What's your Team

grantis · 06-19-2009, 07:24 AM

Hi all
I've created this post to find out what's out there in terms of your Team, Number of machines in environment
and your responsibilities. I'm feeling like I'm taking on too much work and wanted to find out industry numbers
or a rough guide to that on what is out there to support various environments ie: number of administrators\packagers etc.
My Current role involves the following
All software packaging.
All altiris administration.
Maintenace of build and new buld images\Build updates.
We have 3800 users across 55 sites (55 package servers\deployment servers, One NS Server).
Implementation of new technologies like Altiris version upgrades\Office 2007\Windows 7.
3rd line desktop support.
We follow ITIL so Change control\Change agreement meeting etc.
Of course we have a sufficient helpdesk and support from project managers where necessary.
Many Thanks

goinssf · 06-20-2009, 07:32 PM

We are both rowing the same boat, I am responsible for
All software packaging.
All altiris administration.
Patch Management across the enterprise.
Maintenace of build and new buld images\Build updates. (Govt so it's a STIG'd environment)
I have a web type system to work with that serves all govt agencies. (that's why I am being vague)
Implementation of new technologies
Tier 3 support.
We also follow ITIL and have got really into the CMDB part of Altiris.

I'm the only one that's been even remotley trained on Altiris so I have to be all things to all folks. After seeing this post I am relieved to see someone else doing pretty much everything, and I have a sneaking suspicion that we are not alone.

Cheers

jessek · 06-21-2009, 10:28 PM

You're certainly not alone. My situation is the same as yours. We've got 5000 managed endpoints (desktops and servers) over 5000 users, and about 50 sites to manage. In addition to all of the Altiris administration and software packaging I'm a member of our server team administering 400 servers. That includes being the primary go-to guy for our VMware Virtual Infrastucture, and we're doing a whole lot of virtualization and consolidation. I also get the lion's share of the web and DBA work, as we do not have formal positions for either of those.

It certainly does get frustrating. While we paid for some Altiris training at the start, the vast majority of what I know is from hands-on experience and a whole lot of reading. When I passed my ACE exams that was due primarily to my diving into NS and DS as much as time permitted. I've been asked numerous times to cross-train certain invidual in my department, but I really don't even know where to start. When I get a request like this it's usually to "teach me Altiris", but as anyone on this forum will know, that covers so many different things. And some things, like application packaging and unintended installations, have little to nothing to do with Altiris.

Oh, this is a topic I could go on about for quite some time, so I'm just going to cut it short here.

grantis · 06-22-2009, 04:47 AM

Thanks for taking the time to post. It's good to know there are similar situations out there. Seems organisations are happy to have all their eggs in one basket.

I agree on the training others thing......

Where to start??

It's definitely not a short term thing as in

"show me how this technology works quick"
or
"can you show me packaging?"

We know we'll be dealing with endless questions that will further strain our already full work load. I've a lot of guys from helpdesk asking me to show them packaging or altiris however when I hand them the manual to read and tell them to get back to me when they have, it's game over. Unfortunately they don't see the opportunity that lies in front of them. ie:

I dont think it's difficult to get stuck into an opportunity for a few years and DOUBLE salary.

If I take on an apprentice he's got to have genuine interest in learning and a passion for the work, tough to gauge from the outset.

That said wouldn't it be helpfull if there was a website for newbies. most of the altiris and packaging websites are way over the head of most new starters, tell a newbie to go to appdeploy and he may well be scared off my the techie jargon on creating custom actions or ice errors before he's even off the starting block.

If you know of any that I can point my guys to please let me know,

There must be a way to leverage our work so that we're working smarter not harder.

jessek · 06-22-2009, 08:27 AM

Quote:

If I take on an apprentice he's got to have genuine interest in learning and a passion for the work, tough to gauge from the outset.

I couldn't agree with this statement more. I've had some people complain about the lack of training, and formal training costs more than many companies are willing to pay right now. I would not even want to spend that money, however, if I thought the person would not apply what they've learned. I once printed off the manual for PC Transplant and gave it to one of the people asking for training on that specific product. This documentation would have answered all of his questions but it sat on this desk and, as far as I know, he never read any of it. In fact, I've heard through the grapevine that some people have complained about my wanting them to read documentation.

Another situation involved the Altiris online training library, to which I once had a one year subscription. We had a certain tech that complained a lot about a lack of training, so I gave him my logon credentials to that library (I know, I know. It's meant for one person only). I watched the status of the training modules and never saw any of them completed. When I asked about this many months later he said that he didn't like the training; that it started at a high level and then dug down in to the details. That's exactly how technology training works, so I never understood his complaint.

Most of these people do stop complaining after a while and then just let me manage the technology, which I am fine with. And we do have a couple of people that have shown the willingness to read, and try, and learn. Not all people are like that.

As far as coming up with a better way to handle this, I'm wondering if we could somehow leverage the Altiris user groups for that. I've led many classroom training sessions, as I'm sure many of you have. I'm sure that some people in the user groups would enjoy training others in certains areas of their expertise. I may be entirely speaking out of turn, however, as I've never attended one the user group meetings for my area. That's something that I've really been meaning to do.

Nick · 06-22-2009, 10:21 AM

This is a good thread and have been watching it with plenty of interest.

My experience has typically been that companies don't look at Altiris as a product that needs a dedicated resource (I don't agree with this) like AD, etc. Instead they tend to view it as a tool to be used by an existing role. I truly believe this view comes from a lack of truly understanding what the product does by the management as well as the increased pressure on the same management to reduce the departments bottom line.

On the issue of training. I couldn't agree with you more. It has always been something that I felt could be done MUCH MUCH better. To that end I have started the video section of the site. There is not very many videos (about 15 now) but it is growing slowly. I have also started to put them up on Youtube as well. The feedback from people has been that they like it (so far). I also agree with not wanting to train someone on the product that isn't going to take it seriously. We all have a limited amount of time and there is no need to spend that time unwisely to teach someone a skill they won't use.

Brandon · 06-22-2009, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grantis

tell a newbie to go to appdeploy and he may well be scared off my the techie jargon on creating custom actions or ice errors before he's even off the starting block.

If you know of any that I can point my guys to please let me know

I have never been to a single Altiris or Wise training (my post count wouldn't indicate that right?). I have had the opportunity to work with a consultant once or twice, but needless to say I've heard the term "OJT" a couple times over the years

For Altiris the best spot is obviously here

For packaging this was the best link when I started: Wise Package Studio for Newbies

If someone doesn't start asking questions or showing iniative after reading that site, then odds are further training is a waste of time. You have to want, and be able to immerse yourself in the product. Scratching the surface is useless.

goinssf · 06-22-2009, 08:06 PM

Wow Nick I don't think you could have hit the manager, uh nail, on the head any better. I could not agree more that with the Altiris tools being so broad and diverse in scope and practice that there needs to be dedicated personel attached to any full scale deployment. In my situation I did take the foundation class but that was a year and a half after using NS, and although it did provide me with information to do my job better with regard to the NS, it did not make me a CMDB expert, nor Patch or Deployment or Reports or any of the other many pieces that Altiris provides. I have learned 90% of what I know by rolling up my sleeves and just doing it (and posting here where I always get good advice) I guess thru all of htis what I wish managers would learn is that just saying "make Altiris work" does not cut it, and that stems from a lack of knowledge on their part. I'm just a Lab Manager/ SA that was asked to take over empty space on production to administer ISA, AD, SiteScope, MOSS and Altiris. (whew now I can take a breath) rant off.

Steve

JeffreyJRiggs · 06-24-2009, 02:30 PM

well I am with a new company...
they liked me and hired me on..

we have approximately
105 branches with 1-2 servers at each site
2500+ users
2200 notes
350 servers

I am responsible of
All Packaging (wise packe studio 7)
All DS
**HII imaging desktops
**working on deployment solution for dell servers and app installs
All NS
**Inventory
**Reports
**Dell client manager
**Patch Management
**Software Delivery
**Local Security Solution
**Task server
**Endpoint security
**Monitor solution
and the list keeps on going..

I was told 70% Altiris and 30% other...

but I am soooo busy at times that it is 110% Altiris.....

however it is extremely busy and this is the environment I like.... really fast paced and cool to work at..... im diggin my new company... although if my train derailed into the schukill river.... no one would know what is where or how to do any of it.....

but yeah from searching the web.... i got all my assistance from a friend and also

rdvanorman · 06-29-2009, 12:24 PM

Same here..

Lone Altiris Admin - Trained on Altiris CMS in 2003.
Responsilbe for everything Altiris, patchmanagement, helpdesk, Workflow Solution, DS,....
Client installation packages.
SAN Maintenance
WAN Maintenance
Firewalls
Web Applicances
Various specialized applications
Wireless Administration
AntiVirus Administration
etc...

2000 Client machines
100 servers
20 locations

drinking12many · 06-29-2009, 04:57 PM

We have about 45 altiris DS and Package servers at 40 or so sites.

Several additional dept and test servers we manage. An ASP server, documentum type server, VM servers for testing and DB servers.

About 10,000 nodes in about 16 languages. We also do all the hardware recommendations and contract quotes globally.

All the image creation, packaging, NS policies, global policies for client workstations, working between the apps and server side to coordinate software rollouts, patching, reports, hardware replacement lifecycles, tier 3 support, etc

We have 4 people the last 2 only hired this year. We often have to travel to sites due to some acquisitions to help migrate them to our domain. Thank god we finally got the last 2 people though as typical training always takes some time so its still primarily the first two of us though one of our hires was a former intern whose starting to be a big help.

It took us alot of fighting and arguing about why we needed help but it became much easier when we started getting questions bout moving to vista, migrating a site to our domain on location and telling them we couldnt support it because then we only had one person left to support the other 39 sites, someone being out sick while the other is in a foreign country. After hearing that enough it finally got through to them it only took 2 years