ZNY controllers describe multiple failures of atops and oceans 21 systems.

Attributes
ACN	730705
Time
Date	200703
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zny.artcc
State Reference	NY
Environment
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar controller : non radar controller : military
Experience	controller military : 5 controller non radar : 15 controller radar : 11
ASRS Report	730705
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : non radar controller : military controller : radar
Experience	controller limited radar : 5 controller military : 4 controller non radar : 9 controller radar : 4
ASRS Report	730706
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Navigational Facility
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Situations
ATC Facility	computer equipment : zny.artcc

Narrative:

Oceans 21 system CWP2 (sector 90) completely shut down and was unable to bring the sector back and re-sectorize to sector 88 CWP3 or any other. The back channel was not working also due to a problem with oceans 21. Supplemental information from acn 730706: this is the second time in 1 week of a catastrophe failure of atops. Atop was down for over 1 1/2 hours with total recover time of 3-3 1/2 hours. Supplemental information from acn 730708: the 2 most important factors (problems) which I observed during this event were: 1) when the sector/work station failed; the atops computer system would not allow any other position in the sector to assume this airspace. This is a simple procedure which is performed numerous times during the day however was unavailable for some reason when truly needed. 2) area east has no spare position to open. At the time this occurred; the area was very busy and had all 4 atops position open. When one of those position fails; we found there was no practical option for using another position to work that airspace.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZNY CTLRS DESCRIBE MULTIPLE FAILURES OF ATOPS AND OCEANS 21 SYSTEMS.

Narrative: OCEANS 21 SYS CWP2 (SECTOR 90) COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AND WAS UNABLE TO BRING THE SECTOR BACK AND RE-SECTORIZE TO SECTOR 88 CWP3 OR ANY OTHER. THE BACK CHANNEL WAS NOT WORKING ALSO DUE TO A PROB WITH OCEANS 21. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 730706: THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN 1 WK OF A CATASTROPHE FAILURE OF ATOPS. ATOP WAS DOWN FOR OVER 1 1/2 HRS WITH TOTAL RECOVER TIME OF 3-3 1/2 HRS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 730708: THE 2 MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS (PROBS) WHICH I OBSERVED DURING THIS EVENT WERE: 1) WHEN THE SECTOR/WORK STATION FAILED; THE ATOPS COMPUTER SYS WOULD NOT ALLOW ANY OTHER POS IN THE SECTOR TO ASSUME THIS AIRSPACE. THIS IS A SIMPLE PROC WHICH IS PERFORMED NUMEROUS TIMES DURING THE DAY HOWEVER WAS UNAVAILABLE FOR SOME REASON WHEN TRULY NEEDED. 2) AREA E HAS NO SPARE POS TO OPEN. AT THE TIME THIS OCCURRED; THE AREA WAS VERY BUSY AND HAD ALL 4 ATOPS POS OPEN. WHEN ONE OF THOSE POS FAILS; WE FOUND THERE WAS NO PRACTICAL OPTION FOR USING ANOTHER POS TO WORK THAT AIRSPACE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.