8a-9a - Set up the conference room for the 11:30 staff/welcome to the new school year meeting.
9a-11:15a - Went with Trish Brown (DL Coordinator) to a school to troubleshoot distance learning equipment. Turns out that district had a connectivity issue that was local to their network. The switches and fiber connections had to be reset. Once that was done, the system connected just fine. Additionally, the remote would not work through the camera system, so I disconnected and rebooted the camera. Worked like a champ!
11:30a-1:00p - Staff meeting/Welcome back
1:00p - 4:15p - various network/technology installs and troubleshooting. Turns out we also have an air unit in another part of the building not working. When the air guys were at the office on Tuesday, I knew there was another system out in addition to the one they worked on, but I wasn't sure where. I know where now. That means another service call. UGH. I grabbed a box of cable, RJ45 ends, and tools to take to the house.
5:00p-7:00p - At the house, I made enough patch cables to finish off the RJ45 ends I had left. i also connected to our new phone system to look through the web-based configuration system. I can say with utmost certainty that it is complex and VERY cryptic. The installer tried to warn me. I should have listened. I will call the company this week (Friday?) to get some pointers.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
08/17/2010
8a-4p - More moving, more network patching, more general helping out. The air conditioning guys came down to look at one of the systems. Turns out is had bad wiring. I really can't remember what all happened on Tuesday. I do know that at 3pm, I headed up to a school that was having problems with connecting to distance learning provider. As it turns out, the school could connect to three other providers. I recommended the school contact the one provider that wasn't able to connect and have them troubleshoot their issue(s).
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
08/16/2010
8a - 430p
Mainly spent the day patching phones from the phone system to their assigned ports. Er, that was the plan anyway. Spent much of the morning over at the old building picking out things that still needed to be moved. After lunch, I went back to the patching. According to the folks that ran the wiring, there is a scheme they followed: From the first jack on the lft, go around the room in sequential order (so, if room 115 has three jacks, the first on left is 115/1, then 115/2, and 115/3. I should be able to look at the phone jacked into the wall, determine the jack number based on room and location and plug in the patch wire in the wiring closet. As it turns out, however, not every room follows the pattern. Add to that, some rooms are even labeled incorrectly (one jack in room 224 actually terminates as 113/2). AUGH! I spent a lot of time using the FOX and HOUND to find which wires went where.
By using the device (FOX shown above), I can plug a wire from the wall into the FOX then use the HOUND (which generates a high-pitched tone) to figure out where the cable lands in the closet. Best invention EVER!
Of course, LOTS of other things came up during the day as we are still moving things in, trying to get things organized, etc. I am putting myself under a lot of pressure to get things done quickly. My boss is pretty laid back about it.
Mainly spent the day patching phones from the phone system to their assigned ports. Er, that was the plan anyway. Spent much of the morning over at the old building picking out things that still needed to be moved. After lunch, I went back to the patching. According to the folks that ran the wiring, there is a scheme they followed: From the first jack on the lft, go around the room in sequential order (so, if room 115 has three jacks, the first on left is 115/1, then 115/2, and 115/3. I should be able to look at the phone jacked into the wall, determine the jack number based on room and location and plug in the patch wire in the wiring closet. As it turns out, however, not every room follows the pattern. Add to that, some rooms are even labeled incorrectly (one jack in room 224 actually terminates as 113/2). AUGH! I spent a lot of time using the FOX and HOUND to find which wires went where.
By using the device (FOX shown above), I can plug a wire from the wall into the FOX then use the HOUND (which generates a high-pitched tone) to figure out where the cable lands in the closet. Best invention EVER!
Of course, LOTS of other things came up during the day as we are still moving things in, trying to get things organized, etc. I am putting myself under a lot of pressure to get things done quickly. My boss is pretty laid back about it.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
08/14/2010
7a-7p - Moved items from old location to new.
On Saturday, the 14th, a TON of folks showed up at the co-op (both sites) to help get things moved. We started at 7am and worked all day with a pizza break for lunch (Thank you, Lindy and Phoebe!) and then at 3pm, everyone was released to head for the house. I stayed on in order to work with BCS (phones). Though my plan was to patch in phone and data, things took a little longer than I had anticipated, so by 7pm, I simply ran out of steam.
By far and away, the hardest part of Saturday (for me) was dismantling the equipment in the old Conference Room. We have an original Smart Sympodium cart. It has been around so long, I can't even find an accurate picture of one online! I need to take picture for posterity. It is big and bulky and weighs a TON! Okay, maybe not a ton, but a good could hundred pounds. Good thing it is on casters. The cabinet not only houses the electronics for the Sympodium (a Smart Board in a lectern, basically) but it also houses the distance learning equipment for the conference room. The weight of the thing doesn't compare to the sheer number and bulk of the wiring attached to it. And all those wires (cameras, power, video, sound, data, etc) ran through the ceiling grid. Over the years, other wires had also been strung up there, so everything was "a hot mess," as some folks say. With my assistant's help, though, we eventually got everything we needed (for the most part. I plan to have our Smart rep move some of the other equipment).
There is still lots to do, but I cannot believe how quickly the majority of the equipment, furniture, and "stuff" got moved. Amazing.
On Saturday, the 14th, a TON of folks showed up at the co-op (both sites) to help get things moved. We started at 7am and worked all day with a pizza break for lunch (Thank you, Lindy and Phoebe!) and then at 3pm, everyone was released to head for the house. I stayed on in order to work with BCS (phones). Though my plan was to patch in phone and data, things took a little longer than I had anticipated, so by 7pm, I simply ran out of steam.
By far and away, the hardest part of Saturday (for me) was dismantling the equipment in the old Conference Room. We have an original Smart Sympodium cart. It has been around so long, I can't even find an accurate picture of one online! I need to take picture for posterity. It is big and bulky and weighs a TON! Okay, maybe not a ton, but a good could hundred pounds. Good thing it is on casters. The cabinet not only houses the electronics for the Sympodium (a Smart Board in a lectern, basically) but it also houses the distance learning equipment for the conference room. The weight of the thing doesn't compare to the sheer number and bulk of the wiring attached to it. And all those wires (cameras, power, video, sound, data, etc) ran through the ceiling grid. Over the years, other wires had also been strung up there, so everything was "a hot mess," as some folks say. With my assistant's help, though, we eventually got everything we needed (for the most part. I plan to have our Smart rep move some of the other equipment).
There is still lots to do, but I cannot believe how quickly the majority of the equipment, furniture, and "stuff" got moved. Amazing.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
08/13/2010
8am - 5pm = Moved equipment from old location to new.
Connected T1's to switch and turned on all servers. The power outlet installed does not accommodate the UPS we have, so the electrician will have that fixed on Monday. The servers are operating on single PSU's for now, which is fine. The mail server had a small issue, but I believe that was related to the SQL server not being fully booted when the mail server came online. Once necessary services were started, we were golden!
Work starts on Saturday at 7am!
Connected T1's to switch and turned on all servers. The power outlet installed does not accommodate the UPS we have, so the electrician will have that fixed on Monday. The servers are operating on single PSU's for now, which is fine. The mail server had a small issue, but I believe that was related to the SQL server not being fully booted when the mail server came online. Once necessary services were started, we were golden!
Work starts on Saturday at 7am!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
08/12/2010
8a- 930a - Helped a school district set up a redirect from their old website to their new one. Also helped the tech get ConsoleOne and NWADMIN32 running on his workstation. We also looked at a connectivity issue in the computer lab and got it resolved.
10a - 4pm - Drove back to co-op and spent the day breaking down a couple labs, moving and packing, etc.
4p-5:30p - Shut down servers and router, loaded up the equipment and moved it to the new building. We had a bit of a scare during the move. Friday will tell us if everything still works the way it should.
10a - 4pm - Drove back to co-op and spent the day breaking down a couple labs, moving and packing, etc.
4p-5:30p - Shut down servers and router, loaded up the equipment and moved it to the new building. We had a bit of a scare during the move. Friday will tell us if everything still works the way it should.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
08/11/2010
8a-915a - Went to one of our early childhood sites to set up the computer, smartboard, sound etc.
915a-930a - Met with Health Liaison regarding a workshop. Presenter needed a speaker system. Met with presenter (tech from one of our area schools) about their upcoming switch to Exchange Server. I am hoping to be able to get down there for "hand-holding" if possible.
While I was at the early childhood site, there was a staff meeting at the main office. We begin moving this weekend.
950a - Helped get the presenters hooked up with their presentation and on the wireless mic system.
10:00a-1030a - Email & co-worker discussions
1030a - Met with Director and Assistant Director then went to new building to check status of T1 Demarc placement. At some point yesterday, I talked with our phone installer and let them know that they should be able to come out on Friday to install our upgraded phone system. I forgot to document that yesterday.
Network Demarc looks good, though I now have a concern that we will not have enough facilities for our phone services. This should be interesting come Friday. Have I said that already?
11:30-Noon - Continued cleaning/packing the office for the big move.
1:00p-2:00p - Continued to pack and clean office.
2p-330p - Email, phone support, spam filter configuration/quarantined message cleanup
3:30-4:45p - Met with Director, Assistant Director and other personnel regarding packing and prepping for the move! Wahoo!!
915a-930a - Met with Health Liaison regarding a workshop. Presenter needed a speaker system. Met with presenter (tech from one of our area schools) about their upcoming switch to Exchange Server. I am hoping to be able to get down there for "hand-holding" if possible.
While I was at the early childhood site, there was a staff meeting at the main office. We begin moving this weekend.
950a - Helped get the presenters hooked up with their presentation and on the wireless mic system.
10:00a-1030a - Email & co-worker discussions
1030a - Met with Director and Assistant Director then went to new building to check status of T1 Demarc placement. At some point yesterday, I talked with our phone installer and let them know that they should be able to come out on Friday to install our upgraded phone system. I forgot to document that yesterday.
Network Demarc looks good, though I now have a concern that we will not have enough facilities for our phone services. This should be interesting come Friday. Have I said that already?
11:30-Noon - Continued cleaning/packing the office for the big move.
1:00p-2:00p - Continued to pack and clean office.
2p-330p - Email, phone support, spam filter configuration/quarantined message cleanup
3:30-4:45p - Met with Director, Assistant Director and other personnel regarding packing and prepping for the move! Wahoo!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)