I would add to that list: Establish Risk I can't tell you the number of times that someone has looked at two options for mitigating (or attempting to isolate) a problem, and they're ready to jump on the one which is harder to recover from.
*Them*: Possibly corrupt install? Hey, I know! Let's re-image the drive!! > > *Me*: Um... How about you put the drive in another system and see if it >> works there? That way, no data loss if it's not a corrupt install... > > Always have a plan for *"what if my assumption was wrong?"* that doesn't involve magic, heroics or immunity from prosecution. *ASB* * * On Thu, Sep 23, 2010 at 6:29 AM, Ken Schaefer <[email protected]> wrote: > Agreed. Making random changes to servers based on “gut feelings” what are > bad, isn’t my idea of a desirable troubleshooting strategy. > > > > Gather facts > > Isolate Issue > > Identify Root Cause > > Implement Fix > > > > Cheers > > Ken > > > > *From:* Andrew S. Baker [mailto:[email protected]] > *Sent:* Thursday, 23 September 2010 6:13 PM > > *To:* NT System Admin Issues > *Subject:* Re: Kick Ass Sysadmin (was RE: It appears that the Symantec > Virus has affected PGP already) > > > > Another aspect of troubleshooting is the ability to keep track of what are > actual facts, and what are as-yet-untested-assumptions. > > > > This includes knowing how to classify information that has been given you > by the end user. > > > *ASB *(My XeeSM Profile) <http://XeeSM.com/AndrewBaker> > *Exploiting Technology for Business Advantage...* > * * > > On Thu, Sep 23, 2010 at 2:42 AM, James Rankin <[email protected]> > wrote: > > It's not what you Google, it's how you Google it. Even when interviewing > now I tend to try and look for people who can work problems out rather than > people who can simply rhyme off lists of stuff - and I'm always keen on > people who check the obvious things first. (Think "how would you > troubleshoot a GPO that's failing to apply" rather than "name the FSMO > roles".) There's an art to troubleshooting technical issues that's sometimes > hard to define. It's probably the old "clean minds and scruffy minds" thing. > Scruffy minds move in unexpected directions and try things that wouldn't > necessarily make sense. I can remember fixing some random server hang just > by stopping a service I didn't like the look of. It's only afterwards that > we realised that particular app was opening loads of ports and generally > monopolising the system. I didn't really know what I was looking for, until > I found it. > > On 23 September 2010 00:31, Jonathan Link <[email protected]> wrote: > > Sometimes I wonder if I'm just a good googler... Seems like 90% of my > issues have been tackled (and documented!) by someone else. > > > > > > On Wed, Sep 22, 2010 at 7:17 PM, David Lum <[email protected]> wrote: > > The place with the ad you mean? I don't remember, but here's one in NY that > is not completely different: > > http://www.linkedin.com/jobs?viewJob=&jobId=1007553 > > > > I do think I am generaly kick-ass, just don't call me an expert at > anything. My specialty is the near-vertical leanning curve that is needed on > an occcasional basis. I get stuff like this almost every month: > > Q. "Hey Dave, is this possible?" > > -or- > > "Hey this infrastructure piece is down and the guy who usually manages it > is out and there's no documentation, can you make it work?" > > > > In both cases: > > A. "No clue..I mean in theory it is somehow possible" <run off> <back in > 45 minutes> "yeah we can do it, here's a script/tool/some other clever > capability". > > > > The answer of course sometimes comes from this list, or Exchange list, or > Michael B. Smith. > > > > Ok I'm not kick ass at all, but I know how to contact a LOT of guys who > are... > > > > Dave "my expertise is knowing experts and how to contact them" Lum > ------------------------------ > > *From:* Steven M. Caesare [[email protected]] > *Sent:* Wednesday, September 22, 2010 1:46 PM > *To:* NT System Admin Issues > *Subject:* RE: It appears that the Symantec Virus has affected PGP already > > Hehe.. type of org? > > > > -sc > > > > *From:* David Lum [mailto:[email protected]] > *Sent:* Wednesday, September 22, 2010 2:26 PM > *To:* NT System Admin Issues > *Subject:* RE: It appears that the Symantec Virus has affected PGP already > > > > That reminds me, I was looking at job openings and once place had the job > description on their website “looking for someone who is kick ass at finding > technical solutions…”. Being an informalish kind of guy, I was tempted to > apply just based on that kind of verbiage. > > > > Still like %dayjob% enough to not apply though… > > > > Dave > > > > *From:* Steven M. Caesare [mailto:[email protected]] > *Sent:* Wednesday, September 22, 2010 10:16 AM > *To:* NT System Admin Issues > *Subject:* RE: It appears that the Symantec Virus has affected PGP already > > > > I’m using that on my next technical evaluation summary. > > > > -sc > > > > > ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ --- To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ or send an email to [email protected] with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin
