OPP

The name of the game today was "Other People's Problems".

Yes, these were my problems, too, but OPP sounds better than MPT (my problems too). And of course there are those that would say such things as "it's about time" with regard to me solving problems. Not that I don't ever solve problems so much as my solutions generally seem less useful or less impactful to those that think less of me.

Anyway... aparently, a short while before I arrived this morning, a server of non-trivial importance went down. Most mornings, such a thing is no big deal, as the resident masters of our IT universe would swoop in, save the day, and have a smoke. But on this day, oh wary citizens of netropolis, the primary administrator of said server was in the emergency room with his own non-trivial problem, and the alternate was on vacation, not long from being out of state. All of this is aside from the essential fact that the backup system designed to trivialize such monumental failures had itself recently failed and had not yet been restored. So where did that leave us?

All alone. In the dark. Without service. With only Shawn to save us. If only we could find him.

(pause for cringe effect)

Fortunately Shawn (once found) did have help from the rest of the capable IT staff, though you'll never hear me say it was pretty. Our solution, while functional, was largely without grace, and almost completely lacking in (fault) tolerance. Though the other team members did later rectify that last problem somewhat.


And THEN, not to be outdone... Shawn had to go troubleshooting problems on other people's networks because he was loosely involved with a peripheral issue, and those in better positions to assist refused or neglected to do so. Fortunately he was able to identify a workaround, recommend a solution, and get people in trouble for "going outside the network for help".


Not bad for a day's work. Too bad I don't make the big bucks like our real men of (genius) IT.