Remote system programming used to mean using a keypunch machine outside
the data center. Then 3270-style devices allowed increased potential
distance -- and hike -- to and from mainframes. Finally, networked
terminals, workstations, tablets, and smart phones made location
irrelevant. Whether in an office or working from home, system
programmers/administrators can now be in the next office, next building,
next city, next time zone, next continent.
Or, can they? Is there good or bad news here? Whether or not they ever
did, do today's system programmers need physical access to data canters?
Why or why not? How far is it practical to be remote (from systems,
colleagues, managers, everything) before distance from -- lack of
immediacy to -- data center, operations staff, users, matters?
If you're doing remote support/admin, what are your tips regarding
technologies to use, work practices, challenges, problems to solve,
etc.? What connectivity is necessary, what equipment do you need (or
wish for) at hand? Can you wrangle z/OS from a tablet or phone? What do
you wish you'd known when you started providing remote support?
Please copy replies to me directly so they're not buried in list digest;
I'd appreciate hearing back by Friday, December 16th.
I've collected some discussion about this from the lists so I'll likely
query a few people directly.
Please include your name and affiliation so I needn't request it. And
remember, this is for publication -- while I can likely paraphrase
what's said if you'd rather be anonymous, for credibility, I'd much
rather attribute statements.
Thanks!
--
Gabriel Goldberg, Computers and Publishing, Inc. g...@gabegold.com
3401 Silver Maple Place, Falls Church, VA 22042 (703) 204-0433
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/gabegold Twitter: GabeG0
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