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    Do you ask for permission...

    Water Closet
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    • WLS-ITGuyW
      WLS-ITGuy
      last edited by

      I guess this question can apply to the MSPs that may be here as well.

      Do you always ask for permission to take a server down? Or do you give them a time frame that it will be down? Or do you just reboot at your leisure?

      Lately, any time I give anyone warning that at a certain time I will be rebooting a server I get push back. I have become "that guy" and just reboot whenever the F I want now.

      Anyone else?

      scottalanmillerS Emad RE 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 2
      • travisdh1T
        travisdh1
        last edited by

        We have set time frames where we can reboot without checking in with the client. They tend to be different for every client, but at least we have them.

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • NerdyDadN
          NerdyDad
          last edited by

          Got to give them the time frame or tell them "If we don't reboot and do X, then Y could potentially happen and will affect your production by affecting Z". If you can tie it back to business and dollars, then typically you will get a go-ahead for the time frame you requested.

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
          • RojoLocoR
            RojoLoco
            last edited by

            I have to check with the dev team to make sure there are no migrations or conversions running before I can reboot.

            WLS-ITGuyW 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • WLS-ITGuyW
              WLS-ITGuy @RojoLoco
              last edited by

              @RojoLoco said in Do you ask for permission...:

              I have to check with the dev team to make sure there are no migrations or conversions running before I can reboot.

              I am the Dev Team 🙂

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • DonahueD
                Donahue
                last edited by

                I have sole discretion over that. Most of the time I try and warn people with at least a 30 minute notice, or more if I can. But there are times when I just reboot and don't say anything. A lot of it depends on how long I think it will be down. If it is just rebooting a VM, and it might only be down for a few minutes, then I may just go ahead and do it, although I do frequently warn people too.

                But in my case, I have never asked for permission, I always use my own judgement.

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                • wirestyle22W
                  wirestyle22
                  last edited by

                  We have a manintenance window and for any change that involves risk or down time we have to submit a change request form that is approved by a committee that consists of one person from desktop support, devops, network engineering and our CIO.

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                  • DustinB3403D
                    DustinB3403
                    last edited by

                    When a customer is paying you to maintain their systems you need to verify with the customer before you go and do things. whether it's system updates, reboots, shutdowns or migrations you always have to ask.

                    WLS-ITGuyW 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • WLS-ITGuyW
                      WLS-ITGuy @DustinB3403
                      last edited by

                      @DustinB3403 said in Do you ask for permission...:

                      When a customer is paying you to maintain their systems you need to verify with the customer before you go and do things. whether it's system updates, reboots, shutdowns or migrations you always have to ask.

                      Just to be clear. I am in the house guy. I agree when it comes to production stuff there needs to be a window and permission. What I am saying is that even if I get a window/permission I still get push back. So if it is something that isn't going to affect the overall production then I reboot whenever I want now because it isn't worth the headache of finding a "good time" for all parties.

                      NerdyDadN PhlipElderP 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • NerdyDadN
                        NerdyDad @WLS-ITGuy
                        last edited by

                        @WLS-ITGuy said in Do you ask for permission...:

                        @DustinB3403 said in Do you ask for permission...:

                        When a customer is paying you to maintain their systems you need to verify with the customer before you go and do things. whether it's system updates, reboots, shutdowns or migrations you always have to ask.

                        Just to be clear. I am in the house guy. I agree when it comes to production stuff there needs to be a window and permission. What I am saying is that even if I get a window/permission I still get push back. So if it is something that isn't going to affect the overall production then I reboot whenever I want now because it isn't worth the headache of finding a "good time" for all parties.

                        You will never find a "good time" for all of the parties. This is a management question and needs to be in consortium with the managers. If the down time only affects 1 manager and has greater benefit for the entire company to reboot, then do what you have to. Otherwise, you have 1 manager holding the rest of the company potentially hostage.

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                        • PhlipElderP
                          PhlipElder
                          last edited by

                          We ask. Most of our clients are accounting firms on our MSP side and contractors and their clients.

                          All it takes is a bit of coordination to make sure we're not infringing on any large projects they may be running. As a rule, tax season is off limits for obvious reasons. 😉

                          WLS-ITGuyW 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                          • PhlipElderP
                            PhlipElder @WLS-ITGuy
                            last edited by

                            @WLS-ITGuy said in Do you ask for permission...:

                            @DustinB3403 said in Do you ask for permission...:

                            When a customer is paying you to maintain their systems you need to verify with the customer before you go and do things. whether it's system updates, reboots, shutdowns or migrations you always have to ask.

                            Just to be clear. I am in the house guy. I agree when it comes to production stuff there needs to be a window and permission. What I am saying is that even if I get a window/permission I still get push back. So if it is something that isn't going to affect the overall production then I reboot whenever I want now because it isn't worth the headache of finding a "good time" for all parties.

                            The simple thing of it is: We need a reboot to apply patches to protect our network from baddies and to help with overall stability in the operating systems.

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • WLS-ITGuyW
                              WLS-ITGuy @PhlipElder
                              last edited by

                              @PhlipElder said in Do you ask for permission...:

                              We ask. Most of our clients are accounting firms on our MSP side and contractors and their clients.

                              All it takes is a bit of coordination to make sure we're not infringing on any large projects they may be running. As a rule, tax season is off limits for obvious reasons. 😉

                              When I was an outside guy/MSP guy we had that same rule. It applied to all our accounting firms and most of our financial firms and some attorney offices as well.

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • black3dynamiteB
                                black3dynamite
                                last edited by

                                What time do guys normally schedule reboots? During business hours? Early mornings? Late evenings? Weekends only?

                                NerdyDadN WLS-ITGuyW PhlipElderP 3 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • NerdyDadN
                                  NerdyDad @black3dynamite
                                  last edited by

                                  @black3dynamite said in Do you ask for permission...:

                                  What time do guys normally schedule reboots? During business hours? Early mornings? Late evenings? Weekends only?

                                  Depends on duties and priority of the systems it supports and the benefits of the changes being made. Typically they are either late night/very early morning or weekend. If it can be done during lunch hour, then its done during lunch hour.

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • WLS-ITGuyW
                                    WLS-ITGuy @black3dynamite
                                    last edited by

                                    @black3dynamite said in Do you ask for permission...:

                                    What time do guys normally schedule reboots? During business hours? Early mornings? Late evenings? Weekends only?

                                    Was that a question for everyone? Either way:

                                    I do maintenance on all desktops/Servers on Thursdays. That way if something goes sideways I am not working on the weekend, hopefully.

                                    There are a few times where I miss the opportunity to do the maintenance on Thursday so I'll do them during lunch or at EOD.

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • DonahueD
                                      Donahue
                                      last edited by

                                      We are a manufacturing company with two shifts. Usually my "ideal" downtime still effects people being able to clock in and out of jobs on the production floor. I am not going to do my work at 2am from home, so I just live with unavoidable interruptions. I just try and make it as minimal as possible. I actually blasted out an email warning of having to do one today at 12:45pm. It's after our shop staff should be back from lunch, and before everyone else starts working after lunch.

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • PhlipElderP
                                        PhlipElder @black3dynamite
                                        last edited by PhlipElder

                                        @black3dynamite said in Do you ask for permission...:

                                        What time do guys normally schedule reboots? During business hours? Early mornings? Late evenings? Weekends only?

                                        Cluster nodes can be run pretty much anytime during the day.

                                        For servers running roles and services we schedule an outage and run with it.

                                        Methodology is straightforward:

                                        • Reboot the server if running longer than 60 days
                                        • Back up
                                        • Install the patch and reboot
                                        • Verify services

                                        If the patch fails restore.

                                        We use Veeam and ShadowProtect to back up with.

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                        • WrCombsW
                                          WrCombs
                                          last edited by

                                          I have to ask every time i need to reboot or refresh the system ( refresh is sending the new data added to our application to the front of house terminals, and updating them to be current.) With out question, unless the site is not open for business, or before operating hours.

                                          I think best Practice is to at least ask, especially when you reboot something that will effect the end user. or have set times,
                                          If this has already been said I apologies, I read the OP and then hit reply, Did not read through the rest of the thread.

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • JaredBuschJ
                                            JaredBusch
                                            last edited by

                                            This is a discussion I have with all clients that task us with this responsibility.

                                            We never ask for permission during the agreed upon window of time. For most of my clients that is anytime after the last person went home. Typically 6 P.M. in their timezone.

                                            Anything outside of that is coordinated. But it is not "asking permission" it is coordination. Because if we want to reboot in the middle of the day, there is a reason for it.

                                            DashrenderD dbeatoD 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 6
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