Teleco question, really

[iolair]

When we swapped from frame relay to MPLS, the phone company, (AT&T) put in a smartjack box at our site. At the time, it had one card installed, similar to a video or sound card. The card has LEDs on it that let me know it's working. A while back, the telephone company installed a second card in the smartjack box.

The additional card lights up only every once in a while. The other original card has lights that stay on all the time. I'm wondering, since no one told me, if the big boss had that installed so that he could spy on all the employees.

Anyone had any experience with this sort of thing? As I said, the lights (led) on the second card only light up now and then. It's random, and I am going to record when they come on and go off from now on, until I know what this is.


Iolair MacWalter
Network Engineer

 

[imbadatthis]

so is that second card plugged into anything ?

if yes: can't you trace the wire and see where it ends up?
if w/in office and connects to a port then I would check the configuration and if there is a monitor session command (assuming cisco switch) then maybe someone is checking on you guys.


otherwise see below

if no: you are being paranoid .



We must go always forward, not backward
always up, not down and always twirling twirling towards infinity.

 

[iolair]

The wiring from the 66 block in the telephone room hasn't changed, and there is no cable except the one connecting the smartjack to the router. Right now, as I type this, both cards have LEDs light up. The top card has three green lights, the bottom card has two green lights. Both have one yellow light. Both have a green LED called DS1 lit up. The bottom card has one green LED that says DSL, and the top card has two LEDs that say DSL, one is LP1, the other LP2. Also the amber or yellow LED says something like B8ZS/AMI and under that it is a AMBER/GREEN, so I assume since ours is amber, we're B8ZS, whatever that is.

And all this time I was sure we had a T1 line............

Bottom line, I'm being paranoid, because I control all the switch configs myself, and I know there is no monitor session going on.

Thank you for your helpful information.

Iolair MacWalter
Network Engineer

 

[Silverblade]

http://tinyurl.com/4pq5bu3

so that B8ZS has to do something with T1.

Probably they deliver T1 over a DSL line. So T1 is simulated (for you pabx) and converted to dsl. (So you've a sort of voip).

But why not give your telco a phone call. I assume it is your right to know what they installed and where you are paying for.

 

[iolair]

Interesting - B8ZS almost sounds something similar to ISDN, at least with the overhead and 24 channels. Yep, it's time to call AT&T and ask them.

Iolair MacWalter
Network Engineer

 

[baddos]

That is a T1 card. B7ZS is the framing. DSL on a T1 line is not like a DSL connection you are thinking of.

The cards installed into that box are called NIU (Network Interface Unit). That is AT&T's equipment. If another NIU card was installed in that chassis, that means another circuit is being delivered for something (voice or data).

Don't worry about the boss spying on you (unless your up to no good). If he wanted to monitor the MPLS traffic, they wouldn't need to install another circuit at your location.

 

[iolair]

Good, glad it's a T1 card. I keep hoping that we're going to be able to get a fiber line brought in so we can join the 20th century. But for now, it's working.

The other card lights up at random times, but it seems to be on from 7:30 am to 9:00 am, then goes off for the rest of the day.

My boss has asked me, from time to time, to do some "spying" work, but it's mostly been of a forensic nature, after the fact.

Thanks for everyone's input, you're all so helpful!

Iolair MacWalter
Network Engineer

 

[robertjo24]

The telco often installs secondary cards as local "spares" in teh event of circuit issues. This way the local teco tech can swap from one card to the otehr (move the cable) while the central office/switch tech cahges routing to the other card. The random lights could be the central offfice equipment doing a routine look to see if anything connected to teh station end.

Or, someone could have requested a second circuit that has yet to be terminated...

 

[iolair]

@robertjo24 - thanks. There is a lot of new construction going on around here right now. It could be AT&T testing, hadn't thought of that..............

I noticed this am when I drove in that they have actually marked the fiber lines at the street with flourescent paint, too.

Iolair MacWalter
Network Engineer