Someone please calm me down, thanksà 4

[Cutiee]

I got blamed for something I didn’t do at work! Ok here is the story.

Our company makes metering skids, every project we do, we have a folder for it, and so we can save all the relevant drawings and documents in the folder.

Last week a set of drawings for one particular job (I didn’t even work on that job) got deleted or moved, well we don’t know which, but they just somehow disappeared from the project folder (weird enough, it’s the second time it has happened!). The drawings are panel drawings, I never really need to look at panel drawings, but as an E&I engineer I have access to those folders too.

IT was unable to find who deleted or moved those drawings, they just blamed on me, the “proof” they say they have is the folders I have on my desktop, I have a habit of CREATING new folders for each job I do, so I can save bits, pieces info or draft in it for my own reference, apparently I’m the only one who has folders on my desktop, so IT just automatically assumed that I’m the one who MOVED all the folders from project folder to my desktop, even though I didn’t even work on the project that lost panel drawings.

This guy who works at IT sent out emails to all managers and managing director about his accusation, and asks for me to take responsibility.

I feel very upset and angry, I want to cry I don’t know what to do, I can’t concentrate on my work right now. I explained everything to my line manager, and he said he would talk to IT, but he said no one could really tell whether I moved or created those folders on my desktop although the name and content are completely different from the missing folders!

The IT guy worked in the company for years and years, and basically IT department can’t run without him, and I only worked here less than a year, and certainly I have no proof that I created the folder, and I didn't move them then changed the title and content (just why the heck would I do that?!)… Everybody believes him except some colleagues who work with me everyday that know me well.


Cuttie

 

[SomptingGuy]

Simple. Ask IT to reinstate the missing folder from their backup system. Backups are an essential part of IT systems. If they have no backup system, question why not.

Whilst it's reasonable to assume that folders on your desktop are for your own amusement only, anything in "the system" should be regularly backed up.

Is Mr IT just covering his own arse position?

- Steve

 

[Cutiee]

According to IT: “we do have backup systems, but apparently it didn’t back up properly so the drawings couldn’t be recovered”

yeah i think he's trying to cover his a$$, i wanna go over to his office, give him a big slap, but that's not very lady

Cuttie

 

[SomptingGuy]

Time for a positive offensive then. Make recommendations for change that would prevent future losses like this. Something like a regular recovery exercise.

In my experience, the sh1t only really hits the fan when directors' emails get lost.

- Steve

 

[livingston]

I hope that when you questioned the IT about the back up it was done as publicly as his blaming you for the loss of the folder. If the back up did not happen correctly then it sounds as if they have larger problems than the loss of that folder.

 

[jmw]

Good points SomptingGuy and it is definitely time to go on the offensive.

Now correct me if I'm wrong but there are actually two problems here, one is IT and the mysterious failed back-ups and the other is document control.

I would expect that in any project there will be one engineer responsible for document control and that should mean he is responsible for a master set of documents which only he can change (or delete) though everyone should presumably be able to access them copy them and even edit them on their own machine.

There ought to be a procedure laid down somewhere?

It is entirely reasonable that engineers should be able to access and amend any and all documents except the master approved versions. All changes should be properly recorded and approved and then the master folder updated accordingly.

Now, IT has three problems.... how come they don't have a back-up, how come they don't know who deleted the relevant documents and how come they haven't managed the permissions better. In a public folder there will be a number of people with read only access but very few with write permission.

Of course, the relevant drawings would not have been created in the master folder but created by an engineer on his own machine. It is most likely that he ought to have a complete set of his own original documents upto and including a copy of the final approved version in the master folder.

My experience has been that when connected to the office server I would have disc space on the server that was exclusively my own. With a laptop that is when "briefcase files" become very useful synchronising the appropriate files and folders as an when necessary.

Now I would expect that IT should have backed up not only the original folders which are in the public (all users) area but also the various engineer's own drive spaces and the missing folders ought to be in pone or the other area.

In any event, whatever the system now, it sounds like it is due for an overhaul.

More than overdue, if this has happened before why can it happen again? This type of event can be malicious, it can be inadvertent but it can only happen if the system allows it to happen.

JMW

http://www.ViscoAnalyser.com

 

[SomptingGuy]

Just adding to JMW's words...

If there is no acknowledged "master" (drawing, source code, etc), forking is inevitable. Similarly, document change history is impossible to track.

- Steve

 

[TheTick]

If your employer cared enough about its documents, it would give the documents proper security. What happened is a systemic failure, best blamed on those who designed the system.

Your IT guy is a putz. Post his phone number so I can call him and tell him myself. (Just kidding, but I would love to.) If your company's IT system is dependent on a single putz, then the whole company is a giant putz culture.

Your habit of creating draft folders fr draft documents actually makes perfect sense to me.

 

[jmw]

Absolutely, a working folder is essential and anyone who attempts to edit the master document on the fly would rightly be severely criticised.

Don't calm down, simply focus everyone on the real problem.

The danger is that a reaction would be to forbid the various engineers from creating working folders.... nonsense, the problem is the security of the master folders.

Of course, a direct attack on the IT guy should be avoided or on anyone else as such, it is this system that is at fault, not you.

You could defend your position or alternatively, take a look at the procedures (I assume there is no official procedure document) and propose to your boss what a sensible system should be and how it should be documented. You can enlists the help/involvement of the other engineers ("Hey guys, I just got a bollocking for something I didn't do and it seems to me that without a proper procedure that can happen to any of us so here's what I've been thinking...."
State that there should be a published standard procedure (and make sure that your practice suits the procedure or visa versa).

Make sure you "own" this idea. If its a good one some brown-noser will rip it off otherwise.

PS I made the mistake of criticising IT once.
Never again.
Not only did I get blitzed by management, when next my laptop had a problem and had to go to IT they simply re-formated my hard disk without bothering to back up anything, not my desktop or anything.

It would have been a simple matter to run Aida32 or Belarc advisor or any similar program to list all my software and settings so I could re-construct it, but they didn't.
My desktop has about a hundred icons usually, I got it back with the Windows OS basic icons (and they didn't re-install games... the s***s).

For months afterwards, whenever I needed a particular program I'd find it missing and then have to go looking for the original installation disc or search the internet.




JMW

http://www.ViscoAnalyser.com

 

[SomptingGuy]

Echoing JMW again (we seem to be on the same wavelength)...

The favour trading market does not work with IT. You have nothing they want. If you do somehow manage to bank a favour, don't blow it by criticising them.

On the subject of working/local folders, the situation maps fairly well onto how we work here (engineering software development). The "master" for each program is on a central server, in a version control system. There are three possible categories for any particular file/folder/etc:

1) On the server, declared the master. Visible to all.
2) On the server, but on a working branch. Visible to some.
3) Local. Only visible to the developer.

It is the job of the program manager to merge changes from (2) back into (1). This forces a review as it is effectively a handover of responsibility. (1) and (2) are guarateed backed up every day. (3) is never backed up.

Developers that come to me asking if I can restore their local files get a stock answer: "Anything you do not wish to lose or cannot be simply recreated should be checked in."

It important enough to us that we use 3rd party software to manage all this.

- Steve

 

[dvd]

Sounds like the IT guy may be an old fossil who barely keeps the system patched together and thus will make all problems someone else's responsibility. Eventually someone will figure this out and change things. Management never seems to help on computer stuff since they understand the system less than those using it, and much less than those controlling it. Good luck with your problems.

 

[melone]

With regards to the folders on your desktop... Did you copy them from the server, move them from the server, or create a symbolic link to the server folder?

 

[drawoh]

Cuttie,

A long time ago, I administered the UNIX servers and workstations for the engineering department I was in. I set up a central directory for everybody's working files, and I set up what I called a Document Management system, using C[ ]shell scripts. I have several thoughts about your predicament.

[ol]
[li]Missing files are easily recovered from backup.[/li]
[li]Most backup recoveries are due to someone, including me, doing something stupid.[/li]
[li]I am fascinated that your systsem administrator is usable to make his backup work, but has a logging system that tells him that you deleted the files.[/li]
[/ol]

My working principal was that I wanted people to work directly on the files in the central directories. If people copy out, you get multiple copies, and a mess. If somebody screws something up, I helpfully recover the old file from yesterday's backup.

As noted above, you need PDM software.

JHG

 

[Cutiee]

Thanks guys, my line manager went to his office, told him off for "upsetting me", but he still insisted that if wasn't me it must be someone else, according to the IT guy "files are being moved on to user’s desktop instead of copied and therefore are being “lost"", seems he thinks we are all idiots...

melone, I just right clicked on desktop and made a new folder, no copy, no cut

Thanks again, guys have a nice evening, home time for me now


Cuttie

 

[MadMango]

IT should make the important files "Read Only", sounds like IT is the problem.

"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."

Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of these Forums?

 

[HVAC68]

According to IT: "we do have backup systems, but apparently it didn't back up properly so the drawings couldn't be recovered"

Doesn't it mean that "IT" is not doing his/her job properly ???

If the back-up system is not proper and the server crashes ???

HVAC68

 

[ctopher]

I work in I.T. and can tell you that employee's that are supposed to be server gurus...most are not.
I have seen data get deleted or moved by them because they either don't care or don't know.
To them, a file is a file and a folder is a folder. They don't care who they belong to or why they exist.
I have also seen them automagically delete videos and PowerPoint files to make space.
They should be doing backups every night and full backups every week.
Have them reinstate the backups.
They can also prove through the server who last had access, they are just trying to cover their own a** or a friends!

Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 3.1
AutoCAD 06/08
ctopher's home (updated Jul 13, 2008)
ctopher's blog

 

[MikeHalloran]

The IT guy screwed up badly, in several ways:

- by allowing universal write access to important files.
- by not _testing_ his alleged backup system, every day.
- by not _acting_, the _first_ time the backup didn't work.
- by not having multiple layers of backups.

But, IT guys are a protected species; you can't survive attacking them.

On the other hand, the attack on you seems unwarranted and unprofessional.. and quite aberrant behavior for an IT guy, if it was unprovoked.








Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[vc66]

Methinks there's something the IT guy doesn't want anyone to know...

V

 

[eliebl]

I worked for a company who initiated a backup midday because they found out that their previous backups weren't restorable. I think they would have lost months of data if the didn't backup immediately.

EJL