Next review date for servers, Tues 22nd JST

[Icestein]

I love the hypocracy of half the people posting in this thread. Stating that one shouldn't be asking when the game is coming back, or that people complaining are selfish.

Let me ask you this, hypocrites, how can you play an MMO AT ALL when there are countries out there with thousands of children dying under 12 months old because they don't have clean drinking water or basic medical equipment. While people are living in poverty, and starving how can you enjoy an online game while there's a global tragedy? You should be ashamed.

That's right. Keep riding your horse of moral justice and charity. God forbid anyone question SE's lack of backup plan to do something as simple as migrate data to a redundant data center offshore for their OWN benefit, and that of their countries economy.

Just to be clear: I don't mind waiting, though they should have had a disaster recovery plan - but for the sake of the sanity of normal people - stop whining at people who want to whine at SE.

This is not what people are saying. They're not stating that the reason they are ok with it is because "There's a tragedy going on," what they are actually saying is that they are ok with it because the servers being down is beneficial to the relief efforts going on in japan.

It is, at this point, selfish to ask for the servers to come back online, because in doing so you may indirectly risk the lives of many people.

I also don't think it's as simple as "migrating data," though I'd be ill-equipped to make that judgement. Perhaps it can be stated that Square Enix weren't prudent about their back-up plan, and that may be true, but I can't fault them for the course of action they have taken. Putting the servers back on so soon after the tragedy (and 1 week and 2 days is much quicker than I would have predicted) shows that they care for their player base, for they have nothing to gain in doing so (with next month being free.)

[RAIST]

@Dazusu
In case you didn't read the thread, this started as merely an informational post to share the update notice, I assume in case people missed it elsewhere. It didn't become a debate about SE's response to the situation until the 14'th post..where someone attacked SE for not taking action.

Again...I ask: how do you know for certain they haven't taken action? how do you know they don't have a plan in place? I (and many here) would really like to see the information myself...hence someone has started a thread to try to get SE to provide a detailed update to let us know just what they are doing about the situation. Unfortunately, people can't resist the urge to troll around in there either and are starting to derail it from it's purpose, so it may likely be ignored like so many other threads that have gone off-track...but here's the link to it again in case people want to /sign it:

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxi/th...to-Square-Enix

Raist

[Eisensword]

All i have to say is i hope everyone in japan is ok or getting through this time as best they can, and im sorry for any of your losses. At this point the way things are going there is a good chance we all will not be returning to FFXI anytime soon, and im ok with that this problem over there is more important then this game.
Its not like SE had much choice in this matter its not like they decided ok we will shut the servers off. If you watched the news its a manditory nation wide black out to conserve power.
Right now japan is bleeding, and the blood is its power. If action had not been taken this little hickup of not being able to play might turn into FFXI never coming back.
I am sorry for all of Japans lose i am thankful for all those fighting those problems head on. There Sacrifice will not go unoticed. May all you be safe and get through this as best as you all can.

[Dazusu]

I ask: how do you know for certain they haven't taken action?

Because the servers are still offline? They've posted nothing about migrating data or keeping offshore backups? They haven't redirected traffic to offshore servers? They haven't done anything that, as a basic strategy, other globally present companies do when they have online products?

When they take action - I am sure they will let us know. Have they done so, thus far? There's your answer.

This is not what people are saying. They're not stating that the reason they are ok with it is because "There's a tragedy going on,"

Understandable, and as I pointed out, I am in agreement with what's going on (servers down, etc)

Keeping data backed up elsewhere in a redundant data center, in another country, A. doesn't cost as much as some people seem to think it does, and B. should be happening DAILY, whether there's a tragedy happening or not in Japan. It's a standard business practice when you have this much data tied to your DIRECT income as a company.

Redundancy, Redundancy, Redundancy.

As for the people of Japan, I hope this tragedy gets better for you soon. The Relief efforts thus far are phenominal. Let's hope they keep it up.

[RAIST]

"Even supposing the chief good to be eventually the aim for the individual as for the state, that of the state is evidently of greater and more fundamental importance both to attain and to preserve. The securing of one individual's good is cause for rejoicing, but to secure the good of a nation or of a city-state is nobler and more divine."

----Aristotle

There is also has some origin in biblical context for this expression as well, just not stated as directly as the simpler translation:

The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few... or the one.

[RAIST]

Because the servers are still offline? They've posted nothing about migrating data or keeping offshore backups? They haven't redirected traffic to offshore servers? They haven't done anything that, as a basic strategy, other globally present companies do when they have online products?

When they take action - I am sure they will let us know. Have they done so, thus far? There's your answer.



Understandable, and as I pointed out, I am in agreement with what's going on (servers down, etc)

Keeping data backed up elsewhere in a redundant data center, in another country, A. doesn't cost as much as some people seem to think it does, and B. should be happening DAILY, whether there's a tragedy happening or not in Japan. It's a standard business practice when you have this much data tied to your DIRECT income as a company.

Redundancy, Redundancy, Redundancy.

As for the people of Japan, I hope this tragedy gets better for you soon. The Relief efforts thus far are phenominal. Let's hope they keep it up.

Not this again. I am guessing you don't have a full grasp of the full scope of what would be involoved to fully replicate everything to fully support this game in real-time. It has been mulled over enough times in enough threads. I will say this about it though--they recently moved the data from one server to another (POL migration) and it took them 12 hours. That's just ONE of the servers used to support the service, and the move was in house--not offsite to a server in another country. Energy supply has not been a guarantee, and as such they are complying with the recommendation to conserver power for the greater good (please, read my last post if the logic for that action escapes you). Remember, this service was up to 32 Game worlds at one time, in addition to more servers (like the one POL server that took them 12 hours to transfer).

Again, the absence of the game being on line yet and absence of any info detailing just what SE is or isn't doing is not proof they have done nothing, nor is it proof they have/haven't done what you would deem as responsible. They are in a difficult situation and may be dealing with restrictions we be may unaware of. They could very well have been ORDERED to shutdown by a higher authority, but are not divulging it for obvious reasons.

Raist

[MrWigglles]

Are we going to get reimbursed for the time that the servers are down? I think it's only fair.

Oi! mate check the sticky's!

[Dazusu]

Not this again. I am guessing you don't have a full grasp of the full scope of what would be involoved to fully replicate everything to fully support this game in real-time.

I know enough about data centers, and data transfer to grasp this better than most.

they recently moved the data from one server to another (POL migration) and it took them 12 hours.

That was a data migration? If you're talking about the one that was a 12~ hour maintenance on all game worlds, I had the understanding it was a physical move from one location to another. They own their own datacenters. Could be wrong.

And what you don't grasp is that I was pointing out that this should have been ON-GOING. Should have been in place since day one, with daily or weekly backups. Redundancy isn't something you implement once a disaster happens - that's why it's called redundancy.

If it takes them 12 hours to transfer the data only from one location to another, there's something drastically wrong. Not to mention that this is called migration. Not redundancy.

Clearly you don't grasp the ideals of a good backup plan.

[Yugl]

Here's some English translations of this thread:
"I'm mad you're not providing me with a service that you're not charging me for."
"Also, I'm mad you're not doing what I think you should do to be a profitable company."

I'm so glad I came back to play a game with such a high population of architects and business school graduates.

I'm so glad someone gets this. Also, Anon, no one cares about you.

[Wagram]

I for one am done. Flame me all you like... We as a player base have dealt with SE's inept approach to everything for years now. I'll be taking my talents to Rift until a suitable replacement hits the market. Yes I feel for the country of Japan in this dire time. I feel nothing but contempt for a multi-million dollar company that won't make previsions for its' player base.

Talents? Don't make me laugh. Get out, you're not welcome here. Don't let the door hit ya on your keester as ya walk out.