Work entertainment

[Radkres]

 
Ghostbusters - Don't Cross The Streams

[McGrandpa]

Yuh it might splash!    :rowrow:

[Jherrith]

Well, time for another day in the life. Most of yesterday was nothing but planing since apparently nothing of the sort was done to begin with, seriously here you go 12 brand new Aruba switches just go ahead and replace them.

Uh even I know better then that as in aren't you supposed to coordinate with the rest of the centers first before just rolling over resources to another site or were you just going to say get it done and just do it?

The guy I report to said what are they thinking and stopped that nonsense right away especially after the FST looked at the config in the new switch and compared it to the old switch and had a moment. Just think the guy on the phone was wanting me to load a config file into a switch and test it for him.

Whoa nellie, that is not happening one that is way above my pay grade and two this is a federal switch for ICE. I may have clearance to be there and wander about doing work, but I damn sure do not have the skill set (technically I do) to work on a system level on an Astro P25 Federal Master site.

Methinks someone was smoking crack yesterday.

At any rate after an all day affair of fact finding and gathering the powers that be think they have it sorted, we shall see when I get started. First thing that needs to be done and I am not certain that this should be on my to do list but all the cabling that is currently plugged in needs to be audited as to accuracy of the label for port number, then is it on and is it active. Before they even start rolling resources to the back up Master site.

Then and only then do I get to start the knuckle dragging remove and replace task. Which apparently the FST is incapable of doing, or why would I always get called back to do those tasks. Can't be my charming personality   or maybe it is that lack of skill when moving stuff and running new cable that one you can actually get to it and read a label on it and two it is not ran a s a banjo string from switch to switch. Maybe it is because I make up all those lovely cables for them and when handed off they are taped and number on both sides so when installed you have the means to find the other side.

[McGrandpa]

Experience.   He is a hard but gifted and effective teacher;  the pupil almost always learns.  And lives!

[Jherrith]

Yep wound up doing the cable audit, seriously what the hell was the FST doing .... putzing about on programming the switches. Why do I word it like that, well, since it took him four hours to get the first two switches ready to be installed .... you tell me.

We were supposed to start the cut over at 11:00, I had grounds pulled off and since the devices I was to remove and replace were supported by shelves I had all of the screws removed. Here comes the fun part, someone forgot that since all of these devices are recessed in the cabinet and there were two switches to be removed but four to go back in, what is missing? Yep, additional brackets to recess the extra two switches. Managed to pull two sets out of my

Well, as mentioned I was ready to go at 11:00 however the powers that be drugged their feet for another hour, before I could get started. Losers

Finally got the go ahead to go for it at last and started nailing it. By the time I got to the second switch of the first stack and the FST says I need you to join in this conference call to update as to you progress, I said I don't have time to chatter, I have work to do ... he didn't like that as less then two minutes he came back and said they really need you on the call, I said then stand there put it on speaker and let them natter on.

All, I can say is those guys are ever so frelling slow on the uptake and having to repeat myself multiple times is for little children that do not understand English.

Based on how they were acting on the phone and the questions being asked it certainly lends credence to an observation that was made to me a month ago in regards to how long was it going to take to install the new system at the Post office. We said probably three days plus another day or two for clean up and testing. Could have heard a pin drop.

Guess some places have been getting the run around when work is scheduled to be performed. We get in and get it done instead of milking it. By we, I mean all of the guys, although I think that some times I might be a overbearing because of trying to get as much done as possible in a day. Yes, we do take time to eat and stay hydrated all day long. But we do not play around, we get in and get it done.
Must be all that construction experience I have from my past (20 years) enables me to see the finished install in my mind and I know what is the sequence of events to make it complete.

I have a feeling that the other guys still do not have that ability although I have tried to instill that mindset in them.

At any rate I guess I surprised the people on the phone because I was already past the moving and bring back on line of the Border Router. Had the GGSN moved up, along with Gateway Router 1 & 2 moved up also, plus grounded and never unplugged or powered them down. Had the first set of switches installed and grounded and powered up and running, even had the GBIC links installed and showed connectivity.

And yes, had to repeat that just shy of three times before they even understood where I was at ...

At any rate once I got rid of those idiots, I could get back to work, and pressed on till done. Oh by the way the FST finally got the second of core lansw ready to be installed ... what the hell, why is it taking him so long?

Got everything moved for the first set of switches and then the second phone call, oh by the way we are not seeing the redundant link ... uh the second set of switches has not been installed or cabled. (mutters under breath "morons")

But the real fun is that they inform us that of the GBIC's need to be installed in this fashion. Guess what ... not written down in yesterday's outline ...

"asshats"

I did eventually finish with the worst of the upgrade and installation of the other devices slated for today's migration. Then had to wait on ye ole genius idiots on the phone to say that yes they can see everything and it is ready to be rolled back to our site. The real funny bit was once again they had to do the 20 questions as to what work had been completed and did it get wired in this fashion. I swear these idiots must be used to dealing with kindergartners doing install work.

I find it insulting to get the 20 question grilling over what work has been completed. I swear, it is written out, how complicated could the work be to finish?

In my mind not one tiny little bit ....

[Jherrith]

Sorry about the extra long rant, something to do with only getting a break long enough to eat a sandwich I had packed, and then it was 6:00 PM when driving home so everyone else at the shop has a evening meal at a normal hour and I am driving home still, yes this happens to all of us on more then one occasion but I do not live in the past or the future and it is today that I am dealing with, I was trying to make a phone call and I get ignored and receive a text reply "I'm eating dinner"

Must be nice.

[Wizzard]

Did you text back "Thanks for volounteering"?
THen don't respond to them till the morrow.
>8 D
Cheers and take a rest and o-sake break.

[McGrandpa]

I like two little words.

You're

Fired

.
Eat THAT A-H!

[Jherrith]

Did you text back "Thanks for volounteering"?
THen don't respond to them till the morrow.
>8 D
Cheers and take a rest and o-sake break.

Better still I said "Driving" which I was and never said another word, then again he didn't bother either so

[McGrandpa]

You work with some jerks, J.   Ya figure ways to get on with Life anyway, in spite of them.