Damn Frust

Today I felt at the lowest ebb of my move from consulting to an end user environment. Ever since I moved almost 1 year ago, I have never assimilated into a "user mode" of operation... Some of you ask, what is a "user mode"? Typical lah
- everything oso taichi
- in meetings just tokok like real, but don't do any work, just taichi
- the folks who talk most in meetings are the folks who do the least
- everyone just wants to look good

So why am I feeling so down?

Well, you know, recently I've been having some serious shit happening in Mexico. We're building a regional data centre there for Latin America and the first country going live in that DC is Brazil. So the Mexico DC is connected to the Mexico DR via a network link. And in the domestic environment, we have 2 groups responsible for global networks... 1 group for network, 1 for security. Now for many weeks, that link was not operational, and we cannot configure the DR site because the DR contains an Active Directory server that requires connectivity to the "master" in order to replicate over the users/ groups etc.

So we escalate la.. (user environment what.. you can only escalate, u cannot roll up your sleeves one..)

But niama, the Network PMO person (some Indian chick who damn blur f*ck) tells me that "the firewall box in Mexico DR is defect, that's why u don't have connectivity"

So here I am, on another conference call, and that's what I report.. then this other dude (Security fella) said "eh.. who said.. that firewall box is a backup box, the main box is ok, so YOU HAVE CONNECTIVITY". So there I think "kanina.. but your Proj Mgr tell me like that one mah... so how?"

Anyway, this security guy damn defensive, he insist connectivity is established and he hinted that my cranium is empty thats why I cannot configure. I'm like, tiew nei ahsing, as if I dono don't have connectivity. Nahia, I ping the freaking server all timeout one... Then on that same call, the Security fella said "firewall rules not implemented".

I'm like Kanina, first you say connectivity ok, then firewall rules not ok. They BOTH GO HAND IN HAND you dick head!

Ok.. then the story deepends, the security guy insist that very nite he will impement (this was all a few weeks ago). So they did. But their rules all salah implement one... why? because when we test, connectivity still not there. Nahia, the fella got the cheek to say "eh, If I say the task is closed, the task is close". Wah lan eh...

So there goes a few emails back and forth, then you know lah, the Security fella damn sensitive one.. So yesterday, I got on another call (now this time, finally, after much troubleshooting, the link was finally up and operational)... this security fella said "we're still troubleshooting". I'm like "err.. I just talked to my guys and for the past 12 hours we're ok". What also pissed me on that call was they had some Vice President of Infra on the call and she also said "hey, we know the status best and we're gonna have a call at 1pm to ascertain". I ask "can i be on that call?" "NO".

Tiew.

Now, I know this is a long ass story, but this pisses me off.

Firstly, all the project managers in this user organisation damn cock one. All damn high level. Refer to the Indian Chick above. Now, all they do is nothing but "report status". They all have no ability to "drill down".

For me? Unfortunately I operate still like my lung busting Steven Gerrard consultant mode. "You say the rules implemented? Show me! Let's ping, then do a trace route, then telnet and see if any packets dropped". It's only thru detailed drilling I find out that the security guys do cacat things like implement the firewall rules non bi directional, or they forget to open up a certain port. They they got the cheek to say "status closed".

Secondly, I get told that I'm too kan cheong in finding out status. My god.. my arse is on the line, baby.. if I don't find out, who's gonna save my arse? Worst, when I ask your high level Proj Manager and I get shit high level answers that are likely wrong, I lagi piss off. Then some of these guys also damn sensitive, they don't like you going direct and asking their staff for status.. I'm like, eh.. I ask your PM, if within 12 hours no response i'm just gonna bypass you man.

I'm very sad. I never expected such sub standard working styles in a user environment. Maybe it's me.. I feel like as if I'm Ronaldinho playing for Selangor.. I'm like passing all the balls but no once scores! Maybe it is time to evaluate my situation...