Yesterday, the Italian railway traffic was paralyzed by a seemingly trivial technical issue that exposed potentially inadequate infrastructure. Unbeknownst to anyone, the system had switched to battery backup.
Initial Explanation and Misconceptions
Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini attributed yesterday’s railway chaos to a nail improperly placed by an employee from Str92, a company whose contract RFI has recently suspended. However, the real concern isn’t just that an incorrectly placed nail could cause damage but that such a small misplacement could bring an entire infrastructure to a halt. This incident bears remarkable similarities to what often happens in IT infrastructures, which are taken for granted until an incident reveals that not everything was working as it should have.
Details from the CEOs
RFI CEO Gianpiero Strisciuglio initially dismissed the idea of a hacker attack and mentioned an unusual fault at an electrical supply cabin in Rome’s network hub. His explanations were vague initially, but more details were provided today by FS CEO Stefano Donnarumma. He confirmed that the chaos indeed started with a mispositioned nail that disrupted the power supply from a cabin, although this occurred well before the chaos ensued.
The Backup System Failure
When the nail disrupted the line, the continuity unit, powered by batteries, kicked in and managed to sustain the system for about three hours without anyone noticing—there were no signals or alarms indicating that the entire network was running on backup power. According to Stefano Donnarumma, when the batteries ran out at 6:20 AM, everything shut down, and technicians intervened, but by then, the damage was done.
Questions Raised
Instead of just focusing on the nail, it’s crucial to consider what lies behind it and ask some questions. For instance, if there was a backup line, why did it fail? Why was no one alerted that the backup system had been activated? Some say it was because the cable was not cleanly cut, but this explanation is nonsensical since the batteries did kick in, triggering a “fault” event. Moreover, why did RFI technicians have to manually start the generators to restore power to the operations room? Shouldn’t the generators start automatically if the batteries are draining and there’s a power outage? Typically, batteries are used for short-term backups, and generators, which take a few minutes to ramp up, are used to compensate for prolonged power shortages.
Last Tested?
Lastly, but we fear we know the answer, when was the last time a “network disconnection” simulation was conducted?
Final Thoughts
Blaming such a disaster on an employee who misplaced a nail is like blaming a total IT infrastructure shutdown on ransomware due to an employee who accidentally clicked on an email attachment. An efficient and well-designed infrastructure is built to minimize the possibility that human error can compromise its efficiency. The Italian system, perhaps, is not.
Articles similaires
- Fuel Excise Tax Alignment Proposal Between Diesel and Gasoline—Ministry of Economy: “No Price Increase
- France Squad Announcement by Deschamps: Six Italians Included, Mbappé Out. Deschamps: “Kalulu’s Move to Juve a Positive, Pavard Lacks Game Time”
Elena Serrano is a passionate environmental reporter specializing in sustainable living and environmental conservation efforts in Cantabria. Her reporting sheds light on critical issues affecting the natural landscapes and ecosystems of the area. Elena’s work emphasizes the importance of community-led conservation and sustainable practices, aiming to encourage a more environmentally conscious approach among her readers.