[c-nsp] Parity Errors and Cosmic Rays

[Jeff Kell]

John Neiberger wrote:

> Is this actually a common problem? Or at least common enough that I
> should expect to see it every other month or so? It seems strange that
> this router has run for years and we've never seen a memory parity error
> and now we've seen three in three months.

We have a 4506 in the top floor of the engineering building that has
mysteriously corrupted it's flash three times.  We only noticed it when
updating IOS, couldn't delete/squeeze flash to get ready for the new
image, and had to format the flash, after which it was just fine.  After
the third one (which I didn't discover myself) I suggested a TAC case to
replace the flash, but we never got around to it.

It's OK now (just checked to be sure)...

The main data center is in the basement of a late-1950s building that
had the old Civil Defense "Fallout Shelter" signs on it, up until the
late 70s (must I admit I saw them and confess my age?).  Never had a
parity error down here :-)

Jeff