How a $1 Patch Cord Took Down a $1M Network

A wise starship engineer once quipped “the more complicated they make the plumbing, the easier it is to plug up the drain.” This is the nature of all complex engineering systems, especially Wi-Fi networks. The more elaborate the network, the easier it is to ignore the critical role of “simple” supporting components, such as patch cords, GBICs, UPSs, etc. Unfortunately, these supporting components constitute the base of the network; if these aren’t working, none of the expensive APs, switches, and routers will work either. This talk will tell cautionary tales of such failures, and how one can protect against such problems in future designs and deployments.