Let's see if I can keep this going. Another document to write at the end of a day of composing and reading mail seems like a bundle of joy. Maybe treat use this as catharsis. or documentation for the therapist. either way.
Its spring, but it is summer for Technology is schools. Yeah, school is taking place, the kids, teachers, campus admins, and parents are going through the testing grinders (sorry boys & girls), but Technology is moving into summer mode. Project mode. This going to be a fun one! Here are the projects:
First, lets migrate from a mixed PBX/IP phone to a fully IP based phone solution. And implement Cisco Emergency Responder. And Cisco Presence. Swapping out ~3000 phones is going to be a logistical exercise. Summer starts June 11. People return about Aug 1 (campus admins). 8 weeks. I don't like the math there a whole lot. Scary.
We are also deploying about 1000 access points to 40ish sites. Yay. Wireless everywhere! We have to cable, hang aps, configure guest and user policies. align those with BYOD policies, local and state policies. (policy one more time cause). Again, the math there is scary. 1000 aps, 40 locations, 8 weeks.
Turn up another 25TB of storage for...something. Goldfish theory explained! user data is like a goldfish. It'll grow to the size of the bowl. so, if you buy a bigger bowl, you end up with a bigger goldfish. So, do you police your goldfish or buy a bigger bowl. yeah, you see my answer. Actually, the majority of the people in environments, once notified of excessive use will reduce their usage or delete the copy of the copy of the copy...Even then, the goldfish grows. Baffling.
Those are the ones I have direct control over. now the ones technology is a participant, but not necessarily a driver or implementer.
Construction! yes, these folks are our frienemies. We get along well, but we but heads on occasion with architects, engineers and the actual construction people. No one wins every battle, but we've all come to fairly good standing with each other on our needs. Architects want pretty and useful (and to meet the customers needs, which is technically my employer too, but that's another story). Engineers have to provide some services within those pretty and useful spaces while keeping it pretty. Sometimes pretty makes it difficult to hide 8" water mains, hvac ducts and returns, lights, alarms, cameras in a confined spaces which leads us to the construction people. They get to build the dream and have everyone meet deadlines, play nice-ish, and tell the architect and engineers, that you cant fit a 8" water main through a 6" chase. As we joke in meetings, yeah, size matters. then technology comes along and makes it more difficult, btw, i'm running an assload (technical term) of cable in this hallway, putting projectors here right where you want a heating vent (btw, this problem rears it head the first cold day of school. projectors do not like hot air blown into them), access points every room, speakers all over, etc. its actually kinda fun with a good set of people to be part of putting up a new building.
Renovations. the killer. Assume if there is construction doing renovation, you are ...well, not well off. they are just killer. No one knows exactly what they'll find and break. Cabling? Power? what was that orange cable, fiber? chunk a ceiling tile with a speaker or camera? oooo, then the big winner asbestos! awesome. It all comes down. we can't go in for weeks while its being abated. Hopefully we can get in a remove our electronics and expensive pieces before the abatement. Anyhow, there are a handful of renovations this summer. 5-8 out of 40 sites. Again, don't like the math.
Ill do typical summer work tomorrow. that is the work that has to be done regardless of the above.
