Bob,
According to my son, who is a highend data/voip/video/telecom router expert, the routers in service at most data hub and/or ISP/hosting sites are electromechanically damn near "..bulletproof..". An actual component failure requiring physical replacement is extremely rare, unless the boneheads have inadequate EMI/RFI or varistor-based EMP protection in their headends.
The headend is usually protected by triad-connected grounding ring system, filtered incoming power service and isolating 1:1 shielded and/or regulating transformers with computer-grade power distribution centers and the UPS equipment (most often high-speed static switching standy-by units) downstream, ahead of the "puters". The design of such equipment grounding systems and the power distribution to and within data centers are some of my long-term forte's.
Most routers operate on Unix, and their operating program and/or onboard firewall is burned into PROM.
As I stated previously, they are remotely accessible (..by Telnet or FTP protocols..) to people who are familiar with the technology.
1) you can query a router remotely to search its brains
2) you can add or remove routing addresses from its memory on the fly
3) you can give it a DDOS search command that will bog it down to a standstill, looking for IP addresses that don't exist thereby crashing a website
or
4) you can erase the complete router IP database leaving it blind and non-fucntional (..i.e.: hack the schmidt out of it..)
If your ISP people said their router failed electrically, that information may well have been a crock. I would submit that their whole power and rack system is suspect, if that's what they told you.
It is much more likely that somebody accessing the router(s) screwed up and:
1) blew away the iHub IP address(es)
or
2) they were hacked, and neither they nor you wish to admit it.
You can argue the matter to the state of Blue Guy-ism with my son if you like. I'll bet his equipment specific degree and McCleod data center skills against yours - in this matter - any day of the week.
No one said your aren't sharp. But, as soon as you think you "...know it all..." - I can introduce you to my MSEE-PhD cousin at H-P who can take you to school on any electrical/electronic/data subject you wish to challenge - including CIA/NSA spy-satellite technology.
So far, there's only one person on iHub that I'm aware of who belongs to, provided a link for, and has ever suggested the use of "..email bombs..", etc. in ongoing conversation. And, it certainly wasn't me. I'm also not the one who's been hacked before, as seems to have been the case with iHub and/or Matt.
The basic tenants of troubleshooting would seem to suggest looking at the noisiest and most obvious (smoking gun) sources first. At least that's how we do it in heavy industry.
OBTW: I don't requires a reply. Contact sdhollen if you need any further assistance with routers.
Have a nice day.
John :-)
Park your Sub at the iHub - Bub; ....the experience might just "...float your boat..." !!
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