Notifying staff...

[Sheridan]

We have a multi-layered approach! Intranet homepage, email and a desktop application that pops up memos. We also run a login script that can display a message that they have to acknowledge before continuing! If its the internet or email that will be down we also get a tannoy announcement across the school. Obviousluy if the internet goes down we set off the flashing red lights and klaxons and everyone leaves the building

 

Needless to say, as soon as we take down the server (or whatever it was) the phone rings......

[ReverentCreature]

Local Support tools on RM CC4. In the Managemnt Console right click a group of machines then choose "Message".

[chilbs]

I use / like Bing so I understand I am likely to not like the reply but why ban Bing?

 

The image search was not being filtered correctly. so quickest way to stop this happening while we worked out what the problem was to completely ban Bing for the kids.

[Oddbod]

The simple thing is to communicate…

in the IT fraternity, you will have a number of different ways available (twitter, Facebook, email, icq, answerphone loop message, post-it note, milk round )

But keep the message simple and to the point. That avoids the “it's too technical” whine.

And keep a list of departmental admins and get to know them, they can help disseminate emergency info.

 

And hold major changeovers for quiet periods like weekends, term breaks or overnights via VPN. You don't have to be there 24/7/365

 

I recall one senior network engineer at our main campus NOC, who mailed out an overly technical notification to all staff about 20-odd share points being moved to a new server, then phoned the school departmental heads at 10 in the morning on the day of the move, couldn't get hold of 80percent of them (his words “what are they doing at that time of the day?”) and progressed to shift everything at 2pm…

 

…in the middle of exam week.

 

The sight of one invigilator having kittens was appalling as the students exam work disappeared right before their very eyes, as the server merrily transferred the data from one live share point to another. The NOC further up the chain got such a bollocking for their lack of foresight, understanding and abysmal communication.

 

--

 

Separately, for those who wonder about traffic light systems, nagios will handle that very well, you can even get a watcher app for that. Tis free too - the best price point.