This has an upside
to it… my water bill is incredibly low I’ve gone so far as to put
tap-locks onto all my external taps to prevent water theft. Yes, even
water gets stollen here!
Just some food for thought…
–
Laura Buckley
Technical Consultant
IT Dynamics, South Africa
laurabuckley’s Profile: https://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=122
View this thread: https://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=497231
Hi Susan,
I do recall the posts here when you experienced that terrible fire in
your area. I was so relieved that you were, relatively, alright.
Events like these tend to make us view things in a different light, that
we shouldn’t take things for granted as we never know when we will have
to do without essentials such as water.
Take care of yourself.
–
Laura Buckley
Technical Consultant
IT Dynamics, South Africa
laurabuckley’s Profile: https://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=122
View this thread: https://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=497231
Yes, I admit we waste water (well, do you ever really WASTE water?) I
live in the 2nd driest state in the U.S. and we’ve got more water than
you. I suspect it’s not your water sources, but your delivery system
that’s the problem, right?
–
Kim - 3/10/2016 2:19:06 PM
Hey laurabuckley:
[color=blue]
we shouldn’t take things for granted as we never know when we will
have to do without essentials such as water.[/color]
I’ve got 3-50 gallon (190 liters each) barrels full of drinking water
in my house and one outside to catch rain water. I also live close to
some springs and have 2 springs on my mountain property. I’m not going
to thirst to death!
–
Kim - 3/10/2016 2:15:31 PM
I have 2 of these connected to some batteries and an inverter. Not all
that expensive. It’s enough to keep my refrigerater running for a
while, depending on the weather.
http://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Watts-Volts-Monocrystalline-Solar/dp/B009Z6CW7O/
–
Kim - 3/10/2016 2:26:05 PM
Hi Kim,
The dam that feeds our area is below 20% - severe drought I’m afraid.
The delivery system in the area where I live is fairly consistant, but I
can’t say the same for the more rural areas. There folk don’t even have
water delivery to their homes. They often have to walk as much as 5 km
to fill up buckets of water for their daily use And the government
wonders why these folk embark on “Service Delivery” protests - often
getting violent. I don’t condone violence and destruction of property
but I do understand and empathize with their frustration with
non-delivery after all the huge promises made to them.
Cheers,
–
Laura Buckley
Technical Consultant
IT Dynamics, South Africa
laurabuckley’s Profile: https://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=122
View this thread: https://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=497231
Hi Kim,
Thanks for that. Amazon don’t ship that type of thing to South Africa -
would never get passed customs.
Here’s something similar that is locally available:
http://www.takealot.com/ecoficiency-foldable-150w-solar-panel-kit-silver-black/PLID40891031
Look at the price - way out of reach for mere mortals such as myself I’m
afraid
Cheers,
–
Laura Buckley
Technical Consultant
IT Dynamics, South Africa
laurabuckley’s Profile: https://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=122
View this thread: https://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=497231