IT BS thread

Isn't that pretty much normal? LOL. In IT, you do something good and it's like, "That's great! Now can you [insert silly request]?" If things are running fine, you are invisible and enjoying it. But most of the time, ^ yup.

 

LOL yes it is pretty much normal...but it seems like there's a bit more fuel for the fire today.

 

It just never ends - we have two data centers a primary and a backup. Each data center has its own connection to the internet and redundant lines to the other data center. Each of our satellite buildings are supposed to have a connection to each data center. So in theory if one data center goes down everything fails over to the other one and users continue working without ever knowing there is a problem.

But,

We are doing a major remodel of the building that houses the backup data center and the power had to be turned off for a couple of days. Before the power went down, our ISP checked everything and said there won't be any problems. This is the backup site and everything will continue to run on the primary.

That was the theory. The reality is a third of our buildings had both legs, primary and backup connected to the backup data center. When the power was shut down the users in the effected buildings were seriously unhappy. They still haven't forgotten the last outage. Of course the CIO and Director responsible for the network are on vacation so I got the lovely job of dealing with grumpy, grumpy users. It's not my first rodeo, but nobody likes riding that bronco.

All I can say is fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. We really need to look at our network.

 

We’re getting AT&T fiber at our new house, what cable standard does it use? Do they make Fiber keystone jacks? We will have fiber in and then Cat 6 from the router to devices and am hoping to have a single keystone plate in the ceiling.

 

I moved into my new house a few weeks ago and while my ISP isn't AT&T the configuration will probably be similar. In my case the fiber lands on the outside of my home near where the power enters. There is a fiber to copper converter there and the copper data line runs from outside to the utility room. In the utility room they have a router/wifi access point. Inside the house everything is cat 6.

 

Ok, good to know, that would simplify things.
I’m excited to jump from 50 Mbps to 300.

 

My company is finally starting to dump older Windows versions. We still have stuff on Windows CE 5

 

Have fun with that.....

 

Well, fiber converter is on the wall of the office, ISP router will find a home at/near the PC desk and then I’ll run 2 lines into the attic and drop them into the closet for the hub/switch.

 

So one of our idiot savant contractors (fantastic coder, moronic life choices) just got walked by security (and I think caught a federal investigation) because they installed a VPN onto their government-owned laptop when it wasn't connected to our network...not realizing that when it was next connected to our network the secret security tools we have installed would report that there was a "configuration change."

How can people be that technically smart and downright fucking stupid at the same time?

There is a small espionage worry, but the VA doesn't have national security secrets and development contractors don't have access to anything sensitive, so.

I personally think they were just an idiot. They used to microwave fish in the break room in the morning and didn't realize that wasn't OK until HR got involved.

 

^this is why you have a personal computer^

If your employer is going to get pissed because of something you did on their equipment, don't use their equipment. Seems simple enough, but I agree people are stupid. I always shake my head at the ones who surf porn on their work computers, at work. Every year we bust a couple of people doing just that.

 

Our issue us people using the computer when it isn’t on our network (at home or traveling) and their browser history makes all the alarm bells go off the next time they login to the network.

“But I wasn’t logged in or at work when I did that!”

“Not your computer, definitely not official business. Please read that paragraph in the RoB again that says we get to fire you now.”

The ancient Romans knew the value of a good crucifixion. Every so often we have to hang an idiot as a lesson to the other idiots.”

 

Every year as a condition of employment we have to sign an acceptable use document. I've been here 11 years and I've signed it 11 times and it isn't hard to understand. On our equipment; no porn, no violence, no hate, no illegal activities, anywhere, anytime. And, every year as a condition of employment we have to sit through 2 hours of policy training. HR makes a point of telling everyone that the examples they use are from former employees and their antics. You would think that is enough . . . you would be wrong.

 

Was wondering if anyone here has experience with G64 video files and viewing them. Genetec and Portable Archive Player seem to be the most common applications but they do not work. I tried on my PROD machine and test machines. No success.

 

There is a DOS machine running a small scale station that is still used daily. They use floppies to back it up. One day years back they asked me if it could be backed up over the network...

 

I just got into an argument with someone wanting to procure a bunch of BT keyboards and mice regarding the version of BT that they're running.

They didn't realize that there are versions, and some are more secure than others.

He apparently spent a fortune. Sure hope they're current for his sake.

 

This needs to be here


So was I Elrond, so was I . . .


As does this (I got the memo at the time too)

Mouse Balls (IBM internal memo)
THIS IS AN ALERT TO IBM FIELD ENGINEERS THAT WENT OUT TO ALL IBM BRANCH OFFICES.

Abstract: Mouse Balls Available as FRU (Field Replacement Unit)

Mouse balls are now available as FRU's. Therefore, if a mouse fails to operate or should it perform erratically, it may need a ball replacement. Because of the delicate nature of this procedure, replacement of mouse balls should only be attempted by properly trained personnel.

Before proceeding, determine the type of mouse balls by examining the underside of the mouse. Domestic balls will be larger and harder than foreign balls. Ball removal procedures differ depending upon the manufacture of the mouse. Foreign ball can be replaced using the pop-off method. Domestic balls are replaced using the twist-off method. Mouse balls are not usually static sensitive. However, excessive handling can result in sudden discharge. Upon completion of ball replacement, the mouse may be used immediately.

It is recommended that each replacer have a pair of spare balls for maintaining optimum customer satisfaction, and that any customer missing his balls should suspect local personnel of removing these necessary items.

To re-order, specify one of the following:

• Domestic Balls - p/n 33f8462
• Foreign Balls - p/n 33f4861

 

Google may have just ushered in an era of ‘quantum supremacy':

https://www.theverge.com/2019/9/23/20879485/google-quantum-supremacy-qubits-nasa

 

Some neat stuff going on, but from the things I have seen and read, even the experts say we are 40 years away from having "general purpose" quantum computing. There may be some interim purpose-built solutions that have some value. Kind of like the whole hype about AI and machine learning -- they are still computer programs, just more sophisticated models than we were able to do previously due to various limitations. I worked on a team that actually coded a neural network model that would "learn" over time back in the 90's. It basically just "guessed" better over time using failed and successful guesses as "learning." Way overkill for what we were doing, but a cool experiment.

We seem to be reaching the limits of current thinking and IC design and manufacturing methods as it becomes increasingly hard to miniaturize and create higher-density circuits, so new methods and ideas like quantum computing need to be explored.

 

Ugh. Netgear changed its router app for iOS 13. I have to download and use the new one now.





I liked the old one.