HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 8305 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No, 8305
0 '.D February 20, 2001
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
Page 1 of 1
N Subject: FAILURE OF MOBILE DATA SYSTEM ON 2/14/2001
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On Wednesday, February 14 2001 there was a failure of the Mobile
Data System used by the Police Department. The system failed from
approximately 3:00 a.m. to 10: 15 a.m. The problem was determined
to be a communication failure between the message switch and the
radio network controller. The network card in the message switch
failed to reestablish the connection so it could reach the controller,
allowing it to pass messages to and from the radio system.
The connection between the message switch and the radio network
controller was down for so long because of difficulties in finding the
problem. Initially, Tiburon, the vendor that supports the message
switch, dialed in and remotely diagnosed the system, the results of
which indicated that the message switch was not the problem.
Tiburon does not have the ability to diagnose the connection between
the message switch and the radio network controller. At this point, IT
Solutions Wireless Services personnel were called in to address the
potential radio network controller problem, although the controller
itself indicated no problems. The radio network controller was found
to be working properly, but the connection between the message
switch and the controller was found to be intermittent at best.
Personnel began diagnostics on the internal network that links the two
pieces of equipment together. It was at this -point that the network
card problem was diagnosed and corrected.
The message switch transaction log indicates the Mobile Data System
was restored to full operation at approximately 10: 15 a.m. on
February 14.
Ultimately, diagnosing the problem was hampered by the radio
network controller not showing a communication failure with the
message switch. IT Solutions is working with both Tiburon and
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Mo rola to determine why this happened and find a solution.
Bob Ter III
-d�__bty Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH,TEXAS