OSPF and IS-IS: Choosing an IGP for Large-Scale Networks

9.4. Operating for Security and Reliability

Everyone has heard the cliché espoused by combat soldiers, police officers, and firefighters: The job is days of boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror. Working in the network operations center of a large network can be a bit like that, too. Although there is no risk to life and limb, those occasions when things go very wrong present risks to the profitability and reputation of the business and to the job security of those responsible for the network. The chaos that can ensue during network emergencies can itself represent a long-term risk to the network, as operators “do whatever it takes” to restore service, often moving outside of the boundaries of normal operational practice.

Everyday individualism ...