Are you ready for next week?

[Dos_Box]

Just a quick enquiry to see how you are all set for next week when the hoards return for the first time in many months.

Are you all ready to go? Did you manage to get any of your usual upgrades/maintenance done during the summer, or are you anticipating something unexpected?

Given the length time many schools have been closed I'm going for the latter for many!

 

*I would definately turn off updates for the first day if none of your desktops have been switched on since March!

[3s-gtech]

Ready? I’m never, ever ready after Summer. Too worn out, too much to do, too much added at the last minute, and this year too many unknowns.

 

I’ve done most of the big jobs which would cause any disruption to service (got a couple of fibres to go in alongside old ones so quick switch) but my MDT server isn’t really operational yet, new laptops not built (and most of the old ones are loaned out to students), my office is a bombsite, and I don’t feel rested at all.

 

We’ll manage next week though - we always do.

[RLR]

I would like to sway we're ready but there's too many unknowns. We've got most stuff sorted now. Need to tidy round a bit but we had a hectic summer due to our 6th form relocating to another site that we only got access to 2 weeks ago. We had to rush to move everything from our old 6th form to our new one ready for next week!

 

This was on reddit yesterday which made me laugh:

[mthomas08]

Majority of the summer jobs done? Yes.

Prepared as we can be? Yes.

All classrooms and all IT kit checked, several upgraded as best as possible? Yes.

Ready for 200 staff, 1500 kids and 3500 parents demands? NOPE.

 

I can already see our printer system collapsing. Staff have already built up a large queue and one job was actually 54,000 pages (yes - 27,000 pieces of paper and not being sarcastic).

I've already pre-warned our leadership.

 

It's not just the 6 week break they've had, it's the 5 months majority have been off site. Our equipment has generally been sitting there not doing much (especially our printers) and are about to be running non stop.

 

I don't remember being this.... nervous? anxious? Not really helped when the Mrs will say "what have you got to be stressed about"..... then again when she walks out of her job at the end of the day some one else picks it up.

Edited August 28, 2020 by mthomas08

[keyboards]

The problem is, we've done so much this summer over so many schools and big projects, we're knackered now going into the business period, rather than being a bit more fresh ready for the madness fo the next few weeks.

[Dos_Box]

I can imagine quite a few out there have been working with not much of a break for a very long time now, and I have a sneaking suspicion you'll find out who's not been using the remote services by the amount of password reset requests you'll get next week!

[hardtailstar]

Nope.

 

 

Server failed, hard drives 'lost' in post, company resent and still not turned up.

 

Other orders not arrived

 

only 70% of summer jobs done.

 

Now the help desk is deciding to not work for emails from outside of our Active directory.....

[keyboards]

I can imagine quite a few out there have been working with not much of a break for a very long time now, and I have a sneaking suspicion you'll find out who's not been using the remote services by the amount of password reset requests you'll get next week!

I've had two weeks off out of six but haven't really had anything of as still been working, welll I've had too, apart from that was last off in October, pretty much need a proper week away somewhere just to switch off

[Dos_Box]

Ah, so there will be much (more than usual) wailing and gnashing of teeth next week then!

[elsiegee40]

Many schools are back this week @Dos_Box!

[StoneGroup_JackW]

Best of luck to everyone going back next week and those who have gone back this week! Its been non stop here so can only imagine what its like for you guys and girls have a good bank holiday weekend all!

 

Jack

[Zammo]

Many schools are back this week @Dos_Box!

 

Really? Which LAs?

[mdrabble]

Nope, nowhere near ready - still half the school to image from 1803 to 1909. (may get left until October)

 

Having to bodge a connection between core and a new cabinet after site manage managed to mangle one end of the fibres!

 

Staff asking for the earth - extra computers!

 

And to make matters worse, i suffer from epilepsy and started have focal aware seizures again - nothing major - just very annoying auras every 30 mins or so lasting anything from 30 seconds to 5 mins - doc are classing this as a cluster thingy.... and upped by dosage.

 

First week back have to take all year 12 photos, add the to Papercut, Paxton (easy enough to so) and Entry-Sign - which I have to do manually!!!!!! and I also have to add all staff and Year 13 to Entry Sign as well

 

Oh the joys

[elsiegee40]

Really? Which LAs?

 

Leicestershire and some schools in Kent are back too despite the LA date being next week

Edited August 28, 2020 by elsiegee40

[Andrew_C]

Am I ready? Absolutely no idea. I'm off furlough on Tuesday, I'll find out then.

[Jcx500]

Still a load of machines to image to 1909 , Haven’t even bothered upgrading dcs to 2019 as I’ve ran out of time , still got a whole IT Suite to deploy Tuesday

 

Good luck everyone!

[elsiegee40]

Am I ready? Absolutely no idea. I'm off furlough on Tuesday, I'll find out then.

 

Says it all....

 

Good luck! Hopefully they’ve missed you!

[DrBeaker]

Upgraded and rebuilt all classroom and admin machines with SSD and extra RAM where needed. Originally planned - as staggered upgrades during school holidays before Covid hit.

Had to push back the Windows 10 deployment I'd planned for the summer until Feb half-term 2021, as we've got old kit with no-time to properly test everything works with Windows 10 due to Covid.

Multiple things, bits and bobs done, still loads left to do - priority changed every day during the holidays though, others got pushed down the list. 3rd parties letting me down from not delivering a PC to not having desks/carpet in areas etc, none of that my department to sort.

 

1x classroom to setup - room was being done by site team, PC in there ready to go.

Another 3x in a new block to setup as there still wasn't any desks in there when I left for annual leave.

 

Prepare for the onslaught come Tuesday/next week - Once more unto the breach, dear friends.