Urgent Help Needed-IT Management

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mark Rosenbaum
  • Start date Start date
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Mark Rosenbaum

Sorry for the inappropriate group posting but didn't know which groups to
post to.

I have just been given the task of taking over my company's entire MIS/IT
department. I'm already pulling my hair out. There are so many problems
that it's not even funny. I would greatly appreciated anyone's advice,
suggestions, and help on the items listed below.


Can anyone provide me with some examples of solid SOP's for an IT dept. or
suggest where I might find some on the web.

Does anyone have copies of helpdesk tickets that they can shoot off to me I
will need to make some for the dept.

I know that I have seen daily, weekly, and monthly check lists for installed
systems. Basically a check list for tasks that should be done to the server
room, servers, PC's and the such, but can't find any.

Any ideas or knowledge from anyone concerning the processes and flows of
running an MIS dept.

Basically I was given the job because my bosses think a band-aid needs to be
applied to some problems where there should be a tunicate.

Please feel free to post back in this group or email me at
(e-mail address removed)
 
Mark said:
Sorry for the inappropriate group posting but didn't know which
groups to post to.

I have just been given the task of taking over my company's entire
MIS/IT department. I'm already pulling my hair out. There are so
many problems that it's not even funny. I would greatly appreciated
anyone's advice, suggestions, and help on the items listed below.
Click to expand...

And the ship sinks...
 
Mark Rosenbaum said:
Can anyone provide me with some examples of solid SOP's for an IT dept. or
suggest where I might find some on the web.
Click to expand...

patch things before they break. (OS/Programs/Virus detection)

fix things when they break.

backup things before they are deleted.

recover things when they are deleted.

Aquire the skill of creating/achieving miracles.

I think these are the top of the priority for any IT dept.
get them down, and most of your problems will be fixed... ;)

This is a very sparce outline of at least some of your tasks.
(note that this is *very* general. your tasks will depend on your
enviroment)

Daily:
Incremental backups
OS/Program/Virus updates if necessisary (much can be automated)
Provide support
Weekly:
Full Backups

Monthly:
Archived full backups


Keep a list of your machines, what major soft/hard-ware is associated
with them, and what functions (especially if they are critical) they
handle. a spreadsheet or database is good for this.

Try to keep all systems with the same function (say - "Employee
workstation") as similar as possible. Keep a generic backup machine
(or at least harddrive) for whatever type of machine is used the most.
that way you can swap out and get the user back up and running
quickly while you fix the hard/software.

Suggest all files be stored on a central and backed up location.

these are just a few things to get you started... perhaps people can
stop being jerks and add to it... rather than make snide
comments.
 
Mark said:
Sorry for the inappropriate group posting but didn't know which
groups to post to.

I have just been given the task of taking over my company's entire
MIS/IT department. I'm already pulling my hair out. There are so
many problems that it's not even funny. I would greatly appreciated
anyone's advice, suggestions, and help on the items listed below.


Can anyone provide me with some examples of solid SOP's for an IT
dept. or suggest where I might find some on the web.

Does anyone have copies of helpdesk tickets that they can shoot off
to me I will need to make some for the dept.

I know that I have seen daily, weekly, and monthly check lists for
installed systems. Basically a check list for tasks that should be
done to the server room, servers, PC's and the such, but can't find
any.

Any ideas or knowledge from anyone concerning the processes and flows
of running an MIS dept.

Basically I was given the job because my bosses think a band-aid
needs to be applied to some problems where there should be a tunicate.

Please feel free to post back in this group or email me at
(e-mail address removed)
Click to expand...

I'm sure there are lots of people how could give you some solid advice but
1) we'd need alot more detail, and 2) many of us get paid for that kind of
advice. Speaking for myself, I guess I don't mind giving the occasional
free advice with specific issues, because I suspect I'd get the same in
return when I had a problem, but you are asking us to do lots more then help
with a simple problem.

My advice, hire a MIS/IT manager or look for some short term consultant
help.
 
Mark Rosenbaum said:
Sorry for the inappropriate group posting but didn't know which groups to
post to.

I have just been given the task of taking over my company's entire MIS/IT
department. I'm already pulling my hair out. There are so many problems
that it's not even funny. I would greatly appreciated anyone's advice,
suggestions, and help on the items listed below.


Can anyone provide me with some examples of solid SOP's for an IT dept. or
suggest where I might find some on the web.

Does anyone have copies of helpdesk tickets that they can shoot off to me I
will need to make some for the dept.

I know that I have seen daily, weekly, and monthly check lists for installed
systems. Basically a check list for tasks that should be done to the server
room, servers, PC's and the such, but can't find any.

Any ideas or knowledge from anyone concerning the processes and flows of
running an MIS dept.

Basically I was given the job because my bosses think a band-aid needs to be
applied to some problems where there should be a tunicate.

Please feel free to post back in this group or email me at
(e-mail address removed)
Click to expand...
Check out www.techrepublic.com. They have downloadable forms for IT stuff,
etc.
 
Mark said:
Sorry for the inappropriate group posting but didn't know which groups to
post to.

I have just been given the task of taking over my company's entire MIS/IT
department. I'm already pulling my hair out. There are so many problems
that it's not even funny. I would greatly appreciated anyone's advice,
suggestions, and help on the items listed below.


Can anyone provide me with some examples of solid SOP's for an IT dept. or
suggest where I might find some on the web.

Does anyone have copies of helpdesk tickets that they can shoot off to me
I will need to make some for the dept.

I know that I have seen daily, weekly, and monthly check lists for
installed
systems. Basically a check list for tasks that should be done to the
server room, servers, PC's and the such, but can't find any.

Any ideas or knowledge from anyone concerning the processes and flows of
running an MIS dept.

Basically I was given the job because my bosses think a band-aid needs to
be applied to some problems where there should be a tunicate.

Please feel free to post back in this group or email me at
(e-mail address removed)
Click to expand...
You poor bastard. I sympathize with you.
I would start looking for a new job right now ... you'll need it, probably
sooner than you think.
 
Mark Rosenbaum said:
I have just been given the task of taking over my company's entire MIS/IT
department. I'm already pulling my hair out. There are so many problems
that it's not even funny. I would greatly appreciated anyone's advice,
suggestions, and help on the items listed below.
Click to expand...

An excellent starting point: read this book:

The Peter Principle; why things always go wrong" by Dr. Laurence J. Peter
and
Raymond Hull, William Morrow & Company, Inc., New York, 1969, 179 pages

Pemo
 
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