Managing a manager who thinks everything can be fixed (IT)
Discussion
Here is the situation:
I am in 3rd line support. We do a lot of bug fixing (although we should be doing other stuff). Quite often, we get systems which are so badly designed and configured (at the server OS level and software level) that they are beyond repair.
Yet my manager, even though he was a dev, may swear when I tell him the system is unrepairable (As the person who does our server work gives an opinion that it's FUBAR). However, he still expects it to work without a rebuild. How can I make it work like that when a guy with a million years more experience says the system needs a rebuild?
In this situation, what would you do?
Thanks
I am in 3rd line support. We do a lot of bug fixing (although we should be doing other stuff). Quite often, we get systems which are so badly designed and configured (at the server OS level and software level) that they are beyond repair.
Yet my manager, even though he was a dev, may swear when I tell him the system is unrepairable (As the person who does our server work gives an opinion that it's FUBAR). However, he still expects it to work without a rebuild. How can I make it work like that when a guy with a million years more experience says the system needs a rebuild?
In this situation, what would you do?
Thanks
1) Do you fix the systems in the end or do they end up needing a rebuild?
2) How long does your rebuild process take?
3) How long does it take to prove that a rebuild will be required?
If the diagnosis + attempt to fix process exceeds the answer to 2 then you need to explain it in cost terms to the manager. If he's a real manager (i.e. not just a title, has budget responsibility etc) then he'll understand cost arguments more than you telling him you're frustrated (frustration is free).
Having said that we have a fairly high rebuild rate on our desktops but an almost zero rebuild rate on servers. I'd be asking questions about the quality of the base server build and/or the processes in place that are managing change to them because if a rebuild is a common requirement someone, somewhere is doing it wrong.
2) How long does your rebuild process take?
3) How long does it take to prove that a rebuild will be required?
If the diagnosis + attempt to fix process exceeds the answer to 2 then you need to explain it in cost terms to the manager. If he's a real manager (i.e. not just a title, has budget responsibility etc) then he'll understand cost arguments more than you telling him you're frustrated (frustration is free).
Having said that we have a fairly high rebuild rate on our desktops but an almost zero rebuild rate on servers. I'd be asking questions about the quality of the base server build and/or the processes in place that are managing change to them because if a rebuild is a common requirement someone, somewhere is doing it wrong.
Hi
1) I either fix it, where the issue is fixable, or, as a company-wide practise, it gets left.
2) Depends on the problem.
3) Proving a rebuild is required could be a few working days of looking at the problem. Or if our senior consultant who configures the servers and software says rebuild, what chance do I have of fixing the issue?
My manager is new to the role, having been a dev.
Rebuilds have never happened, but a lot of stuff is that badly configured. There are problems with systems and they get left then.
An example: Before I started, we did an AD migration (Setup a new domain/forest and move servers to that domain). When the client logs in to I think the member server or the DC, the event log has a million entries of a process trying to authenticate where the user is from the old domain. I looked at various stuff like startup processes, scheduled tasks, etc. Even if I fix it, this indicates a wider issue (botched migration), and if it is AD, you better rebuild, backup or not.
Since then, this ticket has been left.
I think the company knows that it's messed up with such projects and therefore does not want to look stupid and say start again (partly as the client certainly won't be happy).
1) I either fix it, where the issue is fixable, or, as a company-wide practise, it gets left.
2) Depends on the problem.
3) Proving a rebuild is required could be a few working days of looking at the problem. Or if our senior consultant who configures the servers and software says rebuild, what chance do I have of fixing the issue?
My manager is new to the role, having been a dev.
Rebuilds have never happened, but a lot of stuff is that badly configured. There are problems with systems and they get left then.
An example: Before I started, we did an AD migration (Setup a new domain/forest and move servers to that domain). When the client logs in to I think the member server or the DC, the event log has a million entries of a process trying to authenticate where the user is from the old domain. I looked at various stuff like startup processes, scheduled tasks, etc. Even if I fix it, this indicates a wider issue (botched migration), and if it is AD, you better rebuild, backup or not.
Since then, this ticket has been left.
I think the company knows that it's messed up with such projects and therefore does not want to look stupid and say start again (partly as the client certainly won't be happy).
Edited by Z064life on Saturday 2nd June 11:39
Z064life said:
Here is the situation:
I am in 3rd line support. We do a lot of bug fixing (although we should be doing other stuff). Quite often, we get systems which are so badly designed and configured (at the server OS level and software level) that they are beyond repair.
Yet my manager, even though he was a dev, may swear when I tell him the system is unrepairable (As the person who does our server work gives an opinion that it's FUBAR). However, he still expects it to work without a rebuild. How can I make it work like that when a guy with a million years more experience says the system needs a rebuild?
In this situation, what would you do?
Thanks
I am in 3rd line support. We do a lot of bug fixing (although we should be doing other stuff). Quite often, we get systems which are so badly designed and configured (at the server OS level and software level) that they are beyond repair.
Yet my manager, even though he was a dev, may swear when I tell him the system is unrepairable (As the person who does our server work gives an opinion that it's FUBAR). However, he still expects it to work without a rebuild. How can I make it work like that when a guy with a million years more experience says the system needs a rebuild?
In this situation, what would you do?
Thanks
Switch to Unix ...
.. ok, being more helpful - I'd invite him to show you how to fix it ... If it can be done you will learn something, if he fails, problem solved ...
How brave you are is another matter though ...
M
Edited by mph999 on Saturday 2nd June 14:37
When I was a programmer, I had a boss who would say things like "if you are having trouble getting it to work, I'll ask Adrian".
Adrian was (before I joined the team) considered the best programmer. I thought his code was pretty mundane, didn't use any efficiency techniques, had no sensitivity for the internals of the code and was generally pretty poor, although it looked OK on the front end interfaces, hence why he was well regarded.
Took me ages to work out that he knew I couldn't ever concede defeat by something to the extent that I would let Adrian look at my code ... and that by saying that, he knew I would dredge the last vestiges of my experience and knowledge and go whatever extra mile was required to make it work.
As a motivation technique it was pretty effective, for a while anyway. Could this be the challenge that your boss is setting for you?
Adrian was (before I joined the team) considered the best programmer. I thought his code was pretty mundane, didn't use any efficiency techniques, had no sensitivity for the internals of the code and was generally pretty poor, although it looked OK on the front end interfaces, hence why he was well regarded.
Took me ages to work out that he knew I couldn't ever concede defeat by something to the extent that I would let Adrian look at my code ... and that by saying that, he knew I would dredge the last vestiges of my experience and knowledge and go whatever extra mile was required to make it work.
As a motivation technique it was pretty effective, for a while anyway. Could this be the challenge that your boss is setting for you?
A said above, go down the cost route.
Work out cost of server down time and man hours to keep fixing. Then cost of hours to rebuild and dont forget to add in the cost saving to the business not having a server constantly going down.
I have worked with many IT people who insist of "fault finding" I just go for the rebuild option if it's going to take morethan the time to fix than it would take to rebuilt.
Remember the users don't care how clever you are they just want it working again. Users give you brownie points if you fix issues quickly!
Work out cost of server down time and man hours to keep fixing. Then cost of hours to rebuild and dont forget to add in the cost saving to the business not having a server constantly going down.
I have worked with many IT people who insist of "fault finding" I just go for the rebuild option if it's going to take morethan the time to fix than it would take to rebuilt.
Remember the users don't care how clever you are they just want it working again. Users give you brownie points if you fix issues quickly!
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