Given that you've already identified several areas: Unacceptable server down time, maxed network storage, and no backups systems, you seem to be on the right track.
You might ask the head of the IT to come to your office and set up a new system as 'Joe User'.
You can ask the CEO to set up a small group of about 5 people to evaluate the IT department and report to the CEO in 3 weeks the areas for improvement and how to measure their effectiveness. CEOs are interested in their department effectiveness, particuarly if they are costing time and $$$ internally.
Network File Storage:
- Minimum 4gb storage per user, not including system backups
- The mapped drive to the storage should be established as part of th login process, not an individuals machine
Backup systems:
- nightly backups of systems, something like Replicant or Connected DataProtector
- system images for 'standard' machines
- install packages for applications that can be pushed across the network to help restore machines that crash
- a 3-year cycle to replace all desktop machines
Security:
- enforced policy of password changes every three months, with a 8-character minimum and 1-year history of old passwords
Tech Support:
- support that answers the @#$%^& phone during normal hours, and if they can't because of load, will call back within an hour. If this cant be done in-house, get outside support for non-critical things, like MS-Office 'how-to' help
- Tech support that can reset passwords
- remote access that requires an RSA key-fob (one of those number sequence generator things)
The Mouse has lost a lot of creativity in recent years. Re-telling another childs story has been their staple. Now Pixar has a more imaginative group that is telling new stories. I believe that creativity will win out over re-treading another old story, and the folks from Pixar will take over the creative positions in Disney.
Disneys music biz on the other hand will likely stay as is...
I used to feel it was a company responsibility for training, but that has gone by the wayside in the last 10 years. Now that I have been handed the Build/Installation responsibilities as well as 'normal' web app development responsibilities, I am trying to figure out what is next for my training needs. Either way, I will get from my current bosses and stay, or get it myself and walk away to a higher bidder.
Make sure the training is off-site, not a 'Flash/Powerpoint slide thing with a quiz at the end' during your 'free time' at work, so that you can actually learn without being interrupted every 20 minutes.
For you, the Training should be relative to your responsibilities and objectives at work. For Management, it has to be an investment in your productivity and better performance.
Present your request for training to your Management.
If Management says no, leave with your current skills and what you've learned, else they will just suck you dry.
I disagree about the lack of spelling proficiency among techies. All but one of my fellow developers are excellent writers. The exception is the one who cheerfully admits he hated grade-school and doesnt give a hoot about spelling. He is also the one with numerous typos in his applications.
The failure is not due to teaching 'phonics' spelling. Both my children learned phonics approaches to _reading_, not spelling. At 8 & 9 years old, they are learning spelling based on Greek and Latin root words, and they can spell almost anything correctly!
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Given that you've already identified several areas: Unacceptable server down time, maxed network storage, and no backups systems, you seem to be on the right track. You might ask the head of the IT to come to your office and set up a new system as 'Joe User'. You can ask the CEO to set up a small group of about 5 people to evaluate the IT department and report to the CEO in 3 weeks the areas for improvement and how to measure their effectiveness. CEOs are interested in their department effectiveness, particuarly if they are costing time and $$$ internally. Network File Storage: - Minimum 4gb storage per user, not including system backups - The mapped drive to the storage should be established as part of th login process, not an individuals machine Backup systems: - nightly backups of systems, something like Replicant or Connected DataProtector - system images for 'standard' machines - install packages for applications that can be pushed across the network to help restore machines that crash - a 3-year cycle to replace all desktop machines Security: - enforced policy of password changes every three months, with a 8-character minimum and 1-year history of old passwords Tech Support: - support that answers the @#$%^& phone during normal hours, and if they can't because of load, will call back within an hour. If this cant be done in-house, get outside support for non-critical things, like MS-Office 'how-to' help - Tech support that can reset passwords - remote access that requires an RSA key-fob (one of those number sequence generator things)
The Mouse has lost a lot of creativity in recent years. Re-telling another childs story has been their staple. Now Pixar has a more imaginative group that is telling new stories. I believe that creativity will win out over re-treading another old story, and the folks from Pixar will take over the creative positions in Disney. Disneys music biz on the other hand will likely stay as is...
Make sure the training is off-site, not a 'Flash/Powerpoint slide thing with a quiz at the end' during your 'free time' at work, so that you can actually learn without being interrupted every 20 minutes.
For you, the Training should be relative to your responsibilities and objectives at work. For Management, it has to be an investment in your productivity and better performance.
Present your request for training to your Management.
If Management says no, leave with your current skills and what you've learned, else they will just suck you dry.
I disagree about the lack of spelling proficiency among techies. All but one of my fellow developers are excellent writers. The exception is the one who cheerfully admits he hated grade-school and doesnt give a hoot about spelling. He is also the one with numerous typos in his applications.
The failure is not due to teaching 'phonics' spelling. Both my children learned phonics approaches to _reading_, not spelling. At 8 & 9 years old, they are learning spelling based on Greek and Latin root words, and they can spell almost anything correctly!