We've noticed the breaks in service as well.  I do know that there have been denial of service attacks lately that can be attributed to at least a portion of the problems we have been seeing. 
 
If you aren't already, you may want to sign up for the service status updates listserv from ACNS.  I believe there are sign up instructions at http://servicestatus.msu.edu/ .  While these messages are generally not extremely detailed, they do give you enough information to know what is going on when there is a problem.  Quite often I will get one of the updates stating there is a network outage before I know it exists. Then when someone asks if there is a network problem I don't have to go looking to find out, I've already got the answer in my Inbox.
 
Jim Willson
Information Technology Services
Broad College of Business
Michigan State University
http://www.bus.msu.edu/its/
517-432-2184

From: MSU Network Administrators Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Thomas P. Carter
Sent: Thursday, February 02, 2006 6:56 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [MSUNAG] Annoying network slowdowns

Is anyone else experiencing these annoying slowdowns for network connections to off-campus sites? The happen with increasing frequency and with no pattern I can discern. The connection appears to work PARTIALLY, but loading a web page or downloading something can take far longer than it should and sometimes fail.

 

Yesterday late afternoon I was trying to update a new computer through Windows Update (at Microsoft’s site) and it took forever, with several failed attempts along the way. Right now (6:50 am) it’s happening again. Connections to on-campus sites are just fine during these times. I’m guessing something’s happening either with our campus router or our connection to the cloud…

 

Anyone else notice this? It’s been happening for several weeks now.

 

Thomas P. Carter, Ph.D.
Department of Chemistry
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824-1322