![]() | |
![]() ![]() |
1995 Fools: ECRT Advisory - EA-95:01 Severe Bit Shortage
Date: Sat, 1 Apr 1995 14:32:46 -0800 Errors-To: list-errors@abs.apple.com Reply-To: chuqui@netcom.com Originator: apple-internet-announce@abs.apple.com Sender: apple-internet-announce@abs.apple.com Precedence: bulk From: chuqui@netcom.com (Chuq Von Rospach) To: Multiple recipients of list <apple-internet-announce@abs.apple.com> Subject: ECRT Advisory - EA-95:01 Severe Bit Shortage X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0 -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Sender: chuqui@netcom22.netcom.com Since this has significant impact to Internet services, I felt I should pass this along as quickly as possible. chuq --- >Date: Sat, 1 Apr 1995 16:25:23 -0600 >From: ecrt-advisory@ecrt.org (ECRT Advisory) (by way of >werner@cs.utexas.edu (Werner Uhrig)) >Subject: ECRT Advisory - EA-95:01 Severe Bit Shortage > >============================================================================= >EA-95:01 ECRT Advisory > April 1, 1995 > Severe Bit Shortage >----------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >This advisory supersedes all previous ECRT advisories on the bit-shortage >problem. > >The Coordination Center of the Emergency Computer Response Team (ECRT) has >received reports of a severe bit shortage affecting a range of computer >systems. The problem has been observed to occur to varying degrees in all >computing platforms and operating systems. In an extreme case, the shortage >precipitated the complete shutdown of a local-area network (LAN) and all >associated hosts. > >The ECRT staff recommends that you follow the emergency procedures described in >section III until vendors are able to supply hardware and software updates to >manage the problem. > >As we receive additional information relating to this advisory, we will place >it, along with any clarifications, in a EA-95:05.README file. ECRT advisories >and their associated README files are available by anonymous FTP from >info.ecrt.org. We encourage you to check the README files regularly for updates >on advisories that relate to your site. > >----------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >I. Description > >A known but previously sporadic problem is in imminent danger of becoming >widespread: Computer systems that are used intensively for software development >or other demanding applications are vulnerable to exhausting their bit supply. >While the storage elements that hold the systems bits are reused indefinitely, >the bits themselves are often transferred to locations where they become >effectively unrecoverable. This occurs, for example, when the bits are written >onto backup tapes, transmitted to a remote site through a network connection, >or---worst of all---written to a display screen, from where they escape into >the atmosphere. > >While programmers commonly consider the bit supply to be infinite, it is in >fact a limited resource built into the hardware at the time of manufacture. A >hardware bit supply of 64K bits was first introduced by IBM in its System/360. >This was immediately found to be inadequate, but remained in place for a number >of years for compatibility reasons; a tragic design flaw that was echoed in the >Intel x86 memory architecture, nearly two decades later. > >In UNIX systems the hardware bit supply, commonly called the "bit bucket," is >accessible through the file system as the character-special file /dev/null. >Vendors of UNIX-based workstations such as Sun Microsystems have moved quickly >to meet the unanticipated demand for bits by offering to retrofit existing >hardware with replenished, higher-capacity bit buckets. Sun has also announced >plans to spin off a new subsidiary, SunBits, that will reclaim unused bits from >obsolete hardware. > >II. Impact > >Users of systems whose bit buckets are nearly exhausted experience an inability >to load or execute programs, or to display results on consoles or terminals. >Network intruders who gain root privileges may also render a system >inoperative by stealing the contents of the bit bucket for use on their own >systems. > >III. Solution > >A. To reduce the rate at which bits are lost, ECRT recommends that all display >screens be turned off, and the output of all programs be redirected to >/dev/null until vendor updates are obtained. > >B. Where solution A is impractical, bits may be recycled into the bit bucket >>from unused software and data being stored on disk or other magnetic media. >ECRT recommends files associated with Microsoft Windows 3.1 as a source of >recyclable bits because of their low utility/bit ratio. > >C. ECRT is advocating the installation of a high-bandwidth network link >between North America and the country of Mauritius, where 90% of the world's >raw bit supply is currently mined. Donation of bit processing equipment by the >goverment of Singapore, and of a file server by the United Nations, will soon >allow bit-poor NFS-capable systems to mount the proposed file system >bigbits.bitmine.mau:/bucket as /dev/null. > Chuq Von Rospach <PlaidSoft: Writing, Editing, and Damage Control for Hire> chuqui@netcom.com * GEnie:chuq * AOL:chuqui * CIS:75141,1242 chuq@abs.apple.com * Apple Business Systems * Software Gnome {Member Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America} Home page: http://abs.apple.com/~chuq/chuqui.html
![]() |