With games networks, you have a lot of server instances, over a lot of boxes, using a lot of IP space.

Sometimes, you have to move server instances from one box to another, and obviously, you want to minimise the downtime, and minimise the inconvenience to users - so you’ll want to move the IP address(es) too.

Usually when you move IP’s around, you need to wait a few hours for the Data Centre’s BGP routers to recognize the new IP route to the new box.

But I found this cool trick, which makes the changes instant. It’s called ‘ping’ - the nix version anyway - windows doesn’t seem to offer the option.

Make sure the old ip is ifdown on the old box, then on the new box, after you have ifup’ed it, simply do:
ping -I <new ip address> www.google.com

There, done!

Katrina and I saw this documentary on SBS last week, regarding the “Peace one Day” film project, created by Jeremy Gilley. We had never heard about it before, but was surprised to find it had already been running for 5 years, this year to be the 6th.

Anyway, if you haven’t heard of it, check out the site, which has a video explaining what its all about: http://www.peaceoneday.org

Last night I went to update the firmware on my ADSL Router, a Billion BiPAC 7402VGO… and it failed! The result was a useless modem and NO INTERNET!

Luckily… I had my trusty, old, never failing DLink DSL300 (from 2002, the newer DLinks suck btw).. so I was able to plug one machine in, and google a solution.. I have to say, I was pretty ecstatic to find this page on the billion forums, which provides a relatively simple Recovery Program for the 7402VGO - before you jump for joy.. you’ll need a computer with an old 9 pin serial port - which most computers (especially laptops) no longer have built in. Luckily I had access to some older computers at a clients place near by, and was able to sort something out.

In other news, Google is paying for a USD$30 million contest for private companies sending robots to the moon.

“The bulk of the prize will go to the first private company that can land a robotic rover on the moon and beam back a gigabyte of images and video to Earth, the internet search leader said.”

I’m sorry, but that is just cool, specifically the conditions of “beam back a gigabyte of images and video to Earth”

The full article can be read here: Google funds $30m moonshoot.

Mike Gravel has a new website up, check it out here: http://www.gravel2008.us/

It’s an improvement on the previous site, but it needs more content which will probably come in time. The site is fairly clear, and to the point, but the photo on the homepage is out of focus and is proabbly a bit too large. The other candidate websites are a lot more polished, see Obama’s and Kucinich - these guys do have quite a lot more funding mind you. Hopefully website quality won’t have anything to do with their success. Go Mike!

Check out this youtube user’s page: gravelvspaul2008 - Having Gravel (D) and Paul (R) nominations would be perfect for the US (and world)…

Go the no BS cause!