Some life stories

Hello! I would like to share a small selection of stories from our lives. All good mood and have a nice day!

About work for customers

How to call the ship server, so it will float will work
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Setting up servers for the customer, we paid attention to their names. One had the proud name Pharaoh (Faraon), and the second incomprehensible Nomarch (Nomarch). Pondered, not over the configuration, above the name. Began to search. It turned out that Nomarh is one of the highest bureaucratic positions in ancient Egypt. Namely: the representative of the pharaoh, responsible for the management of the administrative area. Analog of the governor in modern World. They looked at each other, felt the scale of the names. Again they became thoughtful, but now over their servers. Two of them are named Zinaida and Dzhigurda ...

Combat readiness check

One of our customers decided to check the security of their infrastructure against DDoS attacks. Remedies to the customer provided by the provider. An initiator of a test DDoS attack was found on the limitless expanses of the Internet. This person, who promised to carry out a DDoS attack, gave guarantees that the product was of high quality and that no matter what the customer did, would not help. Armed with popcorn monitoring tools, we waited for the start of the attack. At the appointed time, everything, as promised, lay down. However, as it turned out, "lay down" not only at our customer, but also at a number of other companies, including in the data center, where the customer equipment was located. Either the potion was too powerful, or the performer was “ordered” by others, or just a coincidence.

Communications

In our time, the means of communication has become very much. Telephone and email are often not enough. Therefore, customers use Skype, Viber, etc. to communicate with engineers. The main thing here is not to confuse the contact and not send anything superfluous. So in the process of implementing one of the projects, the customer chose Viber as the main means of communication. Everything was fine until the engineer sent the following message: “Hello, Kisulya. How are you?". Perhaps the customer thought that our engineer was thus trying to check the status of the custom Cisco equipment. Just confused Viber and SNMP. But I decided to tactfully keep quiet about it. However, further communication from the customer went only through e-mail and telephone.


The most reliable server in the world

Somehow in the conversation the customer mentioned that the servers of a certain vendor are the best. He explained his statement by the fact that these servers are working, even after flooding them with water several times. In general, apparently, this characteristic is necessary. Server rooms, arranged in the former bathrooms, we have seen and even more than once. But here the situation was a bit different. As it turned out, the server was on the top floor. And the roof just above it and leak. Therefore, as soon as the weather forecast promised rain, the servers prepared for water procedures. As it turned out, it was technically difficult to fix the roof, so in the end, an awning was stretched over all the uprights, and buckets were placed at the corners. Of course, temporarily. But as we know, nothing is more permanent than temporary.

You have put Exchange? - Yes
Works? - Yes
Right? ..

There was a task to ensure the migration to a new domain and at the same time switch to a new mail server. Customer understands and understands. He says, let me install the mail server so that I don’t waste time. And you already do the migration. The owner is the master. Come on. After some time, the customer reports, the new mail server is running, everything is flying. Then we had to clarify where it was launched and what it flies, but we were somehow ashamed. Clarified only, whether from the first time everything flew established? This is important, as incorrect installation may cause problems with the server in the future. Having received a positive response, they calmed down. On the appointed day, our engineer arrives at the office to the customer to start work on the migration. Looks at the new mail server, then in Active Directory, then again on the mail server. And he sees incomprehensible tails from unidentified mail servers (not those in animals, but also tails). Then the question to the customer follows, and exactly the server was installed the first time? Domain something new. It was here that it turned out that the mail server was installed twice, a maximum of three times. Apparently, the mail is not his element.

Switch can be connected

The customer asked to check the connection of the new switch to the company's network. It seems that the operation is not the most difficult, but once we were asked, we will do it. At the appointed time, our engineer remotely connected to the customer's equipment. Then he reported that a new switch could be turned on. What, in fact, the customer did. But then the unexpected happened. The engineer's heart stopped for a moment when he realized that he had lost access to remote equipment. Attempts to connect to any other equipment at all have also failed. Maybe the problem with the Internet? So after all, there are two providers everywhere: both with us and with the customer. Is the whole network put a poor 24-port switch. Calling the customer to the mobile - does not pick up the phone. A call to the company itself, too, no one picks up the phone. Easy panic. But here the customer calls back and reports that he has connected everything and everything works. Our engineer decided to clarify, and what exactly works? It turned out everything: the network and Internet access. So why can't we connect. It turned out that our main provider had problems, which partially prevented access to some subnets on the Internet. Among these subnets was our customer. Here is a coincidence.

About letters from customers
(note - syntax and spelling preserved)

From the discussion with the customer of work related to the relocation of the company:

By the way. Like they found a shack for moving. Not far (20 minutes on foot) from metro station Avtozavodskaya.
The amount of work no one, acre az sinner and my boss (in part), does not represent.

Customer’s response to the New Year greetings:

Look, plz, can that from the point of view of network security should be improved. And then we have nothing to do in NG holidays (

Determining criteria for product selection:

PS Thawte light wedge did not converge. Especially since the name they have - break the language!

Feel yourself a doctor:

Sending a photofluorogram for discs. Power of Attorney can be issued?

Please send a recipe for happiness:

Do not tell me what you need to press the minimum on the router to achieve happiness. Schaub pinged at least something on “their” end.

Reexamined the bill for payment for the 4th time, we send to the customer with the question, how accurate is the information that they will pay tomorrow?

Answer: “Yesterday, we still wanted to ... the director left urgently ... And today we cut out the light for the whole day ... Tomorrow, if the meteorite doesn’t fall on us, we will pay”

After placing a proposal for consumables, ask: "What do you say?".

Answer: “I think we are printing a lot”

Sometimes customers share their experiences about not entirely successful experiments with setting up equipment:

I stuck totally, even went after work to a restaurant and got rum with grief.

Or explain how they managed to do the setup after all:

Out of desperation, you’re still upsetting.

About the everyday life of engineers

Visiting various events by an engineer is a common thing. The main thing here is not to forget to register, once again specify the location of the event, the date and time, and also not forget the name of your colleague, instead of which you decided to go. Surprisingly, occasionally problems arise with each of the voiced points.

SMS from a colleague:
- Seryoga, hello! Today I’m going to the event with Borey for the whole day (note: event in Krylatskoye).
I come to work and see Boris there:
- Boris, you forgot, you have a seminar today.
- No, he is tomorrow.
- Where did Lesha go with you today?
- Now I find out ...

At the registration desk for a seminar (two engineers registered for the seminar, but the other one went instead of the other):
- Introduce yourself, please, from which organization and what is your name?
- I'm from CBS, my name is Ivanov.
- For some reason I can not find you ...
The colleague standing next to him whispers in your ear: you are not Ivanov, but Ivashov.

The specifics of our work involves not only remote configuration. It is often necessary to travel to the "fields", i.e. on the territory of the customer to install and configure the equipment. In order to make the departure as efficiently as possible, the engineer prepares for it practically as an astronaut to enter the spacewalk. The customer specifies in advance the maximum possible number of nuances: are there any free sockets or UPS, where to connect, is there free space in racks, etc. Before leaving, the engineer collects everything you need on the checklist: a telephone with charging and a headset, a laptop with charging, tools, console cables, adapters, etc.

But, as practice shows, to predict all unforeseen circumstances and difficulties that an engineer may encounter in the fields is very problematic. A good example. Arriving at the installation site of a new network equipment, a trained engineer discovers the following picture:


Further, the rhetorical question sounds: “Guys, is there a ladder?” And the thoughts are not loud, “But damn, I didn't take mine today ...”.
I think it would be superfluous to inform you that there was no stairs, of course. Therefore, a HIGH-Level engineering thought and a HIGH-technology approach are involved:


As a result, the new equipment was successfully installed, tested and put into operation.

About applicants

When selecting employees, you have to read a fairly large number of resumes. Often they contain interesting phrases.

A very important quality, which is sometimes lacking, said a friend in the resume for an engineer position:

About me: Tolerance towards non-professionals in the field of IT.

The magnitude of the duties of an engineer inspires respect:

Position: Engineer (duties performed) Reception and processing of Earth’s space information

Knowledge of English is a big plus for the engineer, but communicating with the dictionary ....

English: read, translate, speak with a dictionary

In the resume for the position of the system administrator, very necessary qualities were noted:

Key skills:
Ability to save small worlds.
The ability to communicate with people with an adequacy level of -1.

Well, of course, PR-manager and not:

Key skills - handsome

Good quality, but perhaps not entirely for the IT world:

Hands are, let's work!)

With such a remark you can not argue, if only you are not a pensioner (although there are exceptions here):

All achievements are still ahead

For some reason, you believe that previous experience can help in negotiations:

Candidate Negotiation Specialist. Previously: The Mass Tinker, Pyrotechnist

And here the previous experience is doubtful:

Candidate for the position of Business Analyst. Previously: Business Process Specialist Main functions: Organization of various events (parties, corporate parties, birthday).

How does the candidate see his responsibilities?

Candidate for the post Sales Consultant: Skills: ... to give advice, beautifully dress the room ...

So to say, the game - find an extra word:

speed is average, camunable corresponding extra-purpose sheath intelegent

And what are your funny experiences at work?