|
thelightguy posted:A ticket(ing system) came in. Zen desk can be a basic ticketing system for like 2$ per IT person a month. Its fast, simple, and you don't have to host anything.
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2014 15:58
|
|
ed to a $20k/yr raise at a small two man shop that has been picking up work providing lighting controls, service, and support to schools/churches/etc. Which is a fantastic job, but for the fact that our current method of handling service calls is scribbled notes on scraps of paper, voicemails, and long email chains, and inevitably things get missed.
|
|
| # ? May 17, 2024 17:42 |
|
|
Sickening posted:Zen desk can be a basic ticketing system for like 2$ per IT person a month. Its fast, simple, and you don't have to host anything. Zendesk is pretty good. They've made some updates a couple months ago and it works well.
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2014 16:00
|
|
|
DrAlexanderTobacco posted:- I need to cover my arse 100%, even if this means screenshotting AD to show that the account has been disabled. SET UP ACTIVE DIRECTORY AUDITING Get emailed when an account is disabled, you can even configure it to send you AD gobbly gook when you present it to your boss knowing it was done! Technical gobbly gook is the fast track to getting a point across.
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2014 16:52
|
|
|
The only April Fools that I'm aware of that went around our company yesterday was an internal facing site trick. "We're having issues with connections between our site and the main site. Can you test it on this page? It doesn't seem to work for me. test.COMPANY.com". Subsequent page is a Rickroll. It's also internal only.
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2014 17:17
|
|
|
If you're going to have 10 or less users JIRA can't be beat. If you have more than 10 users then JIRA needs to be budgeted.
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2014 17:32
|
|
|
incoherent posted:SET UP ACTIVE DIRECTORY AUDITING be careful though, it may be entrapment :P
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2014 17:39
|
|
|
I wish that it had been an April Fool's joke, but alas, no. We seriously thought it was until we couldn't use our old ticketing system anymore...yes. The "immediate transition" has hit us. I work at a public university and we have recently transitioned to a new ticketing system called "Cherwell Service Management". This system is not compatible with our existing security system (requiring that all technician authentication checkouts be done via the previously forbidden "backdoor" method of simply specifying the incident number as 0), has an inability to tailor email notifications to individual technicians (either technicians will receive email alerts from EVERY incident that comes through or NONE, there is no middle ground beyond each technician creating special exchange rules for themselves), relies on pre-set SLA's that make zero sense in a massive enterprise environment like the one we work in and, to top it all off, works license by license on each physical install. This means that none of our student workers can, say, log in real fast and update a work order on the fly or set a ticket to pending or whatever. There is a browser client, but since it works on our login credentials we cannot use the browser client when we are logged in with administrative credentials to do...practically anything that a client can't do themselves or with guidance from our helpdesk crew. This gets even more ridiculous when we have to remote in to help them and end up elevating privileges. The upside to all of that is that apparently we have now found a use for the pile of ancient Dell netbooks that were apparently given to our university some time ago which have been collecting dust in asset management. To anyone else out there who might be using this ticketing system: Is this general shoddiness of Cherwell something unique to our install, or is it just bad in general?
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2014 19:28
|
|
|
deimos posted:If you're going to have 10 or less users JIRA can't be beat. If you have more than 10 users then JIRA needs to be budgeted. The workflow goes ticket comes in, is assessed, is assigned to a developer if needed, and when the developer has written a solution and is ready to release it to the production team we assign it to said production team for them to review and deploy. If it's something that will end up being a story or epic then it goes into JIRA. We also use Agile here, so we sprint/epic/story etc. It's nice having two different systems, because support tickets (zendesk stuff) can be messy and is generally from a non-technical person. The JIRA stuff is all technical stuff, so it's well thought out and logical. Helps to keep complicated issues logical and keep us moving forward.
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2014 19:40
|
|
|
Widestancer posted:Is this general shoddiness of Cherwell something unique to our install, or is it just bad in general? Pretty much sounds like the Cherwell I used a year or so ago. I thought it was complete rear end because HQ IT was made up of the most incompetent group of troglodytes imaginable and I assumed they just ignored Cherwell at every available opportunity like they ignored us and set everything up horribly. Maybe CSM is just garbage after all. HQ IT was still dumb as gently caress, though, and spent literally 90% of their time in meetings where they mostly just congratulated each other about how they completed some trivial five minute task after three weeks of planning and two weeks of implementation.
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2014 20:12
|
|
|
Widestancer posted:I wish that it had been an April Fool's joke, but alas, no. We seriously thought it was until we couldn't use our old ticketing system anymore...yes. The "immediate transition" has hit us. I did a fairly comprehensive review of Cherwell not too long ago, and it sounds like whoever installed it left it horribly configured. From what I recall, it's really easily modified by a Cherwell system admin to do a lot of what you're looking for. Also, I think there's a mobile app for smartphone/tablet access? In the meantime, I get around the browser issue in Service Desk Express by launching the browser using "Run As..." and putting in my network credentials. I just have to remember to close the browser window after I'm done. It should work the same in Cherwell if it's using Windows Integrated Authentication. EDIT: Cherwell Mobile App
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2014 20:42
|
|
|
KoRMaK posted:We also use this. Zendesk is for our client-facing communication (this includes internal clients e.g. non-IT co-workers). We use JIRA for coordinating code development. It's an art-form on whether a ticket from Zendesk makes it into JIRA. If it's something we can bang out in less than half a day it sits in zendesk until completed. It can sit in zendesk assigned to a developer for a while actually, but won't get touched based on how pressing it is vs how pressing the developer's assigned tasks are. We had some bullshit Serena crap thrown at us a few years back by the business software team (the service desk also uses it) and since our team is fairly independent from the rest of the company we switched to JIRA (because not even the business software teams use the crap they tried to make us use). Guess who is installing JIRA Service Desk on our JIRA install this year after the business software started using JIRA when their PM had to work with us for a project. e: don't get me started on the nightmare that is/was Serena PVCS e2: I guess I should specify it may not actually be the products' faults that it sucks at our company, but the ineptitude of the people charged with integrating/managing them. deimos fucked around with this message at 22:10 on Apr 3, 2014 |
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2014 22:08
|
|
|
JohnnyCanuck posted:I did a fairly comprehensive review of Cherwell not too long ago, and it sounds like whoever installed it left it horribly configured. From what I recall, it's really easily modified by a Cherwell system admin to do a lot of what you're looking for. Also, I think there's a mobile app for smartphone/tablet access? Excellent news! We actually recently moved someone over to be a dedicated Cherwell admin due to the issues we have been facing. The mobile app is something that we are aware of but cannot technically ask student workers to use since it would involve personal mobile devices. Even though the smartest thing to do would be to use WiFi the last thing we need is someone derping out and then complaining to the state that we ripped them off. FTE's can apply for reimbursement of cell phone and tablet usage but that's sort of a pain at the moment; I'll check into it though. The workaround you described works just fine when we tested it amongst ourselves; it is not at all intuitive the way our system is currently set up but it is better than having to burn a license on a netbook that runs like a busted etch-a-sketch on the best of days. Hopefully the Cherwell admin can sort stuff out as we get more feature requests ironed out; we are essentially going live for our testing since the actual testing appears to have been done in a cave somewhere. We currently have only 90 licenses and the budget will not allow for more, but we paid a LOT for this stuff on a state contract so it isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Thankfully I will soon be transitioning out of the tech bench area of IT and into the web dev section here but I feel bad for the guys left behind (the refusal of management to acknowledge anything wrong with this install due to the sheer amount of money spent really hampers our efforts to let them know about problems). Right now our admin is busy allowing the system to let us actually UPDATE the CMDB (which it seems like Cherwell is actually pretty good at so far) and adding incident categories that didn't exist before (by default there was nothing for, say, a busted projector bulb or errors with an ITV system; there is absolutely nothing, for example, that covers ANY of our planetarium equipment which goes down constantly and runs on a couple of toasters). Good to know that it's salvageable. It should improve office morale quite a bit.
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2014 22:15
|
|
|
A user with local admin came in  She can't save any files because her hard drive is at 99.7 capacity, 320/320GB on Windows 7. She hasn't saved anything large recently, nothing turns up in explorer, and there isn't any other sketchy stuff going on. Checked it out and her Downloads folder was taking up like 95% of the HDD space. Turns out she set up a full backup to run weekly, and then chose her own Downloads folder as the "network" location to back up to. For months and months, this incremental backup has been ballooning, getting a little bit bigger every time a new backup file got added to it.
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2014 23:45
|
|
|
We just got this gem in from a new client. This is the submission in its entirety. "new lap top making odd noises and mouse pad not working"  edit: She must be referring to the trackpad. At least, I hope so.
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2014 23:58
|
|
|
The Cubelodyte posted:"lap top" Every time this happens it's the sign of a colossal idiot.
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 00:02
|
|
|
Eh, at least it's not "lab top".
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 00:20
|
|
|
Apex Rogers posted:Eh, at least it's not "lab top". If you think that's bad, try dealing with a user who calls a VPN token a "tolken" in every email they send about it. 
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 02:11
|
|
|
justlysarcastic posted:If you think that's bad, try dealing with a user who calls a VPN token a "tolken" in every email they send about it.
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 02:22
|
|
|
KoRMaK posted:I think this would give you license to reply with tolkien, tolken and token used interchangeably in the same message. Many puns about a Tolkien Ring network removed here.
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 02:43
|
|
|
sfwarlock posted:Many puns about a Tolkien Ring network removed here. One coax to rule them all and in the drop ceiling bind them
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 03:44
|
|
|
My shop has also barely advanced beyond the scraps-of-paper-as-workorder method; we're currently using an excel template that gets filled out and saved to a network folder as LastnameFirstname_DD-MM-YY then a printed copy stays with the machine and gets written on. Any recommendations for a software replacement on the hardware repair side of things? Basically just needs to be a searchable user/workorder database, preferably browser-based.
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 07:34
|
|
|
sfwarlock posted:Many puns about a Tolkien Ring network removed here. I lost my VPN Tolkien in the fires of Mount Doom, please replace ASAP. This is affecting production!
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 07:46
|
|
|
spankmeister posted:I lost my VPN Tolkien in the fires of Mount Doom, please replace ASAP. This is affecting production! You forgot to say 'please do the needful'
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 07:53
|
|
|
spankmeister posted:I lost my VPN Tolkien in the fires of Mount Doom, please replace ASAP. This is affecting production! Sorry, you'll need to submit your request to our ticketing system via Ring mail.
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 08:13
|
|
|
A ticket came in, the admin department asked for me to install teamviewer on the conference room computer because they think that its faster than RDP to a computer less than 50 feet away. And of course it had to be done RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A IMPORTANT SEMINAR THAT WE DIDN'T TELL ANYONE ABOUT.
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 08:34
|
|
|
Uh oh Oh right, They're upgrading a studio from SDI to IP.  400 cables is going to be reduced to 40. It'll take the guys a full week to remove the redundant wiring - mostly because they take extra care to cut the right cables. 
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 08:47
|
|
|
Removing redundant wiring? What is this witchcraft? Surely the right thing to do it just chop the connectors off and stuff the wires back under the floor / into the wall / into the drop ceiling? Removing cables so you can weight them in for scrap and then not get confused when there's hundreds of unused ones running through the place will never catch on.
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 09:20
|
|
|
A ticket system came in here too. Yesterday we moved from Helpstar 2009 to Microsoft Service Manager. So far it's been pretty pleasant, and I have rewritten our intranet IT FAQ with direct links to all kinds of different requests in the web portal.
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 11:04
|
|
|
Crowley posted:Uh oh We're going through something like this. We recently invested in a new modular PSIP generator, effectively replacing over thirty pieces of racked equipment with one machine, which is pretty rad, but now we've gotta take out the obsolete equipment. Now we're trying to remove 15-20 years worth of unlabeled and mislabled BNC cables that are running throughout the entire building, and if we accidentally unplug the wrong thing, we go off the air! So far, we've gotten around 150 or so 20-30ft cables removed after two weeks and we've only cleaned out two racks. Only 23 to go! 
A Frosty Witch fucked around with this message at 14:39 on Apr 4, 2014 |
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 14:35
|
|
|
KoRMaK posted:Zendesk is pretty good. They've made some updates a couple months ago and it works well. We use Zendesk here. It's very basic but I haven't really delved too far into it - there's probably way more functionality than I've used thus far. It's quite easy to use, lightweight, accessible from anywhere.
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 14:46
|
|
|
evobatman posted:...and I have rewritten our intranet IT FAQ with direct links to all kinds of different requests in the web portal.
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 15:53
|
|
|
nexxai posted:lol "It's answered in the IT FAQ" 
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 15:57
|
|
|
Caged posted:Removing redundant wiring? What is this witchcraft? People here will use the old cat3 wiring to patch in desks and stuff. I have nightmares.
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 16:02
|
|
|
We have twinax cables run through our entire building still. That poo poo is thick.
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 16:16
|
|
|
Crowley posted:Uh oh We did something similar except on a much much smaller scale. We replaced our rolling HDCAM deck with a small rack and patch panel in our server room. No more messing with RS-422 and what SDI cable goes to where; our post team is very happy. Granted we just switched to Avid so we've got Cat6a cable out the rear end; something like 600+ drops between the two networks. Patching that was a pain. Also I just got sent this. Physically painful to look at. 
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 18:22
|
|
|
GreenNight posted:We have twinax cables run through our entire building still. That poo poo is thick. It's incredibly annoying and confusing that Cisco or someone reused the name of an IBM cable when creating copper 10gig cables with SFP connectors, because now sometimes when I say we're buying twinax to people who have been around for the IBM stuff they just look at me shocked. (It's also incredibly annoying that 10 gig on RJ45 isn't more common yet, because the whole SFP situation with OEM SFPs the only ones that work and the switches blocking out cheaper knockoffs is such a pain in the rear end - if I'm connecting via a copper cable with theoretically no intelligence or electronics in it at all, why should it matter if it was made by Cisco? It shouldn't of course, except that then Cisco wouldn't get more money off their ridiculous markups).
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 18:45
|
|
|
Did all of your racks just vomit? That looks like a nightmare of epic proportions. *edit* I also just saw the hole in the wall on the left, is there also cable vomit coming from there? vvv-poo poo I didn't even realize that there's a raised floor! MF_James fucked around with this message at 19:42 on Apr 4, 2014 |
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 19:31
|
|
|
I think that's a pretty textbook case of "out of sight, out of mind!"
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 19:34
|
|
|
"We'll just hide the excess cable under the floor"
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 19:38
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 17, 2024 17:42 |
|
|
MF_James posted:Did all of your racks just vomit? That looks like a nightmare of epic proportions. Not mine thankfully. I'd be ashamed if it was. It was sent by a coworker from a friend who works at a major cable network. This is what my cable management looks like. I can't wait to get rid of Final Cut Pro so I can remove those green ones. The loose cable at the top was because the network engineer was freaking out about something pulling POE so he had me unpatch it. 
pr0digal fucked around with this message at 19:51 on Apr 4, 2014 |
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2014 19:46
|
|