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Well, here's another in my small series on how to do things an admin needs to know how to do.

This one relates to IIS (Internet Information Services) which is the service, or rather series of services, that hosts connections to your server. This is also what holds up OWA and your web portal if you are self hosting.

One thing alot of admins don't know, is that you should never EVER restart the actuall IIS service from the Services console. It's not because this sort of restart can cause harm, its really because when you stop the IIS service several other services are stopped at the same time. These are services that are dependant on IIS to run correctly. When this happens, it doesn't usually come up with a list of services that were stopped during that time, and unless you have all these services memorized, it's best to not do an IIS restart this way. Instead, it's preferrable that you restart IIS with the methods I've outlined for you below. These will restart most of the services that IIS pulls down and will allow your system to resume regular operation the soonest.

Ok, so that's it. I have a MS article linked below for you to look at too, if you need it. :) Enjoy!!

Here's a Microsoft TechNet article with more detailed information about IIS.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/WindowsServer2003/Library/IIS/003ed2fe-6339-4919-b577-6aa965994a9b.mspx?mfr=true

Labels: how to, iis, instructions, management console, method, microsoft, MS, phone support, support, system, tech, technical, technical support, windows

Everyday I get someone who asks me to make a recommendation on what they should do with their software. They don't like making their own choices. Basically they want the program to do everything they need it to do out of the box or they want to call up and have us tell them exactly what to click.

This is a lot like going to a store and expecting the cashier to tell you what you should buy. Especially after all you've told them is that you have a three-bedroom house and a car. So, ok, the cashier figures you should buy some wool carpets, and maybe a couch? So you the customer dutifully go off and put those things in your cart and take them home.

... when you get home you realize that you already have a couch! And upon carrying in the rug you find that you are allergic to wool and now you're itching all over.

Now, you are an unhappy customer and you go back to the store and complain to the cashier's manager that you bought these things, one you didn't need and the other that caused you problems, and it's the cashier's fault for telling you to buy these things.

Yeah, right.

Don't get me wrong. I have no problem guiding someone in how to use the program. I also am happy to tell them how to do a specific action they want, when they don't know how. Using my previous example, in which I am the cashier...

Customer: I want to be able to put drinks and my tv remote on something in my living room.
Me: Ok, the purchase you need to make for what you are asking for would typically be a coffee table. Do you have room for a coffee table?
Customer: I think I do.
Me: Ok, you go to department 5 to get the coffee table. When you get it home, make sure you set it on it's legs.
Customer: Thanks, that's all I needed.

See? See how easy that is? The customer told me what he wanted and I told him how to get it!

The things you as a customer need to know before you ask me these kinds of questions:

1. What is my environment like? (In the case of computers this means... how much RAM do I have? What kind of CPU do I have? Do I have other software running on this machine?)
2. What do I want this software to do?
3. Am I prepared to work? (Meaning, at the computer and without other distractions)

So, Mr. Admin, call support! But don't ask them to make up your policies for you or do all your work! That's what you get paid for!!

Labels: admin, advice, phone, phone support, question, questions, ram, requirements, software, support, system, technical, technical support

I got feedback today, for a customer I'd talked to that took issue with my answer to her question.

She originally called, saying that she'd recently installed some new MS patches, and since then she'd been having trouble with her system. Things were flowing slowly.

She had stopped our services, and suddenly the problem went away - but let's get this straight - she recently installed a ton of new patches.

I had asked her what patches she installed, but mentioned that this was most likely something she'd have to ask MS about. She didn't know what patches she'd gotten. There were too many of them. I told her that I would be happy to see if there were any issues with our software and her patches, but I needed to know what they were. She just didn't know.

I said, ok, well maybe something we're dependent on was changed while we were installed. A big no-no with our software. I offered up a couple things that would have made my program go haywire and do weird stuff.

She pin pointed one and said that she had indeed done an update to it. So I suggested that she reinstall our product so that we could reassociate with the latest changes.

I offered some other things we could do to troubleshoot, but she said that she couldn't do them right now, as she needed permission to do them.

So, uh, no troubleshooting? You're saying you called and expected me to press the magic button?? Lady, I can't pull an answer out of my butt with the information you gave me. You gave me nothing!

So I have her go off and do the uninstall/reinstall and suggested that if that doesn't work, she can get back in touch with me via email.

...

A few days pass and she calls back in, and gets the next guy in line. She lets him troubleshoot. They go back and forth a bit till he figures out what's wrong.

...

She then emailed a supervisor here, and said that she'd called MS and they charged her $500 bucks and it's all my fault because I was not listening to her.

...

No lady, I don't have the magic button. It's not my fault that I gave you that answer, seeing as you gave me the information I used to give you that answer. You don't want to troubleshoot? Then don't complain when I give you a lame answer and your issue is not resolved.

Labels: microsoft, MS, phone, phone support, question, questions, stupid, support, technical, technical support, vague, windows

Something funny and cute to keep you going until I have new stuff for you!





I found this on: http://www.japanator.com/

Labels: anime, bomp, cute, funny

Whoa, wait a second there pard'ner. I'm not really back yet. I'm just updating since my time in purgatory is almost over. I'll be back at work in a month or two and back to my old tricks here with some extra cancer-added cynicism. So, look forward to it! Maybe if you're lucky, I'll post something sooner, with a little pepper! lol or not.

Either way, see you soon!

I'll preface this by saying, I would love to work from home. It's always been my dream to be a freelance "something" like a web developer or something. I would love to set my own schedule and not have to deal with office politics or put on pants. You know, the fun stuff. I would like to advise any Admins out there who want to work from home, do so! We admire you for having that ability.

That being said... get an office (that locks) in your home or send the kids to daycare. If I hear screaming kids in the background and your phone gets cut off in the middle of our conversation I will not attempt to help you. I will tell you whatever you want to hear to get you off the damn phone.

Be reasonable will you? I can't troubleshoot with you if I have to call you back ten times, or if your computer gets turned off by a rambunctious 2 year old. I don't appreciate having to yell to be heard, and let's face it, what person wants to sit by and listen to some poor kid get yelled at or spanked on a BUSINESS phone call?

Keep home separate from work PLEASE.

Labels: advice, baby, call centers, calling, kids, phone, phone support, stupid, support, tech, technical, technical support

My customer called me today, because something he has set up is doing what it's supposed to be doing and he doesn't like that. He had set his system to alert him whenever it got to a certain threshold, and then delete the oldest item when the threshold was met. He didn't like the alerts, because it was freaking out his client. lol

I explained to the customer that this is expected behavior, but he didn't believe me. He wanted me to go through all of his settings to make sure they were set up correctly.

We looked at his settings, in this case it was a threshold, it had...

...these three things:

Number of items:
1500
1000
500

Maximum size: KBMB

How long to keep?
90
60
30 days.

... and he wanted me to explain what these values mean. What do you think these values mean?? I thought it was pretty obvious.
So, I explained it all to him including the other options on the page, and he still didn't completely get it.

Labels: calling, changes, questions, stupid, support, tech, technical, technical support