I've been delegating a few more assignments that aren't hard, but are new to the people getting them, such as renewing a certificate, creating load balancing objects, modifying dns entries, updating switch entries, managing sub-contractors, etc. They are learning which is good. Some of my people jump right in, others toe the water.
Worked on more KACE help desk stuff. Doing our auto-assignment rules. We have some entries for other departments cause as everyone knows if it runs on a computer it is a technology work order. We are trying to get some of the rules to auto-close, reply with the KB article contents and not just the link (Select Title, Notes FROM table WHERE ID = KB Article). We have some rules that auto-assign based on status (New) and originating location. Nothing spectacular. I'll post some of our custom scripts if I get them working. Kinda cool.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Day in Review -- Admin Overhead
A lot of little things. Phone calls, emails, visits to meet people, talking with people, dealing with purchases, verifying procedures for the next year, and on on. It is amazing how much time gets taken up by these things. All this while trying to do our geek stuff.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Day in Review -- Geek Speak
Does reading technical specifications for switches, access points, and wireless controllers count as geek speak. I am trying to generate an RFP for wireless overlay at 40 campuses. Need to find all the part numbers for a spreadsheet and make sure they work in our environment. We have some unique space and switch uplink constraints.
Tried spec'ing out a new desktop for my group too. Damn, they can be a whiny bunch :) Seems every network, phone, and server admin has an opinion on what to go. A tech staff doesn't seem to understand a budget. Let's see...you spend 95% of your time at your desk working. VPN and remote access logs show you login once a month. Why do you need a laptop with a massive video card again? The other part of this is knowing you can build the machine from newegg/tigerdirect/whoever for about 60-75% of the cost versus the folks we buy our standard from. But we get all these neat management features! and power savings option! and we never use 'em! awesome! And a 4 year warranty. Ok, that is worth something. But if I took that off, how many more could I buy? I detest warranties. If I could spare everything, I would. I know it isn't always practical. But putting a warranty on a ~$600 computer when you have10000 units is dumb.
Despite the rants. it was a good day.
Tried spec'ing out a new desktop for my group too. Damn, they can be a whiny bunch :) Seems every network, phone, and server admin has an opinion on what to go. A tech staff doesn't seem to understand a budget. Let's see...you spend 95% of your time at your desk working. VPN and remote access logs show you login once a month. Why do you need a laptop with a massive video card again? The other part of this is knowing you can build the machine from newegg/tigerdirect/whoever for about 60-75% of the cost versus the folks we buy our standard from. But we get all these neat management features! and power savings option! and we never use 'em! awesome! And a 4 year warranty. Ok, that is worth something. But if I took that off, how many more could I buy? I detest warranties. If I could spare everything, I would. I know it isn't always practical. But putting a warranty on a ~$600 computer when you have10000 units is dumb.
Despite the rants. it was a good day.
Day in Review - Admin Overhead
Had one of those train your boss moments. My boss took the feedback well. We are always training others or ourselves.
Had a meet and greet day with principals. Tech guys just love visting with people. They seemed like nice enough people, but only 2 days into thejob. Time will help render a final verdict.
Formal construction site visit was fun. new wing of the building. Outside plant fiber is in the proposed location as usual. It is always interesting to listen to the conversation of others when the verbalize the plan and design for things. Architects aren't always crazy and intentionally try to make things difficult. And I do empathize for them on renovations....converstations usually go. Architect: Do you have existing as builts? Customer: uh, no? Architect: Do you know where existing underground utilizes are? Customer: Can't we just do a locate?...Anyhow. on on on. You try to design something when know can really describe in detail was is currently there.
Had a meet and greet day with principals. Tech guys just love visting with people. They seemed like nice enough people, but only 2 days into thejob. Time will help render a final verdict.
Formal construction site visit was fun. new wing of the building. Outside plant fiber is in the proposed location as usual. It is always interesting to listen to the conversation of others when the verbalize the plan and design for things. Architects aren't always crazy and intentionally try to make things difficult. And I do empathize for them on renovations....converstations usually go. Architect: Do you have existing as builts? Customer: uh, no? Architect: Do you know where existing underground utilizes are? Customer: Can't we just do a locate?...Anyhow. on on on. You try to design something when know can really describe in detail was is currently there.
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