Facebook

Login

Support Sailonline

If you haven't already - join the SAILONLINE YACHT CLUB!

Please also consider making a donation - all amounts are greatly appreciated!

Board » General Discussion » Global Challenge downtime - how to cope with server outages

Page: 1 2 Next

Posted by
Jeroen


Users avatar

Posts
245
Registered at
2007-08-15 09:17:47
2012-11-26 10:59:26 - Global Challenge downtime - how to cope with server outages
Hi all,

As a result of DNS problems sol was down for some time. This always sparks a debate on how to deal wit it, lets see what the views are and come up with a couple of scenario's.

We might be able to implement some standard rules from this so that we have fixed guidelines on how to deal with a situation depending on the time it lasted for example. Keep in mind that the type of race that is affected plays a big part in this as well.

In this case a few where able to access the servers during downtime by using a workaround that they implied or still had after a earlier problem.

Looking forward to read your feedback on this.

I am a ex-admin of SOL who joins in from time to time.
Posted by
NZL_Scotsman


Users avatar

Posts
251
Registered at
2008-10-04 07:59:40
2012-11-26 11:32:16 - Re: Global Challenge downtime - how to cope with server outages
We might be able to apply some sort of redress where boats are awarded time if they were delayed due to server outage. One way to review this would be to run a router of optimum route vs actual to evaluate time lost.

Not sure how to do this quickly for the whole fleet. To go through each boat would be time consuming as well as open to argument.
Posted by
NZL_Scotsman


Users avatar

Posts
251
Registered at
2008-10-04 07:59:40
2012-11-26 11:34:17 - Re: Global Challenge downtime - how to cope with server outages
The situation of the race obviously makes a big difference. Today's outage didn't affect me much as I had dcs set all day. One of the last outages I bbq'd and lost time.

That is why I think review and redress might work.
Posted by
WIN


Users avatar

Posts
355
Registered at
2009-07-09 23:32:07
2012-11-26 11:49:32 - Re: Global Challenge downtime - how to cope with server outages
Ciao my friends ;)

I have read the debate in chat , and this is my view :

Lou is right in saying that the Community should know what the rules are in case of internet of server downtime .

I think that Lou has not been affected in this particular case , but that is not dismissing the sentence above.

I am confident that in the not distant future we will have a system in place....my idea is the following :

Group of three judges , trusted by the community .....if a racer believes he/she has been damaged during a race by ANYTHING appeals to the let's call it Race Committee, who will decide based on two out of three votes , and the relevant decision will be published, substantiated and applied .

The good thing about the above idea is that we would work towards seamingless with reality .

IMO in case of failure of contact with still running boat , in open waters , and without massive changes in WX across an update , the impact on racing should be considered very minimal and within limits of acceptability .

As I said , I am confident that we will get there .

Ciao ALL ;)
Posted by
Jeroen


Users avatar

Posts
245
Registered at
2007-08-15 09:17:47
2012-11-26 12:37:03 - Re: Global Challenge downtime - how to cope with server outages
A number of options came by in the initial chat, repeating them here:
# rollback, reverse the race to the point of outage.
# block all racing for the duration of problems. Addressing the possible split in technical level, problem solving.
# accept this as part of "normal" racing and asses the impact on a individual race level.
I am a ex-admin of SOL who joins in from time to time.
Posted by
ALL_4_Aaron


Users avatar

Posts
5
Registered at
2012-09-22 11:10:08
2012-11-26 13:30:23 - Re: Global Challenge downtime - how to cope with server outages
IMO #1 and #2 are not the answer , as we can neither stop , nor rewind the WX , and stopping the racing as if server would halt , would change the complete pic for the remaining 7 days , given different WX on each single moment of remaining sailing ....so ....

#3 is the only way ...assess impact on race if any boats demonstrates to have been highly damaged..... is where my idea above fits ....;)

as to minor damages that can anytime affect anyone we must live with the fact that SOL is internet constrained , as sailing is constrained by unpredictable external factors.

ciao
Posted by
ALL_4_Aaron


Users avatar

Posts
5
Registered at
2012-09-22 11:10:08
2012-11-26 13:31:47 - Re: Global Challenge downtime - how to cope with server outages
sorry ...the above comment is from me ...WIN ..;)

ciao
Posted by
Svein


Users avatar

Posts
84
Registered at
2009-05-04 15:09:20
2012-11-26 14:49:57 - Re: Global Challenge downtime - how to cope with server outages
IMO it should be made crystal-clear to all in conjunction with registration that the present technology is not faultproof and that outages (short or long) may occur. There is NO failsafe version of IRL-sailing either. Question: is there a way to disable WA or to block access via "cleverness" during the time that SOL is inoperative?
Posted by
hmm


Users avatar

Posts
118
Registered at
2011-11-03 13:35:22
2012-11-26 15:12:13 - Re: Global Challenge downtime - how to cope with server outages
I must say that my mindset during the DNS problem was not trying to block web access from everyone so that all boats would be treated equally but just the opposite, try to get as many people the ability to access the server.

As for the DNS problem itself. It first manifested by some people not being to access the server, this is because the DNS information is stored to individual DNS servers around the world for each persons internet provider. So how each person was affected depended on when the internet provider server happened to refresh it's data and it's also dependent on the server settings that DNS server happened to have. There is no way of knowing how long the downtime was for each person.

As the admin point of view, my mindset is usually trying to solve the issue as fast as possible. Usually the reason is also initially unclear so you don't really know what are the actions needed to to be "fair" to all users.

Also delayed commands and weather updates were executed during this outage in normal way, so in case you happened to be away and relying on them you were not affected in any way.

In my view the only way to do this is the way Winston suggested, that we'll have an independent race committee which you can request redress from.

As the technical administrator, I would myself like to keep my mind on the technical matters. Of course I will try my best to do the actions which are the most fair to everyone when there is an issue but the technical solution is usually my first concern.

If we choose to have the race committee, I can give the race committee my estimation how each boat was affected by the issue (list of dc's issued, network outages etc). However, as the administration is mostly done on voluntary basis, I must say that too complicated redress handling might increase the administrator's workload quite a bit. Currently there is no ability on the sailonline.org server to give redress to anyone, but it can be probably be added if needed.
Posted by
Lou


Users avatar

Posts
10
Registered at
2011-03-03 20:54:54
2012-11-26 18:29:09 - Re: Global Challenge downtime - how to cope with server outages
Hi all,
First off all sorry for making such an argument this morning for something that didn't realy influenced my race, but on other occasions it was, and a lot of boats lost a lot during the server problems.
Is it not possible in case of losing the server to freeze completly the race, all boats remain in the same position and the weather system is also freezed, so until there nobody is dammaged. Then when technical problems are solved, reorganise a start, everybody remains in his position, SOL makes an announcement on the homepage for the restart date and hour, then go on racing without updating the weather, this means using the gribs of the past, so everybody can keep to his plans, If this happens in the first 24 hours of a race i would suggest a complete restart.
I think that Winstons idea is a good one, but a very difficult one that could lead to more arguments.
Still think that it's important to find a solution, as soon as possible, we are underway, some did spend a lot of time on this race and then it can be really frustrating, if that is the case, seeing your race ruined by technical problems.
Ciao, Lou

Page: 1 2 Next

Please login to post a reply.

Races

Next Race: 00d 00h 00m

Current Races:

Cross the Convergence 2026 - Robinson Crusoe to Galapagos


Welcome to our first race of a new series of ocean voyages across the World’s convergence zones, this first race taking you north from south of the Tropic of Capricorn to the Equator-straddling Galapagos, home of magical iguanas and other exotic fauna (but no mythical kings, Dory) Departing from the island where in 1704 adventurer Alexander Selkirk inspired Daniel Defoe to write the best-seller "The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe", by debarking off the unsound "HMS Cinque Ports", four months before she foundered off the coast of present-day Colombia, we will sail the 2200nm in our decidedly sounder and faster than the " Cinque Ports",
Ocean 50 !
Race #1983
INFOby brainaid.de
Ocean 50 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: CCZ - SYC
Race starts: Jan 16th 18:00 Registration will open soon
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Bight of Bonny TIMED Race 2026

Welcome to the first TIMED race of 2026! Our race finds us in the Gulf of Guinea and the Bight of Bonny. Starting in Douala, Cameroon the 170 nm course takes us around the island of Bioko with its Caldera and tropical rainforests finishing in Calabar, Nigeria. The boat for this race is the sporty Farr 30. This is a TIMEDrace so you may RE-REGISTER HEREto try again after finishing a run. You will have 13 days and 11 hours to test your skill and decision making after the race opens.
Race #2004
INFOby brainaid.de
Farr 38 Particulars
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
TRQ1 - TRCH - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Saturday,
24 January at 23:00 UTC
Race starts: Jan 11th 12:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Natuna Sea Race 2026


At 4.0N 108.2E lies the island of Natuna Besar, Great Natuna, surrounded by at least 154 islands, of which 127 uninhabited, Indonesia’s Natuna Regency, and all around this archipelago, the Natuna Sea, bordered by Borneo to the east, the Java Sea to the south, and the Malay peninsula to the west, and extending north to cross a disputed international border with China into the South China Sea. And it’s a border that matters, there’s gas here! But why worry, let’s race – 2050nm in our goo’ol’ Open 60s in between the production platforms, prowling destroyers and submarines.
Race #1997
INFOby brainaid.de
Open 60 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SYC
Race starts: Jan 06th 17:00 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Cape Town to Rio 2026

Welcome to South Africa and RCYC's classic transatlantic Cape2Rio Race from Cape Town, South Africa, to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. First run in 1971, this run is buddied with the IRL, Cape2Rio 2025 arranged by the Royal Cape Yacht Club with the cooperation of the
Iate Clube do Rio de Janeiro Despite this being announced the 2025 race (starting dec. 27) it is the 2026 SOL championship kickoff. This virtual version, will be raced once again in Mark Mills' 74ft speedster, the stunning C2R74.
Race #1996 INFO
by brainaid.de
C2R74 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
OCQ1 - OCCH - SUPBUD - SYC
Race starts: Dec 27th 12:00 Registration Closed

▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Go to race archive

SYC Ranking

  1. Sailonline Yacht Club Member KaSToR
  2. Sailonline Yacht Club Member WRmirekd
  3. Sailonline Yacht Club Member CriticalHippo
  4. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rafa
  5. Sailonline Yacht Club Member vida
  6. Sailonline Yacht Club Member bonknhoot
  7. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Sax747
  8. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rumskib
  9. Sailonline Yacht Club Member CollegeFund
  10. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Panpyc

View full list

Series

Mobile Client

SYC members have the benefit of access to our mobile/lightweight web client!

The mobile client