Postcards From Myself

I am currently down in Orlando, Florida, for the Microsoft Tech-Ed training conference. This is Microsoft’s big once a year convention and educational event. This year they decided to separate the developers from the “I.T. Pros” and it kind of takes the wind out of things a bit. Since it is now in two parts on different weeks everything is a bit smaller and there is less cross-pollination. Also makes me wonder if since we are called I.T. “pros”, does that mean that developers aren’t professional? Wait, don’t answer that. I used to be one and can already tell you the answer!

Anyway, Orlando is warm and the same as always. It is sprawling and ever growing. Also the sheer diversity of cultures, but residents and tourists, is always amazing. You can sit somewhere like the Disney Village Marketplace and hear tons of accents, languages, and speech patterns. And the clothes! Some people just really don’t know how to dress for the weather in the Southern US – much less Florida.

Speaking of Disney Village Marketplace, I always love going to the LEGO Imagination Center with my son. We have been going there together since he was too small to even know what it was. Back then it was my daughter and I who would revel in all the bricks. I will admit it to anyone who cares to listen that I love LEGO. My only regret is that as the time has gone on the store has gone more mainstream and carries less oddball stuff like the trains I love and closeouts from the factory.

Guess I am just a big kid – Disney, LEGO, and toys of all types. It is good to be a dad!

A reminder to us all for good backups and a solid disaster recovery plan. This in from EntreCard who host their sites and services with ThePlanet.

Unfortunately, there has been an electrical fire at the data center housing Entrecard’s servers. The servers have not been damaged, but the site may be down for as long as 12 hours.

Entrecard is hosted with ThePlanet, and this fire has effected over 9000 websites, as many of the world’s most popualar websites are hosted with ThePlanet. They are working around the clock to get their data center back online, and we are hoping that they get it back online fast.

Thank you for your pateince and understanding with this rare and frustrating problem. Unfortunately, there is absolutely nothing we can do but wait for The Planet to get their datacenter back online.

Please check back with Entrecard in 12 to 24 hours.

This is affecting not only EntreCard, but all the other sites that are hosted there as well. Another one is MenWithPens. Anyway, that should explain a few glitches on some sites this morning.

More importantly though, it should serve as a reminder to us all that we need good backups and good disaster recover plans. What would you do if your host suddenly became unavailable? How would you get back up and in the running? And how long would it take you?