Sheesh...

What an incredibly hectic week it has been!!

I don't think I have ever had such a busy first week back at school like the one I have just had. It's amazing how everything was working fine during the holidays, and on the first day back we lose the network in one part of the school, and the main administration software decided to not work (partly due to an error made by a senior member of staff)

We managed to fix the network on Friday afternoon after discovering that it was down to a faulty fibre transceiver in one of our cabinets. As for the other problem, we have found a solution, but can't do anything until Monday morning.

It never rains but it pours.

On top of that, you will not believe how many new Year 9 students came up to my office telling me that they could not log on! I mean, come on - I created the accounts in the holiday and set all of their passwords to their date of birth. All staff were told this, so is it really that hard for these kids to remember the date that they were born????

Anyway, changing the subject a little, I am pleased to announce that in my attempts in getting Michelle more tech-savvy, I have finally convinced her to start up her own blog. She has started a diet and after having an extremely successful first week (yep, she lost over 8lb in just one week), she wants to write all about it. This is the first time she has ever done anything like this, so if you do go and visit her blog, be easy on her!

You can access her blog by ---CLICKING HERE---

Right, I'm off now to relax on this rather grey Saturday afternoon and listen to some more movie soundtracks - Currently listening to 'Raise The Titanic'. Not a great film, but certainly one of John Barry's best soundtracks in my honest opinion.

T T F N - Ta Ta For Now!

I'm back!

And so it begins...

Today I have returned back to work (and not a moment too soon). Although I have been in the school quite a bit during the school holidays doing some work, I thought that it would be nice to be back and for things to return back to normal again...

...Of course, I was hoping for an uneventful day, but by hometime I was already counting down the days until half-term. First I had to do a short Powerpoint presentation infront of all the staff in the large hall in the morning (I hate speaking infront of people), then we lost the school network in several of the school buildings which caused a minor panic. We've also made some very big changes to the way our school network works, meaning that each member of staffs laptop needed to be re-configured.

But hey.... It's good to be back :)

It's my job... and I love it!

I popped into the school this morning to get a couple of small jobs done before going away this weekend - yes, I know I'm on holiday for 6 weeks, but I love my job so much, I just can't keep away.

While sat at my desk, I thought I'd take some pictures of my office so that I can show you a virtual tour of my work environment (as it looks at this precise moment in time), and to give you an idea of what I have to deal with being a Network Manager in a typical secondary school in the UK!!

Be warned.... it's messy!

1 - UPS x2

2 - Server 1 - Domain Controller / IBM XSeries 235 / Sits under the desk and does nothing! It will shortly be made redundant.

3 - Server 2 - Domain Controller / HP Proliant ML350 / Student and staff user areas / Profiles / Shared areas

4 - Server 3 - HP Proliant ML350 / Backup server / Print Server / Also used to store network programmes. I also use this server when VB programming

5 - Test workstation / Great for Unreal Tournament!

6 - Sound system / Needed to blast out 80's tunes on stressful days

7 - My PDA - used as a wireless testing device, and for playing Tomb Raider on the go!

8 - Pictures of Kieran

9 - My "To Do" tray - as you can see, I've got lots to do!

10 - Backup tapes (Ultrium 1,2 and 4 data tapes)

11 - A Collection of certificates that I've had since working at the school

12 - Some pictures that Kieran did for me to display in my office.

1 - UPS

2 - Server 4 - SIMS Server / HP Proliant ML350 - SIMS is our school administration software, and not some crap game about controlling the lives of little virtual people called Sims!!!!

3 - Server 5 - Administration File Server / Dell PowerEdge 2600 - Shortly will be made redundant.

1. - Server 6 - HP Proliant DL180 Rack Server - New Evesham High School web server (Not yet configured)

2. - Server 7 - HP Proliant DL180 Rack Server - Microsoft Exchange 2007 Server (Not yet configured)

3. - XServe - Mac Server for the new iMac suite in the school.

4. - Big kick-arse cabinet for all of these new servers!

5. - Big kick-arse rack mount UPS for all of these servers!!!

Computers from hell - The dreaded iMacs!!!! Sitting, waiting to be configured and installed in to the new iMac suite

1. - Our main comms cabinet, with fibre optic links to various other cabinets located in the different buildings around the school. This cabinet includes a variety of switches - HP Procurve 5406zl (with gigabit ports), HP Procurve 2650, HP Procurve 1400-24G and a couple of Netgear ProSafe WFS709TP wireless switches that we use to control and manage 35 wireless access points dotted around the school.

2. - All schools located in Evesham and the surrounding villages get their internet access from us - essentially Evesham High School is the central hub for internet access. This cabinet belongs to BT and includes all the fibre links to the other schools.

3. - Server 9 - Dell PowerEdge 840 - This is our proxy server, and gateway to the internet!

Our new state-of-the-art server (actually, an old BBC Master - kept for posperity!!

A collection of some of my certificates, and my infamous "I could rule the world with my Commodore 64" poster

The most important machine in my office - the air-con unit!

Anyone who enters my office is greeted by this poster - and reminded that no matter how bad it is, "Don't Panic"

Rock on Tommy!

Well, the summer holidays have started and I am now off work for 6 weeks. Already after just one day of sitting on my arse I have accomplished something I never thought I'd ever do - It has only taken me 22 years, but I have finally completed the Commodore Plus 4 version of Tom Thumb WITHOUT losing one life!!!! (and without cheating!)

180000, all 26 keys and with 13 lives left is the highest score I have ever had! I missed a few of the treasures so I am sure I could get a slightly higher score, but I'm happy with it! For those who have never played it before, it can be a rather frustrating game and it is very easy to get far in it, only to be killed and to return to a checkpoint much earlier in the game.

For a game that cost a couple of quid back in 1986, I think I got my moneys worth!

All Aboard (Part 4)

Work has resumed on Kierans trainset, and I must say it is beginning to look really good now. Michelle has been a star and has done the papier-mache over the second tunnel/hill and has covered it with grass.

We have also started to add foliage ontop of the hills and around the tunnel portals, and this has really added a touch of realism to the project.

The next job is to lay the road, and to add the pavement and foundations for the individual buildings along what will be the main stree(which have already been built and waiting in storage).

Happy 2nd Birthday C.B.

Can you believe it? Two years (and 195 posts later), Captains Blog has reached its 2nd birthday.

I just wish I had something interesting and funny to post!

Come on life.... throw something exciting my way.

Oh well, only another 3 and a bit weeks to go before the school summer holiday (and 6 lovely weeks off from work!)