Going to finish Marianne (Series) - If you like horror, you should like this -
Disclaimer: French with English subtitles, unless you speak French.
https://www.netflix.com/title/80217779

@scottalanmiller said in What Are You Watching Now:

Just watched Patriot Games with Liesl. Good time to teach her about the IRA since it is looking like the Good Friday Accords are going to be abandoned four weeks from tonight.

One of my favorites.

@Dashrender said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:

personally, the printers should do that automatically - you shouldn't need software to allow that, but if you are stuck with a printer vendor who doesn't have that option.. then yes, installing the software to manage the printers should be fine - but I would NEVER open a port on the firewall to let the vendor remote into said software

I was wondering if this was also a thing, where the printers report directly. I am not opening a port for a printer leasing company to access their software. That would be a deal killer for me.

@IRJ said in All in one backup appliances:

@scottalanmiller said in All in one backup appliances:

@notverypunny said in All in one backup appliances:

OK, maybe I mis-spoke. Nothing community / unsupported.

Oh, that's entirely different. No connection to open source there. Open source has more support, not less.

Community versions of commercial products definitely help find bugs. Support is generally well searchable and many people are knowledgeable about it since it is more widely used than paid versions. Being able to have a community product where you then add support and features to it, is ideal.

I'd say having a community product in addition to having paid support is ideal

@DustinB3403 said in All in one backup appliances:

@wrx7m said in All in one backup appliances:

@DustinB3403 said in All in one backup appliances:

@wrx7m said in All in one backup appliances:

I would think that having a branded appliance would be too confining.

So you want to be able to bring your own kit to the party?

Sure. I have been. Then, if I didn't like the backup vendor, I can re-purpose it for someone else's product.

So you aren't specifically looking for an appliance. (Appliances you buy). Scale Computing offers appliances as an example.

Got it. I use Veeam, so I don't need a hardware appliance that is specifically made by them to run/manage backups.

@scottalanmiller said in EMC VXRail:

Starwind

IIRC, at some point you said that starwind was good at 2 nodes, but 3 was way too complex. Also, how much overhead does running starwind produce?

@DustinB3403 said in EMC VXRail:

@wrx7m said in EMC VXRail:

@scottalanmiller said in EMC VXRail:

Simplivity

Don't recall hearing about them before.

HPE ring any bells?

Oh. OK. Didn't realize it was HPE

@scottalanmiller said in EMC VXRail:

Simplivity

Don't recall hearing about them before.

@DustinB3403 said in All in one backup appliances:

@wrx7m said in All in one backup appliances:

I would think that having a branded appliance would be too confining.

So you want to be able to bring your own kit to the party?

Sure. I have been. Then, if I didn't like the backup vendor, I can re-purpose it for someone else's product.

@scottalanmiller said in All in one backup appliances:

@notverypunny said in All in one backup appliances:

@DustinB3403 said in All in one backup appliances:

@notverypunny are you trying to build a solution that lives on premise? Are you considering skipping the 3-2-1 rule entirely?

Possible setup would be an appliance here at the main site connected to an LTO-8 tape setup with sync to the cloud and maybe another sync with our Toronto office.

Datto is a major appliance maker. Unitrends you already know. StorageCraft has appliances now, they bought OneBlox to get their tech for that, some damn cool stuff.

I would think that having a branded appliance would be too confining.

@DustinB3403 said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:

If you watch over the pennies, the dollars take care of themselves.

If you watch over the dollars, the pennies take care of themselves.

@DustinB3403 said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:

@wrx7m If your CFO isn't doing something to remedy it, then he's not doing his job.

We will see what he says. He hasn't been involved yet.

@DustinB3403 said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:

The issue with the super cheap toner (IME) is that it clumps together causing jams or streaks on the paper. So you replace it, even if it still has "plenty of life" just so you can continue and end up spending more money on more toner faster.

Preaching to the choir here. We have people here that step over dollars to pick up a penny.

@DustinB3403 said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:

@wrx7m said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:

I could tell him to order genuine only. However, he will say that they are too much. This will come down to my boss saying that the company needs to budget for genuine toner.

Well it really comes down to whether or not a stoppage of the printer is costing the business so much money that genuine would be worthwhile.

I can't say that it is or isn't. But it is certainly something to consider.

I had a purchaser who purchased supplies like for our printers too, and I was able to convince him that at least quality 3rd party toner was better than the bargain value toner which caused work stoppages and shipping delays.

Yeah, my boss is the CFO, so... hopefully, he can weigh the costs. As far as I am concerned, 80%+ of the printers we have are a complete waste of money. Inefficient workflows and lazy people are the root of it.

@DustinB3403 said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:

@wrx7m said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:

It is a consumable, like paper. I don't need to be in charge of that.

If the consumable is causing the printer to stop work, I would think you'd want to be in charge of it.

I could tell him to order genuine only. However, he will say that they are too much. This will come down to my boss saying that the company needs to budget for genuine toner.

@DustinB3403 said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:

@wrx7m said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:

I order all IT issued equipment.

Why is printer supplies not a part of that?

It is a consumable, like paper. I don't need to be in charge of that.

@DustinB3403 said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:

And on top of that, the things purchased cause more issues (and likely reprints) rather than just using genuine or quality aftermarket parts and supplies?

Yup. I think that is part of what sparked this.

@DustinB3403 said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:

@wrx7m said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:

guy who orders toner,

So you work for a place where general managers just purchase things without approval?

I work at a family-owned business. So, yes. Also, this guy orders everything from batteries to nitrile gloves to office chairs and toner. I order all IT issued equipment.

@DustinB3403 said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:

@wrx7m said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:

Yeah, the thing is, although I have been able to centralize some stuff, they are all too freakin lazy to get up and go to centralized printers that are 10-20 ft away.

Accounting will fix that.

I am not holding my breath. The guy who orders toner, gets it off ebay and auction sites or where ever it is the cheapest. And it isn't genuine- it is drill and fill and leaks all over the pages and printer internals.

@DustinB3403 said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:

@wrx7m said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:

Accounting started this process

They are very likely looking at the monthly spend on supplies for all of these different printers (likely different makes and models too) and trying to reduce that cost.

So many people don't require printers, getting a few higher capacity and faster printers that are more central tends to work out so much better than 20 something printers with their own toner etc.

Yeah, the thing is, although I have been able to centralize some stuff, they are all too freakin lazy to get up and go to centralized printers that are 10-20 ft away.