Re: Maintenance Window(s) Procedures

[Cal Frye <cjf () CALFRYE COM>]

Buz Dale wrote:
> We typically consider it maintenance if we make changes that could
> inadvertently impact any service we consider "production." Those are
> things like distance learning, network connectivity, payroll, etc.

[chuckle]  Around here, if it's on my network and not in the test lab,
it's "production."  But I know what you /really/ mean.

Antivirus updates, and yes, "minor" firewall rule adds/changes, are done
without much fanfare. Experience suggests for our systems the risk is
slight, although I know what I'm inviting by saying that out loud ;-)

Those things we suspect might involve momentary outages or mild "Oops
moments" we announce ad hoc, something like a "We will be updating our
installation of Foofly from v. 1.3 to 1.5 this Thursday morning at
7:30am. We anticipate Foofly will be available again at 8:00."

Those more major items, or involving more systems (updating the firmware
on the core router, for example), will be arranged farther in advance.

Most interesing was when our Facilities folks announced they would shut
down power to several buildings, including our data center, for 12 hours
last fall. They gave us less than two weeks notice. Once the dust
cleared, that little project is formally scheduled for a time this
summer, and we've piggybacked several other unrelated maintenance
activities with major disruptive potential for the time following the
restoration of power, turning the maintenance window into a "maintenance
weekend." When life sends you lemons...

--
Regards,
-- Cal Frye, Network Administrator, Oberlin College

   www.calfrye.com,  www.pitalabs.com


"All serious daring starts from within. --Eudora Welty.