[Web4lib] Fwd: About Computer Networking: How MySpace May BeHurting Your Network

[Richard Cox RLCOX]

> 2) Your computers have been compromised by a virus/script kiddy/patron 
who's messed with them/etc.  They are either spewing spam out into the 
> network or being used as illegal file servers. 

That was my first thought as well.  Social networking sites are just that, 
and would increase inbound as well as outbound traffic.

Richard
Digital Technology Consultant
Electronic Resources & Information Technology
University Libraries, UNC Greensboro
http://library.uncg.edu/



Jonathan Gorman <jtgorman at uiuc.edu> 
Sent by: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
06/26/2007 05:44 PM
Please respond to
jtgorman at uiuc.edu


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Subject
RE: [Web4lib] Fwd: About Computer Networking:   How MySpace May BeHurting 
Your Network







Hi Robin, 

I have a hard time believing this is your problem.

First, the only person who seems to be saying the DNS is a problem being 
"president of architecture at InfoBlox, which sells DNS appliances to 
carriers and corporations".  Granted, I think the article is probably 
right in the sentence where it states MySpace and similar pages are 
gaining in popularity and probably increasing bandwidth loads.  But this 
would most likely be seen as in increase in both your down and up stream 
usage. 

Even if there was increased DNS traffic, it should show up both incoming 
and outcoming loads. 

In addition, MySpace has been popular for quite a while now.  You would 
have seen this increase much earlier.

More likely are these scenarios:

1) Your user base has changed within the last month or two (students on 
break) and for some reason these users are uploading far more then they 
are downloading.

2) Your computers have been compromised by a virus/script kiddy/patron 
who's messed with them/etc.  They are either spewing spam out into the 
network or being used as illegal file servers. 


Or, as I think now, if you're talking percentage-wise, i suppose it is 
possible that a group of  prolific posters or computer user could drive 
the amount of outgoing internet traffic.  But this affect isn't likely to 
be limited to MySpace.  Given the historical disparity in 
incoming/outgoing traffic, it could appear to be a minor increase for 
incoming traffic but large one for outgoing.

A network audit to see exactly what ip addresses all that traffic is going 
to and what exactly is the nature of the traffic would be a good place to 
start.

Jon Gorman
-------------------------------

Research Information Specialist
University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana
316 Main Library - MC522
1408 West Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61801
Phone: (217) 244-4688

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