You obviously don't understand how close you are to extreme peril.

NuclearNed

Raconteur
May 18, 2001
7,856
344
126
I'm updating a large software application today with year-end updates. The application has two parts: a client/server app, and a web app. This app is very important; among other things, it stores our payroll and human resources data. If this app doesn't work, people don't get paychecks.

It is for this very reason that I have gone to great, painful lengths to make sure this upgrade goes as smoothly as possible. I installed it on a test server first, making sure I ironed out any wrinkles I found. I notified all users company-wide in a very clear, pointed email to stay off the system during the upgrade, and to reinforce this I shut down the web app from IIS. The only vulnerable spot is the 15 or so users who have access to the client app, but they are the elite users I can count on to follow directions, right?

So today I began running the upgrade and for a while things ran real smoothly. Then, out of the blue, the upgrade crashes, giving me an error that said something about a table being locked.

The drops of sweat immediately broke out on my forehead right next to all the enlarged pulsating veins, and my lip began to quiver.

I quickly ran sp_who on the database, and found my worst fear: Mr. Chuckles had logged in through the client app.

I could barely contain my primal, skull crushing rage as I turned a deep crimson and looked up his phone extension. What follows is an approximation of the conversation:

Me (semi-yelling): "WTF?!??!?? Didn't you get the email??!!?!?!"

Mr. Chuckles (chuckling): "Huh? Oh, wait - yeah I got the email. I thought you meant everybody except for me."

Me (gasping for breath): "!!?!??!?"

Mr. Chuckles (still chuckling, ignoring the ominous silence coming from my end): "So do you want me to get out or what?"

Me (furiously trying to reach through the phone line to choke the shit out of this cretin): "Get out and stay out until I give you the 'all clear', dumbass!!!!!!"

<sound of me slamming down the phone>

And users wonder why we hate them so.
 

Glayde

Senior member
Sep 30, 2004
554
0
71
I would have thought that if you had a co-worker named Mr. Chuckles, that you would have gone through some extra preventative measures to ensure that he would comply with your instructions.



 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
71,353
30,914
136
Another IT nazi who thinks users are there to provide him employment rather than him being there to serve the hated users who are the ones who actually produce the stuff that makes the company money. <poke> :p
 

AMCRambler

Diamond Member
Jan 23, 2001
7,711
30
91
I think you need to change Mr. Chuckles privileges to read only and spend several days trying to "find the problem" while he sweats because he can't work!
 

steppinthrax

Diamond Member
Jul 17, 2006
3,990
6
81
I work in a hospital within the IT department. I'm a systems analyst. We have dumbass things like that happen all the time.

I remember we had an application similar to your client/server model. It ran off of a share drive that users had a shortcut to their desktop to use. It was a conference center application that containted reservations and room cost. I sent an email for everyone to log off. I began copying files from the share to my computer because the database crashed and I needed to run a database refresh. A user then logged into the application in the middle of the copying and changed data without my knowledge. I copied the data back (fixed) and the users logged back in and wondered why their updates they did while I was fixed it wern't commited??????

It's the Urban Amish that make our lives hard.

We have this application called carbon copy. It's a remote desktop application but it dosen't create a session like windows RDP. I can actually take control of their mouse and forceibly shut their computer down. They they are calling like WTF...
 
Nov 5, 2001
18,366
3
0
I yelled at our IT consultant once. He rebooted the server without telling anyone, nevermind the fact that our accounting and estimating software are database oriented, and could be corrupted by an unprepared shutdown, or any of the other work that could be lost by doing so.

Fvcking idiot.
 

MmmSkyscraper

Diamond Member
Jul 6, 2004
9,472
1
76
Originally posted by: NuclearNed
Me (furiously trying to reach through the phone line to choke the shit out of this cretin): "Get out and stay out until I give you the 'all clear', dumbass!!!!!!"

<sound of me slamming down the phone>

:laugh::thumbsup:

 
Jun 19, 2004
10,860
1
81
Seems to me it's your fault for assuming that 15 users would follow orders.....or hell, even read the email for that matter.

If it were THAT important you'd have suspended their access during this time to begin with my friend.

You have no one to blame but yourself.
 

timswim78

Diamond Member
Jan 1, 2003
4,330
1
81
Upgrades to live systems are always best done during normal working hours, and users should have full access during that time.
 

manlymatt83

Lifer
Oct 14, 2005
10,051
44
91
I'm a DBA. If I were doing an upgrade like this, I would have locked the application accounts so that no front end would be able to authenticate during the upgrade. I know how frustrating this is for you, so I that's all I'll say, and yes I would be pissed too, but why couldn't you do that? Then you wouldn't have to rely on the clients not connecting - they wouldn't be able to.
 

oddyager

Diamond Member
May 21, 2005
3,398
0
76
Never ever assume a user will read everything or anything you send. It doesn't matter if they are secretaries, admins, developers, or programmers. Assume the worst I always say and do what you need to do to minimize impact/harm done by them if they don't listen or read your email.
 

PottedMeat

Lifer
Apr 17, 2002
12,363
475
126
I don't know anything about database software - but if you have the authority to do a major upgrade, can't you boot people or lock out accounts for a time?

 

IceBergSLiM

Lifer
Jul 11, 2000
29,932
3
81
Originally posted by: timswim78
Upgrades to live systems are always best done during normal working hours, and users should have full access during that time.

lol. I know right.
 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
71,353
30,914
136
Originally posted by: oddyager
Never ever assume a user will read everything or anything you send. It doesn't matter if they are secretaries, admins, developers, or programmers. Assume the worst I always say and do what you need to do to minimize impact/harm done by them if they don't listen or read your email.

This is true. Users have their own jobs to do and have to prioritize their work. Reading emails from IT usually doesn't score very high on the user to-do list.