IT Crises vs. Vacation: Sometimes It Isn't Pretty 352
CWmike writes "It's true that IT systems have become essential to business operations, but the successful functioning of the IT department shouldn't rest on any one person's shoulders. All told, vacations serve as mini tests to prove if a department can function when key players are away. That's the theory, anyway. In reality, IT departments sometimes flunk. The results can either be comical or turn out to be a serious wake-up call to organizations that need a better Plan B. To prime your mental pump before your own vacation, Computerworld compiled anecdotes about good vacations gone bad."
My advice to avoid this (Score:4, Informative)
Before I was in charge of hiring for my team, my managers employed a guy who didn't know anything because they did not check his references for some reason. He would always call me while I was on vacation because a simple procedure that he should have known was confusing him. Later our company cell phones were switched from Verizon to AT&T and AT&T had no signal in the Aosta Valley in the Italian Alps.
That is where I would go on vacations.
So if you have AT&T, go to the lovely Aosta Valley but do not cross over into France or else your voicemail will be filled with messages.
Re:Common issues (Score:4, Informative)
Print them out.
Put them in an envelope.
Seal the envelope, and sign across where it is sealed.
Let 'whoever' know where they are, and if the envelope is opened you want a damn good reason for it.
If the envelope disappears or is compromised without a good reason, you know to change the passwords.
Re:The real problem (Score:5, Informative)
First off, it sounds like you don't value your life. Until you value your life, it will be made miserable by your colleagues. You and your boss need to figure out the scope of what is "normal" duties and everything that exceeds those duties comes at a budget cost to other departments. The trick is to get the OTHER guy to say "no".
Them: "We need a new ______ to do _________"
You: "That sounds Great. I'd love to do that, but I'm currently doing _______ (list) for the foreseeable future, which of those things would you like me to stop doing so that I may tackle your project? Alternatively, could you budget an extra $150K for our department so that we can hire someone to do ________ (list) while I start some of these more interesting projects?
I don't ever say "no", I tell them what it will take and ask them if they have budget codes for overtime, and the complete project work schedule. It sounds like you don't do bill backs for things and this is where metered work and a nice Help Desk System comes into play. "Can you put in a work order ticket for me" works wonders, because, as you'll find out, that if it isn't important enough for them to do what is needed, then it isn't enough for you to do it. You let them set their priorities (in writing) and you just do what they want you to do.
In short, let them figure out how to get you more help when it is too busy by making them choose what is important to them, all the while you're saying "sure, we can do that for you".