need suggestions: i work with a novel admin

[xSauronx]

i started school back in the spring, and this semester i started with an intro cisco class (network fundamentals) which im doing well enough in so far

because i had some previous work experience i got selected for the work-study program at school and am working under one of the network administrators.

ive been there for 3 weeks and im bored as hell. after the first couple of days where he went over (with general descriptions) of how the network works and what he does, this is pretty much my morning with the guy:

he swaps out tapes for his daily backups
he checks email
he plays freecell (a lot)
he helps fix someones computer

there have only been a couple of minor network issues since i was there, neither of which he got into while i was around (more freecell) so im really getting any interesting knowledge or experience from the guy. in fact, he went so far as to ask *me* to teach him a few things about linux (im no expert, and i was under the impression *id* be there to learn)

what can i ask him to help me with or teach me? im not sure what i should ask about that i could understand and could get some benefit from.i guess i dont really know enough to know what to ask about to start with :-/

the school runs Netware 6.5, with a few of Windows Server 2003 machines. They use cisco for routing/switching/wireless

i asked him about wireless, the senior admin deals with it, but hes very busy and i never see the guy.

he said he had a routing/switching issue he needed to sort out, and I told him i was interested in learning about cisco gear/IOS but, again, he doesnt get into anything while im around and instead pointed me towards course material for the 3rd cisco class....that i wont get into until next spring.

any thoughts?

 

[Jamsan]

Do they have a lab environment setup? You could have him show you the way around Cisco IOS around that.

Have him print out the running configs on all the routers/switches/APs. Have him go over the important stuff in the configs to see how the stuff works, and then get a big picture by seeing how everything interacts with each other.

 

[xSauronx]

Originally posted by: Jamsan
Do they have a lab environment setup? You could have him show you the way around Cisco IOS around that.

Have him print out the running configs on all the routers/switches/APs. Have him go over the important stuff in the configs to see how the stuff works, and then get a big picture by seeing how everything interacts with each other.

good idea, thanks!

they have a lab, and the intro class im in usually uses it....except that this semester it has 25 students instead of the normal 4 or 5 (probably because they require web devs to take it now) and the lab can only support 8 or so, so i *might* get to get in there in november after this intro class is over and the second one starts.

 

[xSauronx]

i asked him, he said ok....then just showed me, on paper, basically which switches are connected to which workstations/switches *sigh*
maybe ill try again tomorrow, he doesnt really seem keen on teaching much, or playing around with linux (which he asked me to help with)

any other ideas anyone? should i just randomly switch a few patch cables, wait for chaos to ensue, then watch him and the senior admin figure it out?

 

[imported_snikt]

He might be worried if he teaches you some things that you might replace him or at the very least take away some of his duties. You could try getting on his good side so he doesn't feel threatened that might let him lower his guard and be more open to training you. I wouldn't recommend purposely sabotaging the network; its very easy to blame the new guy when something goes wrong all of a sudden. Plus, if they determine it was you that sabotaged the network there goes your chances of getting anywhere with management and him.