Downtime

The data center where one of Degreeinfo's servers is hosted has suffered a major DOS attack for the last 24 hours. The attack was centered on a small number of IP addresses that included the one serving Degreeinfo, which took our site (but not the database serving the messages on the message board) down.

We aren't yet certain if the DOS attack was aimed at DegreeInfo, or if it was aimed at the server Degreeinfo was on (which had a couple of other sites on it)

We've solved the problem for now by moving Degreeinfo to a different IP address on a different server. If the attack stays on the old server, then we weren't being targeted. If the attack moves over to the new IP, then we are being targeted again, and will have to take other steps.

We've already got plans in place to get things back online if we are hit by a DOS attack, so we're not going anywhere.

 

My thanks to Chip and Nathan. This sort of stuff can't be the best way to spend a weekend.
Jack

 

Yup. Multumesc foarte mult, guys.

 

Just to be clear, there are presently two people on the Degreeinfo admin team:

Nathan does marketing and admin stuff.

Nate does backend programming, support, and network admin.

So it's Nate that has been investigating the DOS attack and taking the steps to get degreeinfo back up.

Just want to make sure credit is where credit is due

 

Thank you Nate and Chip!

(If this is another attack on this community then it means to me that the academic frauds are being hurt by this community. )

 

Never knew degreeinfo is di-Nated.

 

Are you using Loadbalancing like BIGIP or Cisco? This will reduce the downtime. Please PM me i can help you in setting it up at no-cost.

 

Thanks to everyone involved with ensuring this small, obscure, yet extremely informative forum alive. With all of the highly motivated disseminators of disinformation out there, it is essential that this forum exists, both as a counterbalance and as a haven of sanity for those seeking assistance.

Degreeinfo continues to serve as a reference for people in government and the media, essential tools in the battle against fake schools.

Degreeinfo is also a solid source of guidance to those interested in pursuing distance education. Think of how many stories we've heard over the years about people who got caught up in scams like Kennedy-Western (or worse), but then extricated themselves once they got some clarity here.

Finally, Degreeinfo keeps a check on those that would leverage the internet for nefarious purposes relating to distance education. They can't be left with the only voice in cyberspace.

Again, thanks to owners, administrators, database wizards, and stellar posters, all of whom combine to create a great little community obscure to most of the world, but essential to a thin slice of it.

 

What Rich said. Absolutely.

I, too, am grateful to the whole motley lot o' ye for teaching me constantly. When I first started looking at DL, I was almost conned by the mills. That I wasn't, was due partly to innate Balkan suspiciousness, but mostly to stuff that yuns posted here.

Also, thanks to Rich for his leadership in the academic study of DL, partly for what it is, and partly because it makes the weasels so d--- jealous! Rich and I probably disagree on non-DL stuff almost completely, and the good thing about DI is that that doesn't matter. What matters is his perseverance and his fortitude under endless flak.

 

Yes, impossible for me to have done my degree without this forum.

 

I also agree with what Rich said. DI has been a great help to me.

 

Thanks for the kind words. They're much appreciated.

There are certainly days that we sit and go "Is it worth it?" But interestingly, it's the days that the losers at the fraudulent schools try and cause problems that we are most determined to keep degreeinfo up and running.

As for the offers of tech assistance: We appreciate them and may ask at some point in the future, but for now, Nate and Keith do a fabulous job of taking care of things for us. In addition to owning a group of sites and a bunch of servers, Nate is also an accomplished IT consultant... and Keith is a brilliant programmer/IT whiz. Between the two of them, we have a tremendous amount of knowledge and resources, and the way we have DegreeInfo implemented provides a good balance of robustness, reliability, and reasonable resistance to attack.

 

Thanks to everyone for keeping this site up, I know it has changed my life. The only reason I didn't get suckered into a degree mill is pretty much pure luck. Upon reading Dr. Bear's guide I broke out into a cold sweat thinking I missed it by (----) that much....but alas, all has turned out well.

This site is an invaluable resource.