Indiana Frog and the last Sombrero!

Some of the users have started load testing, this is in anticipation of all sorts of upgrades – in-fact some of the apps and software will almost be current levels by the time the upgrades are finished (providing these pesky vendors don’t do anything stupid like release a new version). I mean we’re professional here everything is thoroughly tested, so there is never likely to be a problem when we go live. As an example we recently completed the upgrade of the tin that almost all our core applications run on.

This was an impressive piece of work, the day that it was completed the new server went end of life. The work was planned and implemented in a professional manner, the testing was rigorous and thorough and all was as it should be. This upgrade involved moving from an Enterprise F-12K to an Enterprise F-15K, there was no change to the operating systems level, or the database, or even the applications software. There were some 40+ applications moved over 4 domains and it was completed in a paltry 3 years, even although the book time for the job is three days we managed to push it out so far that the technology became obsolete.

Now the powers that be are looking towards new horizons, the speed at which the users react will almost certainly mean that the company will most likely be called something else when the project is completed. There will be numerous sombrero’s awarded during this project, this time there will be no mercy. Any degree of cock up will win a sombrero, however any one who manages to win all three versions will win a special prize, in this company probably a promotion. Still I shouldn’t grumble about the state of play, there are places where a systems administrators life is dull and predictable. These places are some what mythical as everything goes to plan, there is never any possibility that you will have to demonstrate your prowess as a dancer – even the performances of the headless chicken dance are planned.

Still there is a possibility that the sombrero will be awarded – remember that each time the sombrero is awarded it could be the last time it happens. Of course, the last time the sombrero is awarded – it’ll have to be something pretty spectacular.