I've posted previously about my miserable situation. But to recap - I am IT at a campus computer lab with bosses who set IT policy (or claim to), without (in my opinon) understanding much about IT.
It's a small lab, perhaps ~100 computers in 3 classrooms and random other areas.
From my understanding, I am now somewhere between Tech number 6 and 9 to be employed here in the last 5 years, to give you an idea of the turnover.
Per express demand from my bosses, our computers do NOT run connected to the Domain, only in Workgroup mode. There is also the following demands:
- that the computers remain always logged into a pseudo guest account (local group policies to limit the accounts)
- that users NEVER see notifications about updates needing to be applied
- that computers NEVER restart when users are on them due to updates
- that updates are applied as soon as possible after Microsoft makes them available
- that computers are powered on ONLY during lab hours in order to save electricity.
See a problem?
The expectation is that the lowly tech walk from computer to computer to run updates. I see that previous techs had begun experimenting with tools like PDQ Deploy. Unfortunately, due to constant turnover, this was never actually put in place. I suggested it to the bosses in a meeting, saying it could probably be automated away using even the free version, but worst case we'd need a $500/year license for me, and perhaps another $500/year license if one of them wanted access.
That was cast aside as being too expensive.
Next I said "well, OK. I guess I could just remote into each computer and run updates that way".
Main boss seemed unaware that was even a thing. Supervisor chimed in and asked "what's the matter, why can't you just walk like everyone else does?". Mind you, Remote Desktop Connections are enabled, no config changes need to occur for this at all. No 3rd party software. No agents. And no walking.
And so I did. And I timed myself. It could take 4-5hours of my shift to stroll from computer to computer applying simple Windows updates manually.
I installed Windows Remote Desktop Connection Manager on my PC, spent less than an hour configuring it with every PC we have here. Just updated all our PC's in less than an hour today. That's by logging into each, checking updates manually, install, restart. An hour.
I told this to my coworker who said "oh that's great you should tell them!". I asked that coworker (who's been here much longer than me in a non-IT role), have you ever seen them even say as much as "good job" to any of us for any reason? No. I'm certain if I tell them this, I'll get a slap on the wrist for going against what they say, so I politely declined.
It's my little secret. I'm not even sure if I'll tell them how long its taking me.
My thought is this is what happens when bosses are so uncomfortable with IT, that they frown upon anything besides what they do, themselves, at home.
