The last couple weeks have been interesting. LDAP changes/upgrades. Writing sync scripts, and debugging/analyzing old ones. Figuring out OpenSSL configs. Implementing new spam filtering system, and attempting to tweak said system to have similar effectiveness to greylisting. Implementing new clustered Exchange system. Debugging problems replicating public folders between Exchange 2000 and 2003. Dealing with all the normal day-to-day requests, and putting off half the requests and projects until "later". Then there's the fun added stuff like a failed fiber channel switch, another failed drive in a server, and having to shut down a server room to move a UPS and its battery racks.
So thus the subject - that's pretty much how my brain feels right now. Too many things to do, too many things to remember to do later, and too little time to do it. Tonight is the big UPS move, which involves lots of shutting down servers and making them come up, as well as manual labor moving a couple thousand pounds of UPS equipment. At least I get to shift my hours a bit, so I've spent the day sleeping in and then watching House. Now time to get ready for work...
It's been a busy summer so far, and it doesn't look like it's gonna get any better soon. The last week I've been poking with Exchange clustering and integration with our current system. It's been an interesting time, and I'm now at the point where there are two virtual servers that can move between buildings in about 30 seconds (it shuts down and restarts, not like vmotion or anything), but they can't really integrate with the current setup. That's requiring unlocking ACLs in places as needed so the new servers have access to the data, and enabling HTTP in places where we only want HTTPS (so it needs to stay restricted). Hopefully that won't take too long. Also been a lot of server room rearrangement, mounting new equipment, planning power, installing/updating other things, and fixing broken things.
For now though, it's time to ignore all that through the joy of vacation time. Last night I decided to finally fix the headphone jack in my mp3 player. Unfortunately in the process of removing the audio output board from the player I ended up pulling the jack off the board (surface mount is too week for that kind of use IMHO), and in preparing to solder that back on I pulled off a power wire from one of the battery packs. It's all back together as good as new now, although I wish had silver bearing solder for the jack connections. I wasn't planning on having to fix that, but at least I'm now listening to music portably again. Just got back from buying mostly junk food at the grocery store, so that part is covered. Also have the work email appropriately set up for ignore (so far the filters say 460 emails filed to ignore for now, and it's only been one weekend day so far - I dread what that will be in a week). BTW, those that still send non-work email to my work address should probably note this. :) I suppose I should probably do some stuff around the house during this time, but we'll see whether anything actually happens. Beginning of the week is booked already, but I'm up for movies or whatever else if people are interested in the latter half of the week.
Actually this will cover close to two weeks. I should probably post this stuff more often but shorter. At least I'm posting stuff though I guess. Last week was the last work week of the year. Unfortunately that doesn't exactly mean the last actual work of the year, but good enough. At least it was a 3 day week for me. A lot of the staff and the most dedicated (nerdy?) student workers were all there which was good times. By the last day I was wanting to just get out of there, as the alternative was to start something that I wouldn't finish. I have many of those to choose from. Maybe next week will be headphones and closed door time.
Christmas Eve was with one side of the family. It went well and was fun, although I did end up pulling out the laptop after the pocketpc battery was too low for wireless (it wasn't all me - it was playing video clips for people most of the evening). Headed home late only to come back for an early 8am morning. Which reminds me, I like driving in the midnight-4am timeframe. Not much traffic, the lights usually work out pretty well, and there usually aren't too many drunks out.
Christmas was back to the parents to road trip for the other side of the family. Unfortunately as we were leaving I get a phone call from the server room complaining it's too hot. Fortunately for me I was on my way out of town and not the primary person on call anyways. Then google apparently can't tell the difference between SW and SE on an address in Willmar and silently swaps them, so we missed church trying to find it (SE put it between two houses on adjacent lots). Another long day but it went well. Got home I think around 3am.
The day after Christmas the parents rounded up the family again, and we finally ended up picking out our combined donation. Then the parents cheated and gave us gifts anyways, but I'm not gonna complain too much. At least this year it wasn't 1am before we started opening gifts. Eventually my dad ended up discovering I had Serenity in my bag and we watched that. Great movie and I would rather watch it than not, but that plus the deleted scenes plus outtakes meant I got home at 3:30 again. BTW though, that crew has great outtakes. They screw up and keep going but in some odd direction.
Wednesday I ended up having to work some. For what it was it was better than not working, but still it was right in the middle of my week off... Thursday night was Serenity movie night, and JoeBuck and the Walls were there. schdav showed up long enough to plan the New Years party, but didn't watch the movie if you're the person who cares about that. If you don't know about the party though, ask the Walls.
And that's my life. Sounds like tomorrow may be a movie with the family before the party. Should be a good one.
Copyright ©2000-2008 Jeremy Mooney (jeremy-at-qux-dot-net)
