I really hate my company

At the moment, I'm getting grief over 'performance problems'

Our VMWare DL760 (8x2.8Ghz) server is running 'a bit sluggish'.

Reason? Well, we've overloaded it.
We have been at the performance limit for a while, and have recently added a couple of 'heavyweight' machines.
And it hasn't _quite_ ground to a halt, but...

This is not really a suprise. This I could cope with. The thing that _really_ annoys me is that we've been at our performance limit for some time now.

We ordered _another_ DL760 so we could cope with the deluge of new server requests. It's been sat 'in the queue' for over two weeks now. It has been slowly wending its way through chains of manglers, each 'approving' it. In each case, it sits on their desk a while, until we follow it up. There are no complications. We have a cost justification (on the existing, we have 65 virtual machines for which we are charging £1,500 per year. Easy sums)

Best of all the loudest complainants are also those who helped stall the process.

Now I'm well aware that they think we spend 'too much money', but seriously, we don't just piss cash away for the hell of it. I mean, a DL760 is a cool and expensive toy, but for this purpose, it's more than justified. We only just got as far as trying to get _some_ gigabit switches for our computer room (seriously, up until this week, we've been running 10/100 and ATM)

Bastards.

On an marginally related note, we're buyingleasing a new SAN in the new year. We're currently going through the Vendor briberynegotiation process. So far we've looked at EMC and HP. Now we already have EMC kit, that we're replacing.

But HP's 'mid range' storage enclosure is called EVA.

I always wanted one of those. Didn't think I'd find one to fit in the computer room though...

Pub and Christmas bashes

Well, it's nearly friday. Which means it's nearly beer o'clock.
Much like last week in fact. The difference is that _this_ week I'm not on call, so get to partake of the delights of fine real ales.

Looks like i'll be working on Sunday. Servers to move, networks to fuck up re-design.

Don't mind so much, since it means a little extra pay in the december paypacket. Never an unwelcome thing.
Do mind the 'oh, lets start at 9am, so we can finish early'. Do these people not understand?

On a slightly different note, I'm still pondering going to the christmas do. It's on Friday 10th Dec. Which is a day wot I am on call.

And I'm pondering and pondering.

Reasons to go:

Socialising with workmates. Whilst some are boring pointless tossers, a few are interesting and entertaining. And it _is_ an opportunity to break down a few 'them and us' barriers. Well, assuming we've not got to the level of 'them and us' that one faction doesn't show at all.

Reasons not to go:

Well, it's a friday, innit. And it's in the middle of no where. And I'll be on call, so be dry. (Whilst I'd drink a beer or two if on call and at home, car privileges and beer privileges should not be mixed)

So I thought I'd ask the audience, since it's been a while since I did a poll.

[Poll #391631]