OT : Good XP Domain Admin book?

Bear scribbled:

Oddly enough for years (Decades?) its been by far the most used web
server software on the planet. And still is AFAIK.

I wouldn't class myself as an expert in administering either, but I
know -> <- that much about MS stuff, and a shed load about *nix
servers.

Ask any IT dept manager which system they'd want someone like me to set
up and administer, minding I'm intending to stay with the company for
many years, and I can't see many suggesting MS servers. Unless they're
heavily on one side of the MS/Linux fence and can't see past their own
opinionated viewpoint. *Or* they know the companys going to grow and
grow and they intend to take on a dedicated IT support bod, which ain't
going to happen here.

Its only a small company, 15 people, 20 PCs, meagre IT requirements, my
workload just with the development is already heavy (looks at clock...
4am and up at 7.30), so something I can set up easily and forget means
I can get back to my primary role ASAP.

 

I didn't say that it wasn't (and, I'm an advocate of *nix, in general;
it was all I used to manage the world's largest optical network, if
you remember).

I just said that I didn't see the business justification for the IT
decision (sadly, all too common). What I saw was an IT justification
for an IT decision.

 

Is that what I said?

I think that your justification for your IT proposal if flimsy, at
best.

 

On a PRINCE2 note... my mate's girlfriend is facing redundancy from
her job of 12 years with a large gas supplier. Now she's pretty much
the typical middle manager but she apparently knows PRINCE2 inside
out.

Any suggestions on the types of employer she could look at?

 

Local authorities love it. They don't pay much, but then again, AFAICS,
it's piss-easy work, and working-conditions are great.

 

She will need to obtain PrinceII practitioner accreditation to be WAF
though. It wasn't easy!

'Hog

 

Noted, ta.

 

It seemed to me he was suggesting that you look beyond your own
skillset limitations[1] and figure out what the business needs for its
longterm survival and growth..

To go all cliched on your ass, if the only tool you possess is a hammer
then every problem starts to look like a nail.

[1]I was going to qualify that but **** it.

 

Yeah.

 

A company that supplies services to her current employer. Her inside
knowledge of a customer has to be a valid selling point.

 

Ben Blaney scribbled:

"you exist to support the business" - implying I should analyse the
business' requirements and work out whats best in their interests.

The company are perfectly happy with very slow, controlled growth, in
the area of production of various mechanical devices, controlled by
common software (with a couple of custom builds). Writing that s/w is
my primary role, which takes up 110% of my time.

An IT network of the size they have now will support them perfectly
well for at least 5 years to come. For what its got to do, a Windows or
Unix server based network will suffice and provide them with all the
facilities they need.

They will continue to give me the secondary role of supporting the
network. They're unwilling to train me on MS server technologies,
simply due to the fact I've got no spare time to go training on
anything. And they do not want to employ a seperate IT admin.

Given the above, remembering it makes no difference what the servers
platform is, the choice for me is simple. MS server will take me a lot
longer to set up and I've got a steep learning curve. *nix I know. I
opt for the quickest, cheapest, most productive option.

And that will happen in 2006. And for now I've done a quick fix that
will make their current network a lot more reliable.

Probably because I haven't justified it in any previous posts. I gave a
very brief reason.

But, just for your benefit, and to help you sleep easy at night, see
the above.

There, there, there. <pats head>

 

That company is in India. I think you know the picture.

 

Rope? He'z just ziz guy, you know?

Cheers