Administrator's Responsibilities

[Tiger Shark]

BBallad: Welcome back... long time no type.... The example you gave was _exactly_ what I said in my previous post, ("there aren't always technical solutions to administrative problems). Our AUP begins with "this is a business network and is to be used for business purposes only"..... Wherever I can this policy is enforced through "physical" rules, (Group policy etc.), but I have the AUP to fall back on when _I_ fail.....

Muracu: I'd go one step further, (but this _is_ me speaking.... <LOL&gt, I would send out an email to all upper management stating that "the disk space on the master server is running out and that during an audit of the filesystem I discovered that there is 12Gb of space being taken up with pornography but the owner of the files has instructed me _not_ to remove it. This being the case I will need to spend $X for the purchase of additional HD's to increase the space. Do I have your permission to make this purchase". Then I would sit back and wait. The Porn king isn't going to rush to tell everyome else that he's the pervert so you will be removing it in a matter of hours. Then, before you delete it you go to him and offer to cut it to CD for him. Result: You are happy, the board is happy and the porn king is happy resulting in a lower liklihood that he will come after your @$$.

MrCoffee: The only difference we have is that you trust people to do what they are asked/told. I don't! People are, for the largest part, morons where computers are concerned. Not only are they morons, they are selfish, ("I want to do this so I will and they'll never find out"), and stupid, (the "they'll never find out" bit). Since you read my treatyse on logging you can see that a lot of the goings on on my network are logged and archived but the (L)users don't know what we are capable of seeing....... So show them......

A typical example: From time to time I will watch the "real time" monitor of my SurfControl and I will come across someone shopping for handbags, (this happened the other day). So using GenControl written by Slarty here on AO I connect and can watch their desktop without them knowing, (it's in my AUP and we remind them every three months). If they are shopping away I will "net send" them the following:

"The log of your little shopping trip is getting rather large. Should I send the first installment to your supervisor now?"

You'd be surprised how quickly IE closes.... <ROFL>. But you'd also be surprised how quickly that little incident gets around the office and whispers of "$hi7, he can do that????" can be heard.

Lastly, I get one very specific frustration from your posts. Your lack of authority on your own network. I do understand how frustrating that can be. Personally I would _gently_ inform them that without the authority to act and determine what happens on your network then all they are doing is paying for a glorified help desk. Point out that the reason they employed you was because you know what can be done with a network and, as such, it is a better use of their money letting you manage it. I like to point out that "it is their train set and they can play with it any way they like - It's my job to make it work for them". But in order to make it work they need to work with you and you need to work with them. They tell you what they need, but let you make the final decision on HOW that is acheived.

If they won't bend I would start looking for another job..... 'Cos you won't get anywhere in this business working for people who know nothing yet insist on micro-managing you......

[MrCoffee]

If they won't bend I would start looking for another job..... 'Cos you won't get anywhere in this business working for people who know nothing yet insist on micro-managing you......

Tiger Shark: Sighhhh I would, except, welll.... ummmm I hate to admit it, but even with the bitching in my post on the limitations of my position here... err well ummm I love my job. :O
The entire work environment is a challenge, and everyday there is a new puzzle waiting to be fixed or solved. It pushes my to aquire new skills and reuse old skills in a lot of different ways... I have been here over 18 months and I still come in early and stay late whenever I can. From a techie point of view it is a really good job, from an admin well there are a *cough* few changes I would like to see made....

As far as trusting my users or not goes, I guess I have standards to which I except them to live up to. Silly as it my seem.

Anyways, TAG! your it...

[bballad]

thats what i get for being to lazy to read the entire thread Personly when im at the smaller compnaies I prefer the physical security of an aluminum basball bat to fall back on it makes a wonderful LART