Have I destroyed something?

[indiegirl]

Yesterday, I restricted access to the GAL by way of fighting with different permission settings. This morning, when attempting to save any calendar items, I get:

 

"The connection to the Microsoft Exchange server is unavailable. Outlook must be online or connected to complete this action"

 

Now, the machine is definitely connected, as I'm sending and receiving email. I've just been back in and reset the permissions that I changed yesterday. No difference.

 

This is what happens when your line manager demands that you do something 'immediately' whilst you have three hundred other things on the go, and haven't been involved in the setup of the Exchange server. I'm not taking responsibility for this one, I was just doing my job (and succeeded, I mean - I did manage to restrict the opening of the GAL as asked!)

 

Any ideas?

[Guest]

Found these after a quick google.

 

Go to your Control Panel in Windows --> Mail --> View --> Change or View Existing Mail accounts --> Change the mail account that shows up --> More Settings -->

 

On the "General Tab" make sure you choose "Manaully control my connection state" and then select the radio dial button that says "connect with the network"

 

Restart Outlook

 

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/897716

[indiegirl]

Eeek!!! That quoted one wasn't right - I selected to connect with network, restarted Outlook and it just wouldn't start: "the operation failed" (aren't M$'s error messages good?)

 

As for the M$ RPC - I haven't made any changes to ISA, and I can't see any RPC errors on the machines.

 

It appears that those machines running in cached mode where the user doesn't have admin rights can't get into Outlook, but those who have admin rights just can't save stuff onto their calendar.

 

I'm going off sick tomorrow...

[Guest]

Must be a permissions problem, seeing that is all that has be changed over the past 24 hours.

 

Sorry can't be much more help. If I had any Exchange experience I'd pop over and have a look.

[indiegirl]

That's what I thought - I've changed all permissions back and am forcing an update at 10am this morning.

 

I just wondered whether any of our other Exchange users on here might be able to help....

[apeo]

I find that permissions can take a while to apply, how are you forcing the update?

[Disease]

My exchange server died yesterday morning at around 9:30. Masses of disk errors and taking 4hours to boot up. Currently now trying to repair the disk which has 70 bad sectors on it.

 

I love these times.

 

Check the event log on the machine if you find an RPC error follow this guide.

 

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;830914

[indiegirl]

Sorry, the forced update change was the update of the Offline Global Address List.

 

Usually all other changes take 15mins.

 

It *appears* to be sorted now. Alright, our students can access the GAL again, but if it's between that and no Outlook for staff, they can find another way around it when I'm not here ;-)

 

Looking at the other problems we had (printing not working), I thought that RPC errors might be the cause - although nothing in the event log on the machine.

 

I also wonder if it could be something to do with the fact that it's 27degrees in here at the moment and getting warmer?

[CyberNerd]

I also wonder if it could be something to do with the fact that it's 27degrees in here at the moment and getting warmer?

 

Probably not the cause of these particular errors but this is a major problem that will need to be fixed.

27c in the winter is too hot! come summer you machines will crash and the disks may suffer permanent damage

[Guest]

also wonder if it could be something to do with the fact that it's 27degrees in here at the moment and getting warmer?

 

If I remember, that office was the first place in the UK to reach the magic 37.7 degrees Celsius by May 8O

[indiegirl]

Remember folks: I'm a mere IT technician (sorry, administrator). I have no clout in this place.

 

We're now at 29degrees. I know it'll get hotter (yesterday we hit 30), and I've spoken to my line manager and requested efficient air conditioning - even been as far as to get proper quotations, but it's been refused.

 

Ah well, it's not my problem, being a "lowly" technician, is it?? At least I can say "told you so" ;-)

[CyberNerd]

Air Con is an essential part of any server room.

Your school clearly has no intention of protecting its investment, the equipment must be kept within the manufacturers tolerances or it won't work and will not be covered by warranty.

they really need to get this written into the budget, otherwise they are just wasting money and risking the entire infrastructure collapsing at random.

 

There is also a health and safety issue here.

 

your bursar is a ****wit for not paying attention to this, Its not a huge amount of cash. Write to the head/governors.

[DMcCoy]

Don't forget the effect of heat on the lifespan of components, I would be especially worried about the hard disks. Oh, and ups batteries. Hmm, tapes too. There are reasons why they put max and min temps for components.

[wesleyw]

I've recently had authorisation for Air Con in our room and we're looking at less than 5K for the units and installation probably another 1K for the electricans to come out and run some 3 phase wiring to our room. Not really a huge expense when for the same amount of money you could get say half a class of pcs or three/four servers.

 

They need to address this write something to the bursar and the head stating the cost of replacement parts/servers for the school because as stated previously manufacturer's won't cover the equipment because it's not a fault with them its a fault of the environment!

 

Wes

[wesleyw]

Also if it gets too hot you can legally refuse to work in the room! It is a health and safety issue 37.7 degrees? Yeah my old server room was like that the servers started to fall down when it got to around 39 - 40 and I started to soon after I think I was off sick for a couple of days!

 

Wes

[webman]

Hello, another 30°c environment here, too. Best place in winter, worst in the summer. We've only asked for air con since, ooohh.... end of 2002?

[wesleyw]

Lol! Sounds familiar, this school though is very good I asked about it last year got a quote round about august/september and having looked at the budget they've agreed so I'm happy

 

Wes

[webman]

We were told we could have some (read: 'one') £80 coolers from Maplin's. The ones that need an ice tray re-filling every day. The ones that take up a lot of previous floor space. The ones that won't make a huge difference at all to a server room at 30degc. All 3 ICT classrooms have them, gotta keep the teachers happy in the summer haven't they But the actual equipment that runs the school? No chance. When our NM gets back it may be advantageous to prepare a letter detailing why we need it and what could happen if the temperature stays as it is.

[Guest]

Also if it gets too hot you can legally refuse to work in the room! It is a health and safety issue 37.7 degrees?

 

IIRC there is a minimum temp, but not a maximum temp.

[webman]

Be careful if you elevate the environment/heat issue to health and safety on an official level - the school may well make another work area available for you to work in, but not necessarrily where you'd like it to be (i.e. corner of a classroom).

[CyberNerd]

PostPosted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 11:37 am Post subject: Re: Have I destroyed something?

Be careful if you elevate the environment/heat issue to health and safety on an official level - the school may well make another work area available for you to work in, but not necessarrily where you'd like it to be (i.e. corner of a classroom).

.....wearing a 'dunce' hat

 

from: http://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/faqs/temperature.htm

 

What is the maximum/minimum temperature in the workplace?

 

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 lay down particular requirements for most aspects of the working environment

 

Regulation 7 of these Regulations deals specifically with the temperature in indoor workplaces and states that:

 

1. During working hours, the temperature in all workplaces inside buildings shall be reasonable.

However, the application of the regulation depends on the nature of the workplace i.e. a bakery, a cold store, an office, a warehouse.

 

The associated ACOP goes on to explain:

‘The temperature in workrooms should provide reasonable comfort without the need for special clothing. Where such a temperature is impractical because of hot or cold processes, all reasonable steps should be taken to achieve a temperature which is as close as possible to comfortable. 'Workroom' means a room where people normally work for more than short periods.

 

The temperature in workrooms should normally be at least 16 degrees Celsius unless much of the work involves severe physical effort in which case the temperature should be at least 13 degrees Celsius. These temperatures may not, however, ensure reasonable comfort, depending on other factors such as air movement and relative humidity.’

 

back to top

 

Where the temperature in a workroom would otherwise be uncomfortably high, for example because of hot processes or the design of the building, all reasonable steps should be taken to achieve a reasonably comfortable temperature, for example by:

 

* insulating hot plants or pipes;

* providing air-cooling plant;

* shading windows;

* siting workstations away from places subject to radiant heat.

 

Where a reasonably comfortable temperature cannot be achieved throughout a workroom, local cooling should be provided. In extremely hot weather fans and increased ventilation may be used instead of local cooling.

 

Where, despite the provision of local cooling, workers are exposed to temperatures which do not give reasonable comfort, suitable protective clothing and rest facilities should be provided. Where practical there should be systems of work (for example, task rotation) to ensure that the length of time for which individual workers are exposed to uncomfortable temperatures is limited.

 

References

 

* L24, Workplace health, safety and welfare, (ISBN 0717604136 - available from HSE Books)

* The HSE guidance publication, Thermal Comfort in the Workplace, seeks to define thermal comfort, and states:

'An acceptable zone of thermal comfort for most people in the UK lies roughly between 13°C (56°F) and 30°C (86°F), with acceptable temperatures for more strenuous work activities concentrated towards the bottom end of the range, and more sedentary activities towards the higher end.'

* HSG194, Thermal Comfort in the Workplace, (ISBN 0717624684 - available from HSE Books)

[Geoff]

Just enable the temprature failsafes on your servers...

[wesleyw]

I like Geoff's idea! At least they'll know when its too hot lol No service sorry they have overheated!

 

Wes

[john]

We are just having to look at a bigger Air Con for the server room, its aspen pump has failed again, and its only just over a year old this pump, we had it in bits and the door open for 5 minutes whist we fixed the pump to stop it leaking today and i am not kidding but talk about heat, whoah! So its under capacity now the aircon, so we need a bigger one for the server room and instead of waste, we need the little one for our office as that does get very hot, it was about 22C today with the door wedged open! and we dont have main servers in our office. I just need the air con service firm to come round and send the right engineer to tell the Bursar we must have a bigger one as the present one is overloaded.....

[apeo]

I like Geoff's idea! At least they'll know when its too hot lol No service sorry they have overheated!

 

Wes

 

Could go a step further and reset the server evertime you get too hot :twisted: