Bitco support

[Disparagus]

Dear Bitco

I had this interchange with your support this week. You are one of the two ISPs where I work.

This first mail was sent to our other ISP at the same time, with the same request.

------------- Original Message --------------
From: Disparagus
To: [email protected]
Date: 27/Jan/2020 15:34:23
Subject: Cisco SG310

Hi Support

Could you please advise if it would be possible to configure a second LAN interface on the Cisco SG310 router on our premises. The interfaces would have to be in some sort of failover pair so that if one interface goes down the other will become active. I'm currently doing it like below but I would like the switch out of the way.



Regards


By this point (27/Jan/2020 15:45) the other ISP had already mailed me for clarification, had an engineer call me and configure the interface as I asked for. When I tested it, it worked just as requested.


From: BitCo Telecoms (Pty) Ltd <[email protected]>
Sent: 27 January 2020 04:02 PM
To: Disparagus [disparagus@work]
Subject: Re: Ticket BIT00000 - Cisco SG310

Good day Disparagus
Thank you for your email,
If the SG goes down, the site will be left with no failover, we can provide you with another vlan and set of IP's but this will defeat the purpose of having a failover link should the SG switch be faulty.
We can however provide you with a secondary link.
I will send your request through to sales for further assistance with the secondary link.

Support Agent

BitCo Telecoms
Website: bitco.co.za
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 087 135 0000

From: Disparagus
Sent: 27 January 2020 04:07 PM
To: BitCo Telecoms (Pty) Ltd
Subject: Re: Ticket BIT00000 - Cisco SG310

Hi Support Agent

I already have a secondary link, it's with another ISP. That's not what I need.

I'm asking if you can create an interface pair on LAN side of the SG switch in case there is a failure on the LAN side.

Regards


From: Disparagus
Sent: 28 January 2020 01:29 PM
To: BitCo Telecoms (Pty) Ltd
Subject: Re: Ticket BIT00000 - Cisco SG310

Hi

Any further feedback?

Regards


From: Disparagus
Sent: 29 January 2020 01:53 PM
To: BitCo Telecoms (Pty) Ltd
Subject: Re: Ticket BIT00000 - Cisco SG310

Hello again

Can you please get back to me on this query?

Regards



Phone Call: 29 January 2020 02:53 PM

At this point, I decide it might help to call Bitco. After 10 minutes on hold, I get to speak to Support Agent and explain the issue. Support Agent says they understand and will go to speak to someone and call me back in an hour.


From: Disparagus
Sent: 31 January 2020 11:06 AM
To: BitCo Telecoms (Pty) Ltd
Subject: Re: Ticket BIT00000 - Cisco SG310

Hi

I called yesterday at around 3pm and spoke to Support Agent. I explained what I need and they said they would get back to me but no-one has.

Please escalate this request without delay and respond to this mail.

Regards

I'm still waiting. I realise this isn't exactly critical, but why is no-one getting back to me?

 

[lightpixel]

All I can say is we placed an order with Bitco for DFA 100 Mbps Fibre, Cancelled 7 days in as their projects department inspire zero confidence. If I am paying 8 grand a month for Fibre I want service. Its that simple.

 

[Disparagus]

It should be that simple. I'm at a loss for what to do. It seems that no-one is monitoring their open tickets. I've contacted my account manager, will see if that helps.

 

[r00igev@@r]

Dear Bitco

I had this interchange with your support this week. You are one of the two ISPs where I work.

This first mail was sent to our other ISP at the same time, with the same request.

------------- Original Message --------------
From: Disparagus
To: [email protected]
Date: 27/Jan/2020 15:34:23
Subject: Cisco SG310

Hi Support

Could you please advise if it would be possible to configure a second LAN interface on the Cisco SG310 router on our premises. The interfaces would have to be in some sort of failover pair so that if one interface goes down the other will become active. I'm currently doing it like below but I would like the switch out of the way.

View attachment 777388

Regards


By this point (27/Jan/2020 15:45) the other ISP had already mailed me for clarification, had an engineer call me and configure the interface as I asked for. When I tested it, it worked just as requested.


From: BitCo Telecoms (Pty) Ltd <[email protected]>
Sent: 27 January 2020 04:02 PM
To: Disparagus [disparagus@work]
Subject: Re: Ticket BIT00000 - Cisco SG310

Good day Disparagus
Thank you for your email,
If the SG goes down, the site will be left with no failover, we can provide you with another vlan and set of IP's but this will defeat the purpose of having a failover link should the SG switch be faulty.
We can however provide you with a secondary link.
I will send your request through to sales for further assistance with the secondary link.

Support Agent

BitCo Telecoms
Website: bitco.co.za
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 087 135 0000

From: Disparagus
Sent: 27 January 2020 04:07 PM
To: BitCo Telecoms (Pty) Ltd
Subject: Re: Ticket BIT00000 - Cisco SG310

Hi Support Agent

I already have a secondary link, it's with another ISP. That's not what I need.

I'm asking if you can create an interface pair on LAN side of the SG switch in case there is a failure on the LAN side.

Regards


From: Disparagus
Sent: 28 January 2020 01:29 PM
To: BitCo Telecoms (Pty) Ltd
Subject: Re: Ticket BIT00000 - Cisco SG310

Hi

Any further feedback?

Regards


From: Disparagus
Sent: 29 January 2020 01:53 PM
To: BitCo Telecoms (Pty) Ltd
Subject: Re: Ticket BIT00000 - Cisco SG310

Hello again

Can you please get back to me on this query?

Regards



Phone Call: 29 January 2020 02:53 PM

At this point, I decide it might help to call Bitco. After 10 minutes on hold, I get to speak to Support Agent and explain the issue. Support Agent says they understand and will go to speak to someone and call me back in an hour.


From: Disparagus
Sent: 31 January 2020 11:06 AM
To: BitCo Telecoms (Pty) Ltd
Subject: Re: Ticket BIT00000 - Cisco SG310

Hi

I called yesterday at around 3pm and spoke to Support Agent. I explained what I need and they said they would get back to me but no-one has.

Please escalate this request without delay and respond to this mail.

Regards

I'm still waiting. I realise this isn't exactly critical, but why is no-one getting back to me?

Great to see that someone else sees the benefit of using multiple ISPs. However, ISPs lack enthusiasm to co-operate on these types of links as they want the whole pie and not a portion of it.
We are in an office park where bitco is the exclusive fibre provider and the support is less than optimal. However, I pulled their router and added a Vodacom Microwave (as shocking support as bitco) and without assistance from either installed a solution that provides resilience and redundancy. The switch and router is replaced with an x86 based node that uses SDWAN software.

I now provide this as an independent service because an ISP owned managed router does not keep them honest. They also think they can do it better themselves but they invariably fail. Most ISPs that provide a resilient link result in the configuration not working when it is required most.

 

[Disparagus]

@r00igev@@r
So your SD WAN device replaces the ISP router? Did you get any resistance from them about that?

 

[clickingbuttons]

ISP Managed Routers = The devil

 

[r00igev@@r]

@r00igev@@r
So your SD WAN device replaces the ISP router? Did you get any resistance from them about that?

Yes. I attempt to replace the ISP router. No need to have a device in the chain that is not required. Some are real aholes about it like Vodacom who refuse to even provide clients with PPPoE details. Else if they don't co-operate I still put my kit down behind their stuff and it still works as it is a hub and spoke architecture.
I use a x86 platform that kicks the hell out of the plastic underpowered rubbish they deliver and is more secure.

 

[r00igev@@r]

ISP Managed Routers = The devil

The problem is that none of them orchestrate the management. It is all fat fingers with a bit of fat ass thrown in...