X-log

Thursday, November 14, 2002

Drivel:  I spent all day today digging into EMC Control Center 5.0.3.  What a mess!  I am not sure it can even be called software.  Sure, there are components that do stuff, but the majority of it is strung together with Perl scripts and Java applets.  To top it off, there are only two modes of logging -- on or off.  I spent the entire afternoon wading through server guano just to find my entire problem was related to a Windows setting and not even an ECC issue.  The setting caused the server to install and be configured incorrectly so I had to scrap the entire install.  This is something that the install process should have caught and alerted me to.  I sure hope EMC gets their software act together since they are betting the company on it.  11:48:34 PM   comments ()

Drivel:  I have been dealing a lot with EMC's storage management software the past few months.  It has been one nightmare after the other.  The most recent absurdity is that NaviSphere, the management software for EMC's Clariion line of products, requires JRE 1.3.1_1 and EMC Control Center, the management software for the Symmetrix line of products, requires the classes not contained in JRE 1.3.1_1 but are contained in the Microsoft JVM.  In summary, you cannot use the same machine to access the management consoles of a Clariion storage array and a Symmetrix storage array.  6:50:46 PM   comments ()

Drivel:  I think it is time to revive the Real-time Enterprise Yahoo! group.  I have been running into more and more projects and initiatives in my travels and network of contacts that are attempting to bring management information to executives via digital dashboards, process automation, and tighter systems integration.  Unfortunately, most of these efforts are experiencing problems due to improper planning or negligence of a part of the entire system.  What does it take to pull off a real-time system?  Where do you start in an already complicated and complex environment?  Stay tuned and participate in the discussion.  10:41:40 AM   comments ()

Drivel:  My laptop has been fritzing out more frequently over the past week.  The one design flaw I discovered is the space around the CPU does not allow enough air flow, so the unit will cut out when the CPU temperature gets about 130 degrees.  I have found that elevating the back of the machine helps, such as putting the power adapter under it.  However, it is no less frustrating when it does blink out.  10:19:01 AM   comments ()

Drivel:  I think it has finally hit me that this project is coming to an end.  Wow!  Four and a half months really flew by.  Now I am faced with more difficult decisions about what to do next.  I am selling another project out here in Seattle, which looks like it is going close before Thanksgiving.  It will only be six weeks, but it will be a bridge project to larger, multi-year projects.  This is great from a job security perspective, but sucks from an overall life perspective.  I live in Boston and making a transcontinental commute every week really sucks.  Moving to Seattle is out of the question because of family issues.  My wife and I have been toying with the idea of moving to sunny San Diego, but this would be another cross country move.  My wife and I have done four -- all before we were married.  This would be great, but it is still a three hour commute a couple of times a week.  I think that this would be the best option, but I need to see if I can sell the larger project before making a decision.  One step at a time, I guess.  12:09:51 AM   comments ()

Last update: 6/24/03; 9:37:25 AM.