Load Shedding - Learn to live with it

[daveob]

WOW. This has to be one of the hottest topics in SA at the moment, and receiving media attention worldwide.

We've all heard the reasons ( spelt : excuses ) including wet coal, no coal, reduced Eskom output, etc, etc.

But why were we the last to find out about this in our new transparent South Africa ? Does anyone remember the TV news article, about 4 months before we got shed, about FIFA wanting generators in all the stadiums before 2010 ? What did they know that we didn't ?

Anyway, fact is that it is here, and will be for a long while to come - there just isn't any quick fix solution, so I think that we have to start to learn to live with it.

South Africans are used to having to adapt - we've all done it before.

We have done this !! ( the following story is dependant on your type of business ).

In October last year, we converted all of our time critical data processing functions from our own in-house servers, to internet based dedicated servers using php code.

And if my office gets shed ? Simple - I use a laptop ( plugged into the car charger if required ) and a 3G card, or a iPaq Pocket PC connected via a cell phone.

And if my web hosting company gets shed ? -- using a large organisation like Hetzner, they have backup generators that can run endlessly.

And if that goes pear shaped ? simple - I have a duplicate backup site located at Hetzner in Germany that costs me some reduculous amount of about R100 per month.

And what did this great solution cost ?

You wouldn't believe me if I told you, but I will anyway - it took 1 month and US$ 350 to have a coder convert all our data processing code to an internet based program !!

So, South Africa, it's time to look at the alternatives for what makes your business and your life tick - re-assess your requirements and start thinking outside the box.