10 Things Your IT Department Won't Tell You

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moetop

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"10 Things Your IT Department Won't Tell You" or How to waste time at work and possibly loose your job!

Right on MSN's front home page.

{{Click Quoted link for details}}
1. How to send giant files
2. How to use software that your company won't let you download
3. How to visit the Web sites your company blocks
4. How to clear your tracks on your work laptop
5. How to search for your work documents from home
6. How to store work files online
7. How to keep your privacy when using Web mail
8. How to access your work e-mail remotely when your company won't spring for a Blackberry
9. How to access your personal e-mail on your BlackBerry
10. How to look like you're working
Click to expand...

Good god.. How bout this


The Problem: There is NO problem it's this way for a reason!

The Trick: Not loosing your job.

The Risk: You could loose your job. Most company policies allow for dismissal for improperly using company IT assets.

How to Stay Safe: Do not use your work computer for private use. Buy one yourself.​
 
lol

the list is not good, it could get a few people in trouble and cause more work for members of the IT department.
 
I have a Verizon EVDO broadband card and I take my laptop into work. I can watch all the YouTube videos and AOL radio I want and not compromise the company's network and keep my privacy at the same time. Of course, I’m paying $60 for the EVDO card, but I like being able to go just about anywhere with my on net connection.
 
heatlesssun said:
I have a Verizon EVDO broadband card and I take my laptop into work. I can watch all the YouTube videos and AOL radio I want and not compromise the company's network and keep my privacy at the same time. Of course, I’m paying $60 for the EVDO card, but I like being able to go just about anywhere with my on net connection.
Click to expand...

That can still be blocked with the right software. Websense has a component that will still enforce filtering policy regardless of client location or network connection. Also, it's not always about compromising the network. Productivity is big reason for filtering. I would imagine that is not proper use of company assets.
 
MorfiusX said:
That can still be blocked with the right software. Websense has a component that will still enforce filtering policy regardless of client location or network connection. Also, it's not always about compromising the network. Productivity is big reason for filtering. I would imagine that is not proper use of company assets.
Click to expand...

Curious how can websense stop a laptop that a client brings in and runs on his own Sierra card? Besides droping a lead roof on top of his cubicle?
 
YeOldeStonecat said:
Curious how can websense stop a laptop that a client brings in and runs on his own Sierra card? Besides droping a lead roof on top of his cubicle?
Click to expand...

lol i was wondering the same thing...


that'd take a hell of a lot of equipment and a fake cell tower
 
YeOldeStonecat said:
Curious how can websense stop a laptop that a client brings in and runs on his own Sierra card? Besides droping a lead roof on top of his cubicle?
Click to expand...

I was thinking company laptop, personal EDVO card. Sorry. Sinus infection makes me think weird... Most decent sizes place I have ever worked had a "no personal equipment" policy.
 
heatlesssun said:
I have a Verizon EVDO broadband card and I take my laptop into work. I can watch all the YouTube videos and AOL radio I want and not compromise the company's network and keep my privacy at the same time. Of course, I’m paying $60 for the EVDO card, but I like being able to go just about anywhere with my on net connection.
Click to expand...

Yea I bring my sprint evdo card to class so I don't have to deal with my schools network with god knows how many people on it.
 
You guys are forgetting, without rule breakers, we (IT people) wouldn't have a job. No rules broken=nothing breaks=nothing to fix=no job. This pretty much will apply to any industry.
 
YeOldeStonecat said:
Curious how can websense stop a laptop that a client brings in and runs on his own Sierra card? Besides droping a lead roof on top of his cubicle?
Click to expand...

They call it Websense Remote FIltering and Endpoint Security.

Local software agent, downloads policy from websense server... voila. Anything you connect to that PC, has websense enabled on it...
 
the-one1 said:
You guys are forgetting, without rule breakers, we (IT people) wouldn't have a job. No rules broken=nothing breaks=nothing to fix=no job. This pretty much will apply to any industry.
Click to expand...

So you are saying the only time we work is when someone breaks something? I try to prevent that as much as possible. I spend most of my time being proactive and preventing the breakages, not reacting to them.
 
the-one1 said:
You guys are forgetting, without rule breakers, we (IT people) wouldn't have a job. No rules broken=nothing breaks=nothing to fix=no job. This pretty much will apply to any industry.
Click to expand...
IT people will ALWAYS have a job, because of this.
However the other half of things, we will always have a job because people are so ignorant when it comes to computers. Not even intentionally doing things wrong... Just doing things wrong due to ignorance.

Computers can get smarter and to some extent "self-healing", but when it is the user telling it to do stupid stuff, IT personnel will always exist ;)

MorfiusX said:
I spend most of my time being proactive and preventing the breakages, not reacting to them.
Click to expand...
Mine is about 50/50.
When I first start with a company or institution it is normally very bad. After getting things under control, you just watch for any upcoming issues.

I've found just checking server logs for any warnings/errors can be helpful. You see a funky error, research it out- determine if it is something to be worried about.
I know I have discovered errors before users ever knew about it (which is why some people think IT folks are paid too much, and don't do anything...)
At one time I saw an error I was iffy about (ActiveSync issue), left it alone. Sure enough a couple days later users started having some issues, and I immediately knew what the problem was based on those errors.



But this list is very bad, I'd just assume it was written by a non-IT person.


I am pretty slack on my crackdown of systems, honestly. No Internet filtering or anything like that.
Give them the freedom to start with, they don't go about looking for ways to get around it ;)

Knock on wood I guess, everywhere I've worked has never had issues... but I do think there is something to the "if they don't have it, they want it", and "if they have it, they don't care". Much like a kid wanting the toy another has.
 
Yeah, that article was written by someone who feels it necessary to not be told how to utilize company assets.

202276
 
Darthkim said:
They call it Websense Remote FIltering and Endpoint Security.

Local software agent, downloads policy from websense server... voila. Anything you connect to that PC, has websense enabled on it...
Click to expand...

Ahh so an agent has to be installed on his laptop. Seems to be a tool for the corporate laptop fleet..users who take the office laptops home/on the road with them (roadwarriors). But if he brings his personal laptop in on his own, and never joins their network with it..just runs it solo on his Sierra card...
 
I'm not so concerned about loosing my job as much as I am tightening my job.
 
What's annoying about a list like this is that any of these activities that are actually appropriate for the workplace should be part of I.T., and the ones that aren't should not be done. If your workplace prohibits taking work files outside of the office or putting them on some internet based storage site then you shouldn't do it. If there are security prohibitions against file sharing, IM, etc. then... don't do it.

I think this is less about I.T. and more about people who cannot understand and/or respect the rules set out by their employer and probably by other authorities as well.

If someone here needs to send a large file they know to come to me and get their options. Most already are familiar with our FTP site, and using FTP software to retrieve things from clients. If they shouldn't be doing it, well... they shouldn't be doing it! ;)
 
rbanzai said:
If someone here needs to send a large file they know to come to me and get their options. Most already are familiar with our FTP site, and using FTP software to retrieve things from clients. If they shouldn't be doing it, well... they shouldn't be doing it! ;)
Click to expand...
Every IT group should have a well defined sneakernet policy for transferring large files.
 
moetop said:
"10 Things Your IT Department Won't Tell You" or How to waste time at work and possibly loose your job!

Right on MSN's front home page.

{{Click Quoted link for details}}


Good god.. How bout this


The Problem: There is NO problem it's this way for a reason!

The Trick: Not loosing your job.

The Risk: You could loose your job. Most company policies allow for dismissal for improperly using company IT assets.

How to Stay Safe: Do not use your work computer for private use. Buy one yourself.​
Click to expand...

Most of these are stupid and are a clear violation of every corporate AUP I've ever seen.

This list should be "how to give your employer reason to fire you."
 
the-one1 said:
You guys are forgetting, without rule breakers, we (IT people) wouldn't have a job. No rules broken=nothing breaks=nothing to fix=no job. This pretty much will apply to any industry.
Click to expand...

I spend almost no time whatsoever at work fixing broken things.

You seem to be talking about Help Desk staff.... which is generally the lowest rung of the IT ladder. The people doing the "real" work are getting paid more than the Help Desk guys and have much more interesting and fulfilling jobs.
 
kumquat said:
I spend almost no time whatsoever at work fixing broken things.

You seem to be talking about Help Desk staff.... which is generally the lowest rung of the IT ladder. The people doing the "real" work are getting paid more than the Help Desk guys and have much more interesting and fulfilling jobs.
Click to expand...

Sorry to go OT, but don't overgeneralize. I've worked helpdesk / desktop support for about 12 years and have no interest in other areas of IT. I'm a supervisor now (hands on, still do the work as well as supervise) and have no plans to leave the support arena anytime soon. I tried networking and other areas a couple times, but prefer working support.

...and that article sucks... ;)
 
wtburnette said:
Sorry to go OT, but don't overgeneralize. I've worked helpdesk / desktop support for about 12 years and have no interest in other areas of IT. I'm a supervisor now (hands on, still do the work as well as supervise) and have no plans to leave the support arena anytime soon. I tried networking and other areas a couple times, but prefer working support.

...and that article sucks... ;)
Click to expand...

You're right, but the point is that limiting "IT" to "Help Desk" ignores development and administration entirely.

My organization, for instance, has about 25 IT staff, only 3 of which are dedicated help desk. The rest of us work in web development, systems and network administration, database development, and security.
 
MorfiusX said:
So you are saying the only time we work is when someone breaks something? I try to prevent that as much as possible. I spend most of my time being proactive and preventing the breakages, not reacting to them.
Click to expand...

Well, if nothing broke, nothing would need to be fixed. Then it would be a set it and forget it scenerio. Once the firewall/security settings are in place, it wouldn't need to be touched. That's just my view.

kumquat said:
You're right, but the point is that limiting "IT" to "Help Desk" ignores development and administration entirely.

My organization, for instance, has about 25 IT staff, only 3 of which are dedicated help desk. The rest of us work in web development, systems and network administration, database development, and security.
Click to expand...

But this article talks about network admin, not the other jobs of IT (web dev, database).
 
kumquat said:
You're right, but the point is that limiting "IT" to "Help Desk" ignores development and administration entirely.

My organization, for instance, has about 25 IT staff, only 3 of which are dedicated help desk. The rest of us work in web development, systems and network administration, database development, and security.
Click to expand...

I see where you're coming from. Just pointing out that remaining in the support area of IT can be as interesting and fulfilling as other areas of IT. Level of pay though, not so much. Unless you go Sr. level or management.
 
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