Armed Polite Society

Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: RadioFreeSeaLab on October 05, 2005, 09:46:11 AM

Title: GAH! The SHTF at work.
Post by: RadioFreeSeaLab on October 05, 2005, 09:46:11 AM
There is no point to this post other than to vent, so feel free to ignore it.
Stupid bloody Netscreen firewalls!  Damned things have taken to rebooting themselves randomly.  
Stupid bloody Polycom video conferencing devices!  Why do they refuse to work, then suddenly start working again when no changes have been made?
GAH!!
Thank you, that is all.
Title: GAH! The SHTF at work.
Post by: charby on October 05, 2005, 09:48:47 AM
Sounds like you need a BFH

Big %&$%^# Hammer

I work in IT and I really want it to be my favorite tool

Charby
Title: GAH! The SHTF at work.
Post by: Strings on October 05, 2005, 11:08:10 AM
I used to have a 5 pound dead-blow hammer affectionately called an "Orange Crush". It fixed LOTS of tech problems...
Title: GAH! The SHTF at work.
Post by: RadioFreeSeaLab on October 05, 2005, 11:10:22 AM
Hmm.  I think a hammer would suit me just fine.  I'll have to stop by Dixieline on the way home.
Title: GAH! The SHTF at work.
Post by: Preacherman on October 05, 2005, 11:27:19 AM
Dasmi, just remember the Golden Rule of computer work:

Quote
Idiot proof systems
Are no match
For system proof idiots
cheesy
Title: GAH! The SHTF at work.
Post by: grampster on October 05, 2005, 05:27:31 PM
Walther P99 and FMJ, guaranteed through and through!
Title: GAH! The SHTF at work.
Post by: Typhoon on October 06, 2005, 07:54:58 AM
And the corollary to Preachermans Golden Rule is:

Every time you think you have invented a better system, the world invents a better idiot.

Smiley
Title: GAH! The SHTF at work.
Post by: RadioFreeSeaLab on October 06, 2005, 07:58:48 AM
Oh I haven't even begun to rant about the user error here at work.
Title: GAH! The SHTF at work.
Post by: mtnbkr on October 06, 2005, 08:10:44 AM
Your first mistake was going with Netscreen. Tongue

Sorry, still a bit bitter after having wasted a couple months with them and their supposedly "Entrust Compatible" boxen.  Their view of "compatible" is different than mine apparently.  Hey, they are a pretty shade of blue with plenty of blinky lights.

Chris
Title: GAH! The SHTF at work.
Post by: RadioFreeSeaLab on October 06, 2005, 08:11:53 AM
mtnbrk,
Wasn't entirely my choice, however other than this little problem, they've been great.  Quick and easy VPN creation for our four locations, plus three VPNs to with other organizations.
Title: GAH! The SHTF at work.
Post by: Nathaniel Firethorn on October 06, 2005, 09:32:23 AM
Quote
Sounds like you need a BFH
No, you need a BOFH. Cheesy

- NF
Title: GAH! The SHTF at work.
Post by: Brad Johnson on October 06, 2005, 09:41:25 AM
You know, there's a reason I got out of the computer business, and it weren't the computers..... Cheesy

Brad
Title: GAH! The SHTF at work.
Post by: mtnbkr on October 06, 2005, 09:48:45 AM
VPN is what I do. Smiley  I run a managed VPN service.

The Netscreens were nice enough when I was working with them, but not only were they not completely compatible with our infrastructure (we use Entrust for auth), but to make them compatible, we'd have to invest in Entrust's middleware package at about $10k per server (x2 to allow for DR needs).  In addition, their VPN client software was an additional and expensive item to purchase (IIRC, over $100 per seat).  We went with Nortel.  No need for additional server software and client software was free.  VPN config is a lot easier too.  I have 1000 remote users and multiple sites without any issues.  

The only problem I have with Netscreen now is that some of my clients use their products and I have to help them configure VPN tunnels to connect to our Nortel boxes.  Easy on paper, but I can't remember enough of the Netscreen config process to tell them exactly what to do.  I shouldn't have to do anything other than giving them IPSEC settings and a certificate (or preshared key), but I find myself handholding all too often.

Chris
Title: GAH! The SHTF at work.
Post by: RadioFreeSeaLab on October 06, 2005, 09:50:34 AM
Ya, paying for the client software does irk me a bit, but we've only got a few remote users, fortunately.
Title: GAH! The SHTF at work.
Post by: jamz on October 09, 2005, 01:24:33 PM
ahh netscreens.  We use them at work too.  Lots of little mysteries in those boxes, but at least ours arent' randomly rebooting.  




anymore.



-james
Title: GAH! The SHTF at work.
Post by: RadioFreeSeaLab on October 09, 2005, 01:33:09 PM
how'd you fix them?
Title: GAH! The SHTF at work.
Post by: Guest on October 12, 2005, 08:51:57 AM
Man, a day late and a dollar short.  Too bad you didn't know I am a Polycom expert!
Title: GAH! The SHTF at work.
Post by: mtnbkr on October 12, 2005, 09:19:35 AM
Speaking of Polycom, I dicked around with some of their phones a few years ago that would make a phone to phone connection that allowed for full-duplex communication (back when the standard was half-duplex).  We're still using the older phones, is the full duplex option standard now?

Chris
Title: GAH! The SHTF at work.
Post by: RadioFreeSeaLab on October 13, 2005, 08:14:13 AM
Not sure, we don't use their phones, just the video conferencing stuff, and it is full duplex.  Our phones are all Avaya.