Schools Broadband issues

[Blue_Cookeh]

Do those SLAs cover the firewall and filtering side of it? As the lines, no doubt, have actually been fine.

 

Precisely this - each time there's been an issue there has been connectivity into SB but no further, so the lines are fine. Coincidentally we've had 0 downtime with our backup FTTC from Eclipse/KCOM.

 

Been searching and searching for a copy of our contract but have yet to find it - have e-mailed SB for a signed copy of it. I don't actually remember if we did sign anything to be honest!

Edited December 9, 2016 by Blue_Cookeh

[mavhc]

Can you easily opt out of the filter/firewall and install your own locally?

[Blue_Cookeh]

Can you easily opt out of the filter/firewall and install your own locally?

 

I asked twice if it was possible to skip Lightspeed and move us over to Fortigate (before the FG issues) and had no answer. Not sure on avoiding both.

[tinca492]

Can you easily opt out of the filter/firewall and install your own locally?

 

I have requested this on several occasions in the past without response. However Dave did say recently that it would be an expensive option.

 

I have contacted Lightspeed directly, given them details of our requirements and have been promised a quotation from one of their Partners to have a rocket on-site ( I know this wont save us from the firewall issues but we have mostly been affected by the dreaded Filter 11 Cluster). I did not mention who supplies us currently just that we were unhappy with the robustness of the Hosted solution.

 

I have also arranged a meeting on-site with our account manager so we will see what transpires.

[synaesthesia]

Going to Lightspeed directly is a ludicrously expensive option. Smoothwall is far cheaper, regardless of if you choose a hardware appliance or a virtual appliance.

SB haven't been dismissive to us about using our own filter or at least having our backup line connect via the fortigate rather than through lightspeed, however how we could handle failover (assume manual) wouldn't be quite as clear-cut.

There's no mention in the SLA about what exactly those figures mean, however from any layman's point of view let alone a technician, connectivity is connectivity, the filtering is part of that and should indeed be included in those figures. What good is a 100% uptime on the physical connection when the filter is constantly playing up?

Edited December 12, 2016 by synaesthesia

[Blue_Cookeh]

These are the SLAs that I was just given by SB.

 

 

 

So since the FortiGate and the Lightspeed are separately SLA'd, we should have had 99.98% uptime.

Edited December 12, 2016 by Blue_Cookeh

[tinca492]

thanks for the heads up re price, I currently have absolutely no idea of licencing model they use. As far as I am concerned the cost of our current service is ludicrously high considering the downtime and issues that we have encountered over the last 14 months. we took the hit of the cost to enable the school to have a solid connection and flexible filtering.

 

we are a small school but having a reliable internet connect is pretty fundamental to our daily operation.

[nikaso]

These are the SLAs that I was just given by SB.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]40256[/ATTACH]

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]40257[/ATTACH]

 

So since the FortiGate and the Lightspeed are separately SLA'd, we should have had 99.98% uptime.

 

99.98% uptime equates to....

 

"SLA level of 99.98 % uptime/availability gives following periods of potential downtime/unavailability:

 

Daily: 17.3s

Weekly: 2m 1.0s

Monthly: 8m 45.9s

Yearly: 1h 45m 11.4s"

[Wubbalubbadub]

Nothing wrong with our 8 schools, You sure it's nothing internal?

Definitely wasn't internal. They confirmed the packet loss on their end. Seems ok this morning..

[Fazza]

Anyone having speed issues today?

 

I have been getting from 0.5 - 15meg instead of the usual 85-100... 60-120 pings and 10 meg upload...

 

Phoned schools broadband and having a 5-15% packet loss problem apparently!

 

All i can do is laugh... Schools broadband, please just sort it out!

 

That's exactly the same problem we had! 200Mbps line and .5Mbps download!

 

I guess what you have to remember is that if you have a 100Mbps line (or 200Mbps if you're like us) then it's not a 100Mbps internet connection but actually a 100Mbps link to Schools Broadbands data centre(s) who then dish out the Internet. Either their systems failed or they run out of bandwidth to share with us all.

[FN-GM]

Either their systems failed or they run out of bandwidth to share with us all.

 

Probably everyone streaming Christmas films

[Fazza]

Probably everyone streaming Christmas films

 

LOL - could be! Not here though as it's 'business as usual' and films an quizes etc. are banned at this time of the year and they all have to continue to work hard.

[Wubbalubbadub]

I AM SICK OF THIS!!! OVER 100 PING AGAIN! 2-5MB Speeds... Edited December 12, 2016 by ZeroHour

[HarryMonkey]

Maybe you are, but is that really appropriate on a public education forum?

[Wubbalubbadub]

Maybe you are, but is that really appropriate on a public education forum?

Sorry to be blunt, but you are upset that i used a "naughty word" but you are happy for me to spend £10,000+ of mine & yours tax money on broadband that is slower than my £25 a month virgin line?

 

Sorry, but a rant is sometimes needed and yes, on a forum i believe it is sometimes appropriate..

[DJ-1701]

Sorry to be blunt, but you are upset that i used a "naughty word"

 

I would be annoyed too... apart from the unprofessional look if SLT are about, we work in schools... kids are about and can sometimes read our screens... who gets it in the neck if a bunch of young-uns repeat said word over and over and over again?

 

but you are happy for me to spend £10,000+ of mine & yours tax money on broadband that is slower than my £25 a month virgin line?

 

Sorry, but a rant is sometimes needed and yes, on a forum i believe it is sometimes appropriate..

 

We all know he said and meant nothing of the sort. We all feel for you and I would be livid in your shoes as well.

[HarryMonkey]

Sorry to be blunt, but you are upset that i used a "naughty word"

 

Yes, that's it precisely, rant by all means but I'm sure you could have tailored your language accordingly. On a forum such as this we should not be using language that we would not use in front of a classroom especially as it's not even BTRD. Language such as that is NEVER appropriate on this or any other Edugeek forum.

 

 

but you are happy for me to spend £10,000+ of mine & yours tax money on broadband that is slower than my £25 a month virgin line?

 

Sorry, but a rant is sometimes needed and yes, on a forum i believe it is sometimes appropriate..

 

I've just re-read my post and can't see anywhere in the post that would imply that I am. I took issue with your language not your broadband issues.

[synaesthesia]

Can I advise we keep this sensible please. We might be frustrated but so are SB. They have a business to run and as well as struggling to keep customers happy they will undoubtedly have the prospect of losing a lot of business over the next couple of years, when they've worked so hard to build up their team & facilities to cope.

[nikaso]

These are the SLAs that I was just given by SB.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]40256[/ATTACH]

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]40257[/ATTACH]

 

So since the FortiGate and the Lightspeed are separately SLA'd, we should have had 99.98% uptime.

 

 

Just had it confirmed from SB, the SLA level as detailed here represents something below which you can claim credits for. Breach of contract isn't triggered until 95% is hit.

[Fazza]

Currently the SB Portal shows us using 59.57Mbps download and 3.55Mbps upload - a SpeedTest shows 6.6Mbps download and 86Mbps upload - where's the 133.83Mbps and 110.45Mbps that we're paying for? #missingbroadband #somethingsnotrightbutcantputmyfingeronit

 

It's now gone down to less than zero again!

Edited December 12, 2016 by Fazza

[synaesthesia]

Just had it confirmed from SB, the SLA level as detailed here represents something below which you can claim credits for. Breach of contract isn't triggered until 95% is hit.

 

So where is this 95% coming from? There is no documentation we have stating that figure.

[Griff]

If its any consolation we are on a different carrier (E2BN) and our net has been absolutely shocking for almost a week + !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SchoolsBroadband]

Good evening @MJTayloronline and @Fazza I'll send you both a pm shortly. Sorry I haven't responded sooner on here but I've been away for a few days.

 

Just checking our nni graphs into all the carriers, we are nowhere near maxing out capacity into any of our multiple interconnects so I'm surprised you're having issues. I'll still take a look though for you. I'm presuming you've checked your individual usage and had our support department run a throughout test whilst you've been on the phone to them as we can see live what's being used?

 

Thanks

 

Dave

[Blue_Cookeh]

So where is this 95% coming from? There is no documentation we have stating that figure.

 

It's not in the SLA document I was sent yesterday.

[nikaso]

Perhaps could David @SchoolsBroadband clarify where we can see the 95% figure? I have it in an email from another director that there are 2 levels so to speak, the SLA levels below which service credits can be claimed and the breach of contract level which is obviously set lower and SB have it stipulated as 95%.