SOTT Mail Server is down

Well, can you call and get a live tech person on the phone
and escalate the ticket? Let them know that you are upset
and will stay on the line until a level 3,4,5+ tech will give you
a satisfactory answer [do not hang up or accept callbacks!]?

I have been through this path many times, waited for hours
(with dropped calls, and called back) and sometimes this works
and sometimes doesn't work. Keep calling them twice every day
as the "squeaky wheel gets the grease?" [You READ MY MIND!]

Wait! It ain't over yet! When you finish the tech issue, now it's
time to handle your billing issue! Oh joy! You have to call billing
and repeat the whole process all over again! Wheeeeeeeee!

Sigh... there is a reason why I retired. :mad:
 
dant said:
Eclipse said:
[...]
telnet mail.sott.net 110

Port 110 is an POP/IMAP server and may or may not be enabled (it does not work for me),
and port 25 is the SMTP (email) Server. Can you reach port 25?

I can't check it. Port 25 other than Orange one's blocked...
I have another provider on another distant connection but at the moment the remote does not work :rolleyes:
 
mail.sott.net port 25 is reachable from Moscow, VimpelCom ISP:

Code:
telnet mail.sott.net 25
220 mail.sott.net ESMTP Postfix (Ubuntu)

Code:
  1     3 ms     1 ms     1 ms  192.168.43.1
  2     *        *        *     Request timed out.
  3     *        *        *     Request timed out.
  4    35 ms    60 ms   147 ms  10.10.30.62
  5    47 ms    51 ms    63 ms  10.10.30.69
  6     *        *        *     Request timed out.
  7     *        *        *     Request timed out.
  8     *        *       60 ms  10.10.30.138
  9     *       50 ms    48 ms  213.33.182.209
 10     *        *      107 ms  79.104.235.70
 11     *        *       90 ms  xe-1-3-0-beeline2.skt.cw.net [166.63.220.189]
 12     *        *      129 ms  ae10-xcr1.amt.cw.net [195.2.30.162]
 13     *        *      129 ms  te0-7-0-8.rcr21.ams05.atlas.cogentco.com [130.117.15.197]
 14     *       97 ms    86 ms  be2039.ccr42.ams03.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.36.145]
 15   147 ms    79 ms    92 ms  be2187.ccr42.ham01.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.74.126]
 16    97 ms   103 ms    93 ms  be2078.ccr21.prg01.atlas.cogentco.com [130.117.0.166]
 17     *        *      320 ms  149.6.24.178
 18     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 19     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 20     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 21     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 22     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 23     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 24     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 25     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 26     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 27     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 28     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 29     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 30     *        *        *     Request timed out.

IP Location United States United States Chicago Fdc Servers.net Llc
ASN United States AS174 COGENT-174 - Cogent Communications,US (registered May 16, 1996)
Whois Server whois.arin.net
IP Address 149.6.24.178
Code:
NetRange:       149.6.0.0 - 149.6.255.255
CIDR:           149.6.0.0/16
NetName:        COGENT-149-6-16
NetHandle:      NET-149-6-0-0-1
Parent:         NET149 (NET-149-0-0-0-0)
NetType:        Direct Assignment
OriginAS:       AS174
Organization:   PSINet, Inc. (PSI-1)
RegDate:        1992-01-28
Updated:        2014-05-09
Comment:        Reassignment information for this block is
Comment:        available at rwhois.cogentco.com port 4321
Ref:            http://whois.arin.net/rest/net/NET-149-6-0-0-1

OrgName:        PSINet, Inc.
OrgId:          PSI-1
Address:        1015 31st St NW
City:           Washington
StateProv:      DC
PostalCode:     20007
Country:        US
RegDate:        1992-01-28
Updated:        2014-12-31
Ref:            http://whois.arin.net/rest/org/PSI-1

ReferralServer: rwhois://rwhois.cogentco.com:4321

OrgTechHandle: IPALL-ARIN
OrgTechName:   IP Allocation
OrgTechPhone:  +1-877-875-4311 
OrgTechEmail:  
OrgTechRef:    http://whois.arin.net/rest/poc/IPALL-ARIN

OrgNOCHandle: ZC108-ARIN
OrgNOCName:   Cogent Communications
OrgNOCPhone:  +1-877-875-4311 
OrgNOCEmail:  
OrgNOCRef:    http://whois.arin.net/rest/poc/ZC108-ARIN

OrgAbuseHandle: COGEN-ARIN
OrgAbuseName:   Cogent Abuse
OrgAbusePhone:  +1-877-875-4311 
OrgAbuseEmail:  
OrgAbuseRef:    http://whois.arin.net/rest/poc/COGEN-ARIN

== Additional Information From rwhois://rwhois.cogentco.com:4321 ==

%rwhois V-1.5:0010b0:00 rwhois.cogentco.com
network:ID:NET4-950618B01E
network:Network-Name:NET4-950618B01E
network:IP-Network:149.6.24.176/30
network:Postal-Code:60604
network:Country:US
network:State:IL
network:City:Chicago
network:Street-Address:141 W Jackson Blvd, Suite 1135
network:Org-Name:FDC Servers.NET LLC
network:Tech-Contact:ZC108-ARIN
network:Updated:2013-11-26 18:37:18

%ok
 
FWIW, this is the traceroute I obtain from Chile:

Code:
In [13]: !tracert mail.sott.net


Tracing route to mail.sott.net [50.7.246.162]

over a maximum of 30 hops:



  1     *        *        *     Request timed out.

  2    13 ms     9 ms     9 ms  192.168.231.26 

  3     9 ms     9 ms     9 ms  192.168.231.125 

  4     9 ms     8 ms    10 ms  192.168.22.89 

  5     *       11 ms     9 ms  192.168.15.18 

  6    11 ms    12 ms     *     xe-0-2-2.ar4.SCL1.gblx.net [64.211.166.73] 

  7   136 ms   134 ms   134 ms  ae1-90G.ar7.LAX1.gblx.net [67.17.75.18] 

  8   524 ms   224 ms   138 ms  cogent-1.ar3.LAX2.gblx.net [64.215.195.154] 

  9   136 ms   136 ms   136 ms  be2180.ccr21.lax01.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.41.57] 

 10   163 ms   166 ms   162 ms  be2065.ccr21.iah01.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.5.65] 

 11   157 ms   159 ms   156 ms  be2172.ccr41.atl01.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.29.17] 

 12   164 ms   165 ms   166 ms  be2168.ccr21.dca01.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.31.94] 

 13   163 ms   162 ms   164 ms  be2148.ccr41.jfk02.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.31.118] 

 14   252 ms   235 ms   237 ms  be2317.ccr41.lon13.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.30.186] 

 15   251 ms   249 ms   250 ms  be2194.ccr41.ams03.atlas.cogentco.com [130.117.50.242] 

 16   257 ms   259 ms   257 ms  be2186.ccr41.ham01.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.74.122] 

 17   260 ms   259 ms   259 ms  be2018.ccr21.prg01.atlas.cogentco.com [130.117.0.158] 

 18   269 ms   333 ms   415 ms  149.6.24.178 

 19   268 ms   265 ms   265 ms  mail.sott.net [50.7.246.162] 



Trace complete.

On the other hand, I don't access with telnet.

Also,

Code:
In [16]: !ping mail.sott.net


Pinging mail.sott.net [50.7.246.162] with 32 bytes of data:



Request timed out.

Request timed out.

Request timed out.

Request timed out.



Ping statistics for 50.7.246.162:

    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss),
 
Scottie is probably snoozing at this late or early hour in France. So I checked on the support request: Server company says it is fixed and that the problem was the result of a bad BGP ( Border Gateway Protocol ) session so I guess we'll find out soon enough!

Meanwhile, traceroutes may not result in a complete trace, there could be timeouts at the end of the route because the server has a firewall that blocks that kind of network traffic.

But telnet to port 25 should work.
 
telnet mail.sott.net 25 works but traceroute mail.sott.net ends in timeout aftery many attempts from Germany
 
m said:
Scottie is probably snoozing at this late or early hour in France. So I checked on the support request: Server company says it is fixed and that the problem was the result of a bad BGP ( Border Gateway Protocol ) session so I guess we'll find out soon enough!

Meanwhile, traceroutes may not result in a complete trace, there could be timeouts at the end of the route because the server has a firewall that blocks that kind of network traffic.

But telnet to port 25 should work.

Thanks for updating the support ticket with your findings, m!

Everything seems to be back to normal. :clap:

Does anybody know of a good guide to network configuration/debugging? I mean like more hardcore stuff about how routing works, what is a BGP and what does it do, how to debug issues like this, etc? I really need to understand this stuff a lot better than I do now... I suspect that had I been able to give more precise details and data, the Networking Guy at FDC might have fixed the problem a lot sooner.
 
Mr. Scott said:
m said:
Scottie is probably snoozing at this late or early hour in France. So I checked on the support request: Server company says it is fixed and that the problem was the result of a bad BGP ( Border Gateway Protocol ) session so I guess we'll find out soon enough!

Meanwhile, traceroutes may not result in a complete trace, there could be timeouts at the end of the route because the server has a firewall that blocks that kind of network traffic.

But telnet to port 25 should work.

Thanks for updating the support ticket with your findings, m!

Everything seems to be back to normal. :clap:

Does anybody know of a good guide to network configuration/debugging? I mean like more hardcore stuff about how routing works, what is a BGP and what does it do, how to debug issues like this, etc? I really need to understand this stuff a lot better than I do now... I suspect that had I been able to give more precise details and data, the Networking Guy at FDC might have fixed the problem a lot sooner.

Something like that _http://www.dnsstuff.com/products/mstc ?
 
Goober search: Border Gateway Protocol

(one of many sources)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_Gateway_Protocol said:
Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is a standardized exterior gateway protocol designed to exchange routing and reachability information between autonomous systems (AS) on the Internet.[1] The protocol is often classified as a path vector protocol, but is sometimes also classed as a distance-vector routing protocol. The Border Gateway Protocol makes routing decisions based on paths, network policies or rule-sets configured by a network administrator, and is involved in making core routing decisions.

BGP may be used for routing within an AS. In this application it is referred to as Interior Border Gateway Protocol, Internal BGP or iBGP. In contrast, the Internet application of the protocol may be referred to as Exterior Border Gateway Protocol, External BGP or EBGP.

http://www.bgp4.as said:
{List of technical books on this site}

The Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is the routing protocol used to exchange routing information across the Internet. It makes it possible for ISPs to connect to each other and for end-users to connect to more than one ISP. BGP is the only protocol that is designed to deal with a network of the Internet's size, and the only protocol that can deal well with having multiple connections to unrelated routing domains.

BGP first became an Internet standard in 1989 and was originally defined in RFC 1105. The current version, BGP4 was adopted in 1995 and is defined in RFC 4271. An overview of all BGP RFCs can be found in the BGP RFC section on this website.

BGP has proven to be scalable, stable and provides the mechanisms needed to support complex routing policies. When people talk about "BGP" today, they implicitly mean BGP4. There is no need to specify the -4 version number because no one uses earlier versions, and very few vendors even still support them.

The Border Gateway Protocol is an inter-Autonomous System routing protocol. The primary function of a BGP speaking system is to exchange network reachability information with other BGP systems. This network reachability information includes information on the list of Autonomous Systems (AS) that reachability information traverses. This information is sufficient to construct a graph of AS connectivity from which routing loops may be pruned and some policy decisions at the AS level may be enforced.
 
Scottie said:
Does anybody know of a good guide to network configuration/debugging? I mean like more hardcore stuff about how routing works, what is a BGP and what does it do, how to debug issues like this, etc? I really need to understand this stuff a lot better than I do now... I suspect that had I been able to give more precise details and data, the Networking Guy at FDC might have fixed the problem a lot sooner.

Hi Scottie,

First of all, I am not a "Network Guy", but I have been using and/or programming computers for over 30+ years on the software side and have had to find applicable resources for many aspects of computing. So I hope my several hours of research for you is of some benefit.

Its easy to get lost and overwhelmed by the half million+ listings of "Border Gateway Protocol" on google. So I tried to narrow it down to a few (hopefully) applicable resources. The one assumption I made and please correct me if I am wrong, is that you are not looking at months of study to gain certification:

_http://www.informit.com/library/content.aspx?b=CCIE_Practical_Studies_II&seqNum=8
The CCIE is one of the most challenging certifications available. Most CCIE candidates spend several months studying and even take a few attempts at the lab exam before passing. If you are considering pursuing the CCIE, you are most likely aware of the amount of self-study, training, and experience required to undertake the laboratory exam.

Also it is important to only utilize sources after 2006. Per wiki..

_https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bgp
The current version of BGP is version 4 (BGP4) codified in RFC 4271 since 2006. Early versions of the protocol are widely considered obsolete and are rarely supported.RFC 4271, which went through more than 20 drafts, is based on the earlier RFC 1771 version 4. The RFC 4271 version corrected a number of errors, clarified ambiguities and brought the RFC much closer to industry practices. Version 4 of BGP has been in use on the Internet since 1994.

Although the BGP is codified, it is important to know, 1. the brand and model # of the router being used and 2. the firmware and version, as the implementation and syntax may vary. (also some still use a CLI and others use a GUI ).

IMO the most concise and easiest to read 'paper' with some troubleshooting is:
_https://supportforums.adtran.com/servlet/JiveServlet/previewBody/1626-102-4-3611/Configuring%20Border%20Gateway%20Protocol%20Version%204%20in%20AOS.pdf

The above is not the most common router but I do think its a good starting point for general applicable knowledge. For Cisco routers (one of the most common) there is a almost endless amount of info to get bog down in, but I think this FAQ is a good place to start:
_http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/ip/border-gateway-protocol-bgp/5816-bgpfaq-5816.html

Of course youtube has videos on the subject, but for in-depth "hardcore" videos I recommend:
_https://www.ciscolive.com/online/connect/search.ww#loadSearch-searchPhrase=bgp&searchType=session&tc=0&sortBy=&p=

These are from the 'big bucks' cutting edge conferences available after the event for free (registration is required to view but is free).

Not knowing the router brand, nor your desired understanding of BGP--I hope these are helpful and not noise nor distraction.
 
Thanks for the links. What I'm really trying to find is some kind of "bible", like a big book or site that explains all kinds of networky stuff.

For example, when I wanted to wire a house in France, I bought a 700-page French book and started reading. Ta-da!
I don't need certification or anything. Now I want to do the same, but for IP stuff and routing and networking hardware and stuff like that.

I can just look on Amazon, but I figured there's probably somebody around here who'd have a good suggestion!
 
I don't have any suggestions based on my own reading since the last time I cracked open a networking book was probably the mid 90s.

I poked around on Amazon by looking at a list of TCP/IP networking books sorted by average review.

_http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_st_review-rank?rh=n%3A283155%2Cn%3A!1000%2Cn%3A5%2Cn%3A3652%2Cn%3A3740%2Cn%3A3624&sort=review-rank

Seems the general consensus is that Kevin Fall presents some good coverage in his book.

_http://www.amazon.com/TCP-Illustrated-Protocols-Addison-Wesley-Professional/dp/0321336313

There's a lot to networking and knowing all the nitty gritty about stuff like BGP may or may not be necessary. I personally don't know much about BGP specifically except what it is in general, why it's used, and a nebulous idea of how it might actually work under the hood, which in my understanding is sort of similar to navigating a highway trip; you have a destination in mind, there may be 10 different routes to get there, some are preferred over others, BGP can help decide how to get there right now whereas later the route preference might be different due to whatever reasons.

There's also this book that claims to be a networking bible of sorts and based on the ToC it covers a wide range of stuff:

_http://www.amazon.com/Networking-Bible-Barrie-Sosinsky/dp/0470431318

Google Books has a peak inside too:

_https://books.google.com/books?id=3DOREqRZejcC&pg=PA33&lpg=PA33&dq=tcpip+networking+bible&source=bl&ots=bOyBvFSp90&sig=JEe-tPjIP5RcoGWpuujMLXsgDqI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=BsKoVIuZB8ibyATMk4GoAw&ved=0CD8Q6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=tcpip%20networking%20bible&f=false
 
From some seconds here, Spain, it didn't work:

Error 521 Ray ID: 1a360f1c253a0
db7

Just to tell you.
 
Beside the already mentioned, I have TCP/IP protocol suite by Behrouz A. Forouzan, Computer Networking: A top-down approach by Ross Kurose, Data Networks IP and the Internet - Protocols Design and Operation by Martin P. Clark on my reading list. I have these in electronic form and can dig up much more, so if you need any of them - just whistle. In general, I use them as introduction and as maps and later go to more specialized literature, especially ISO standards themselves, which govern the different protocols. As far as BGP is concerned, some of the books, especially Forouzan's, redirects you to more in-depth ones.

P.S. Just found "Live Lessons - Border Gateway Protocol by Jeff Doyle" at backside kicking tors, if you use any of it.
 
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