Stephen,
Not that I don't believe you, but where did you hear that CA is discontinuing free phone based support? This may FINALLY be my chance to eradicate CA from my network!!!
Thanks in advance,
Don Guyer
Information Systems
Citadel Federal Credit Union
Ph: 800.666.0191 x7072
Fax: 610.380.6083
www.citadelfcu.org
-----Original Message-----
From: Stephen J. Norton [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Friday, November 02, 2001 12:54 PM
To: MS-Exchange Admin Issues
Subject: RE: Computer Associates
The best part is, as of 11/30/01, CA is doing away with free phone based
support. Doesn't matter how much money you have spent and/or lost on their
products or if their products even work. Ya know what they say: Pay through
the nose or bleed through it.
-----Original Message-----
From: Martin Blackstone [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Friday, November 02, 2001 12:46 PM
To: MS-Exchange Admin Issues
Subject: RE: Computer Associates
I hope to GOD someone at CA sees this and passes it on.
You obviously put a lot of work into the William. Good job!!
-----Original Message-----
From: Lefkovics, William [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Friday, November 02, 2001 8:38 AM
To: MS-Exchange Admin Issues
Subject: Computer Associates
CA contacted me, concerned about posts I've made regarding their
products. In the past it has not been their policy to participate in
these forums because vendors aren't always treated very well. They are
reconsidering this policy.
William Lefkovics, MCSE, A+, ExchangeMVP
Here is the list of ACTUAL quotes I assembled for them in response to
their sudden concern (I did not include names, but these are from public
forums):
When someone made a comment like this:
-"We have bought Arcserve 2000 w/ the backup agent for Exchange to
backup our Exchange Server and have been having nothing but problems." -
Saul, October 10, 2001
The ACTUAL replies were as follows:
-"Do you really want us to go for the entire day about how HORRIBLE of a
product Jerkserv is/???? NTBACK2k [1] is 1000 times better. Return the
Jerkserv and install Backup Exec"
-"The best thing to do with CA products, is to place them in the
dumpster, where they belong."
-"We have been using Arcserve 2000 for awhile now and I would have to
say that it DOES SUCK."
-"why do people buy that program? I have never heard anyone say anything
nice about it?"
-"Don't get started on that crappy as*s piece of software."
Other comments about CA software, by those who actually use it:
-"Let me clue you in on something. I've got a good friend at
CA - he told me that they have a bad time getting their E2K servers
backed up
using their product!!!!"
-"ArcCrap is exactly that... Unreliable, no support, a pain in the
arse, breaks more than it fixes... Shall I go on?"
-"Arcserve does an excellent job of backup things up, it's downfall is
the ability to restore things...."
-"Arcserve and anything is not a good choice."
-"I agree on Arcserve, which is the lowliest of backup products anyway."
-"Arcserve and a dumpster are a perfect fit."
-"There's only so much overtime one man can do, and my quota's fully
taken by using AarghServe"
-"Run away! Fast! Seriously. There are very few here who like working
with ANY CA products even if they inherit them, much less ask for them."
-"you can switch to arcserve if your current backup is too fast for you"
-"Running Innoculan was somewhat akin to flogging myself."
-"I've only purchased a few products from CA and the support was
absolutely horrid. I have had other system administrators with the same
experience. Most of the products themselves were very good until CA buys
the company, then the support seems to go down the tubes."
-"I can't seem to get ARCServe to back up my (WINNT 4.0 SP6) Exchange
server 5.5 SP2 data files."
-"EjaculateIT has worked well for us as a desktop antivirus solution for
our office, but for the Exchange Agent, I'd recommend hiring a tibetan
monk to analyse code segments manually for viral patterns than ever
recommend this piece of crap clearly written by laid off AOL
programmers."
-"The last time I remember any kind of success with ArcServe was when
Computer Associates didn't own it and it was running on Novell. Ever
since Computer Associates got involved, it has become unreliable
garbage."
-"Yes, although usually alot of things tend to not work after a CA
product is installed."
-"When it comes time to update CA's stuff, maybe an alternative would be
in order here."
-"in my short time in the IT industry InoculateIT 4.53 is the worst
piece of software I have had the displeasure to work with. Closely
followed by Arcserve."
-"I don't feel like playing with ArcServe**It right now."
-"I just started a new job. they have this SQL server that is all hosed
up. I uninstall JarkServ and it all worked better : > no more problems
go figure."
-"Don't use arcserve - its horrible."
-"We cannot get a good IS backup using ArcServe2000..."
-"Given the knowledge (or lack or it) exhibited by various CA techs, I
trust them about as far as I can throw them."
-"You hate ARCServe? Can't understand why. Don't you like being pummeled
by a brain-dead licensing and registration process that's just an extra
added bit of torture?"
-"when we moved to Exchange instead of Netscape Messaging Server, we
discovered that Arcserve wasn't too friendly"
-"If our damn Arcserve was working could have restored the whole box,
but it has been failing
for a while."
-"We use InocIT because the tech people aren't making enough of the
buying decisions around here. I would choose anything but InocIT.
Actually I would stay away from any CA product..."
-"A search on ArcServe's tech support FAQs revealed nothing."
-"licensing was the worst aspect of CAI products. Make that 2nd worst,
after tech support"
-"ArcWreckIT will do exactly that..."
-"Arcserve backups have been failing and I haven't got a backup."
-"this InoculateIT software sucks!"
-"I gave up using Arcserve 2000 - went back to using NTBackup, and then
onto Backup Exec."
-"I hate ArcServe... I am holding my breath until we get the new servers
up and running -- and they won't be using ArcServe."
-"I am a fully signed up member of the CA bashing bandwagon."
-"We unfortunately still use InnoculateIT on the desktops. Innoculate
couldn't catch a virus if it were sprinkled with anthrax powder."
-"Unfortunately, yes, I have tried the CA support site. Spent 3 hours
going round in circles on it trying to find a decent answer!!"
-"the answer would be, 'Anything but Arcserve.'"
-"Federal law prohibits using the words "CA", "Exchange" and "scan" in
the same sentence."
-"...having nothing at all is better than having InnoculateIT because
then you don't have a false sense of security?"
-"It tells me the Database is corrupted. THANK YOU COMPUTER
ASSOCIATES!"
-"It goes great with the Inoculan Antivirus and Log File Discombobulator
system from Compooter Assoshiates."
-"A similar thing happened to me when installing Computer Associate's
Inoculate IT according to the installation instructions on their CD. I
do not recall exactly all the changes I made, but it had to do with
permissions and/or search privileges. CA sent the "proper" installation
instructions via email saying, "Oh yeah, the instructions on the CD are
wrong". It still took several hours with PSS to get things back to
normal.... I don't know if this helps or if is just another anti-CA
rant."
-"We are trying to set up Arcserve 2000 to backup our Exchange 2000
server, we have bought the Exchange backup agent but are having a hell
of a time trying to set it up!!!!"
-"ahem, I think that this just might be another quality CA experience."
-"We bought ARCserve but it's just sitting here, unused and unloved."
Still, I close with a Haiku discussion from an Exchange Discussions
forum, which in its own way summarizes sentiment about your products :
It's Five-Seven-Five
Your first line was only four
Go Punish yourself
I screwed up haiku
So must now punish myself
Installing arcserv
Installing Arcserve
Is not enough punishment
You must make it work.
And backup alone
Is not good enough either.
You must restore too.
And when you are done
Please call CA and let them
Know how you did it
List Charter and FAQ at:
http://www.sunbelt-software.com/exchange_list_charter.htm
List Charter and FAQ at:
http://www.sunbelt-software.com/exchange_list_charter.htm
List Charter and FAQ at:
http://www.sunbelt-software.com/exchange_list_charter.htm
http://www.sunbelt-software.com/exchange_list_charter.htm
