Category: Planned Works

We have been running IPv6 on our core network for over 2 years now, and during this time offering test IPv6 subnets to Leased Line customers as well as enabling some of our back end platforms.

Over the next 4 weeks we will be re-configuring IPv6 on our core network to enable this connectivity on the various DSL infrastructure for testing purposes.

No service interruption is expected to be seen for IPv4 based connectivity, however IPv6 users may see some degraded service while various parts of the core are reconfigured. Any service affecting works are expected to take place outside of hours.

UPDATE01 21:00 – 23/02/2016
We have reconfigured our core to the new permanent (we hope) IPv6 addressing scheme. BGP sessions have been reconfigured and are back on-line. The next Phase is to reconfigure our Ethernet services.

UPDATE02 22:30 – 05/03/2016
Both LNS01 and LNS02 now have IPv6 built and enabled on there respective interfaces. We plan to build and enable the IPv6 BGP sessions back to our core shortly. This will enable us to enable test accounts with a IPv6 prefix.

UPDATE03 23:30 – 05/03/2016
IPv6 BGP is now enabled on LNS01 & LNS02 between our core. IPv6 prefixes are now available for testing on our DSL network.

UPDATE04 01/04/2016
standard Ethernet services are now also fully enabled for IPv6 and we welcome test clients.
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UPDATE05 22/04/2016 – 21:19
ALL Ethernet services (services including a backup media) are now also fully enabled for IPv6. Fail over has been tested without issue. We also added some IPv4 config tweaks to these circuits. These again have been tested without fault, however clients may have been a “blip” or two while we checked these config changes worked as expected. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

During the above maintenance window, we will be updating our RADIUS servers to run a revised version of code. This code will fix an issue with new PPP sessions not being rate limited on connection whereby they have already exceeded there usage limit.

The RADIUS process on each server will be shutdown while the new code is applied and then re-started. This will be done 1 server at a time. Existing connections will remain online, however some accounting data maybe lost. New connections may be delayed in PPP while they are re-routed to an active RADIUS.

UPDATE01 – 22:45 This work started later than planned however is now complete. All RADIUS servers are running the updated code and have tested OK.

We have been advised by one of our interconnect providers that that they will be conducting a software upgrade on there core Junos router at Telehouse North between 23:00 and 03:00 on the 17/02/2016 from 23:00 – 03:00. This upgrade work will affect one of our fibre waves we use for DSL termination back in to our network at Goswell Road. DSL traffic traversing over this link will drop during the maintenance window, however should re-establish over an alternative link via Telehouse East which is unaffected.

The nature of these works include a reload of the Junos hardware at Telehouse North by our wave supplier and in theory should be the only disruption we see. Unfortunately sort disruptions like this will cause multiple DSL PPP session re-terminations as they flip back and forth between Telehouse North and Telehouse East as our network is designed to use the former where possible. Due this concern and avoiding any other unforeseen issues that will cause session drops during the maintenance windows, we will be manually shutting down the Telehouse North link at 22:00 on the night with the view of bringing it backup at 07:00 the following morning. This will limit the session drops to these times and provide a stable service throughout.

UPDATE01 – 17/02/2016 – 22:00
Traffic has been re-routed

UPDATE02 – 18/02/2016 – 09:05
Traffic has been re-routed

On the Friday the 29th of January between 21:00 & 21:30 we will be upgrading our LNS servers to the latest vendor software release.

This work will start by upgrading lns02.dsl.structuredcommunications.co.uk first. We will then drop some DSL sessions on lns01.dsl.structuredcommunications.co.uk to ensure they properly re-terminate on LNS02 with traffic flow as expected. We will then upgrade LNS01, dropping all sessions once complete. Sessions should re-terminate on LNS01. Any sessions that remain on LNS02 after the upgrade ,will be dropped and moved back to LNS01.

UPDATE01 – 29/01/2016 – 20:05 This work is complete. If you still dont have service then please restart your equipment. Some device may need to be powered down for 20 minutes to clear any stale or stuck sessions.

We have been advised that our wholesale provider will be moving some of our Virgin Media circus to a new POP as part of planned capacity upgrade works at Telehouse East on Tuesday 19th Jan 2015 between 0:01 – 06:00.

Circuits with backup will continue service operation with the only interruption seen when the main service goes offline.

We apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

We have been advised by one of our interconnect providers that that they will be conducting a software upgrade on there core Junos router at Telehouse North between 23:00 and 03:00 on the 07/12/2015 from 23:00 – 03:00. This upgrade work will affect one of our fibre waves we use for DSL termination back in to our network at Goswell Road. DSL traffic traversing over this link will drop during the maintenance window, however should re-establish over an alternative link via Telehouse East which is unaffected.

The nature of these works include a reload of the Junos hardware at Telehouse North by our wave supplier and in theory should be the only disruption we see. Unfortunately sort disruptions like this will cause multiple DSL PPP session re-terminations as they flip back and forth between Telehouse North and Telehouse East as our network is designed to use the former where possible. Due this concern and avoiding any other unforeseen issues that will cause session drops during the maintenance windows, we will be manually shutting down the Telehouse North link at 22:00 on the night with the view of bringing it backup at 07:00 the following morning. This will limit the session drops to these times and provide a stable service throughout.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

UPDATE 01 – 21:50 We have removed LNS02 from the available pool. This should aid in services re-terminating quickly on LNS01.

UPDATE 02 – 22:00 We have shutdown our Telehouse North link, with traffic re-routing over to Telehouse East as expected

At the above time today, we will be replacing 1 line card in each of the above cores with a newer revision to facilitate an update on LNS01 & LNS02.

Any traffic on these cards will be re-routed to there backup counterpart . No outage is expected however a drop in call traffic may be observed.This devices should be considered at risk until complete.

UPDATE01 – 09:55
Work has been undertaken to re-route traffic on CORE02. As expected we have seen a small drop in call traffic. We apologize for any inconvenience caused. Traffic will need to be re-routed, however will be done at a time when call levels are lower.

UPDATE01 – 11:30
Work has been completed on both cores and any primary services reconnected.

We have been advised of planned network maintenance by one of our primary transit providers (Adapt) This work is due to retirement of access41.lon2 and the need to move the network equipment into new core cabinet within Goswell Road.

We have been advised works will start at 20:00 and continue on until 04:00 on the 16th. We take multiple feeds from adapt for transit and have been advised of service disruption while these are physically relocated to the new device of up to 20 minutes. Although we take multiple redundant feeds, we have been advised of disruption due to network re-convergence on there side.

Our network is comprised of multiple redundant routes to different carriers. Should we loose our Adapt link for any reason then traffic will automatically re-route with minimal disruption.

This work wont affect phone services as these route in to our network via interdependent private interconnects unless you connect in to our network via a 3rd party connection. If this is the case you may need to restart your handsets after the maintenance works has been completed.

UPDATE01 – 16/10/2015
This work completed without issue from our supplier. Our network reacted as expected and re-routed traffic where required.

Between 20:00 & 20:30 we will be installing a new version of our mail server on EasyHTTP. IMAP, SMTP & POP will be unavailable during this maintenance window.

UPDATE 01 – 20:19

This work is complete.

During this window we will be upgrading our bonded platform to the latest software version as per our software vendors recommendation. Customers on the platform may notice drops in service while this takes place. Any customer using the service with our EasyIPT VOIP solution may notice there handsets fail to register with status lights remaining orange. If this occurs please power down all hardware for 5 minutes and power back up once the maintenance window is marked as complete.

UPDATE01 – 21:06
This work is complete.