Stress & Confusion

Things at work are getting hectic. Too much going on all at once. Everything is a priority, of course. Except that one project has become the priority of the priorities. Supposedly, it’s work comes first whether or not other things need to get done before it does.

Part of the problem is we have a number of immeninent projects that all have the same resources and not enough time to do it all.

I am the integration lead on the SCM3.5 Upgrade project; however, before that happens (scheduled for April 29th at 1am), we absolutely have to upgrade the interface engine again to eWebIt 4.0 SP1 and SIM 2.0. We had originally planned on doing that as a two phase process. We borrowed a server from another project and did a clean install of eWebIt 4.0 SP1 and SIM 2.0. We swapped out the production server with the borrowed server two Fridays ago.

It was nasty.

Despite testing of the SIM 2.0 translators, they didn’t work correctly in the production environment. There is something wrong with the server and we can’t figure out if our eWebIt 4.0 SP1 is the problem or if it’s the server.

We were supposed to do Phase II the following Friday at 1am, but due to all the problems with the initial swap, there was no time for anyone to wipe the old server and do a clean install and the vendor told us we should just upgrade it anyway. So, it was postponed to this coming Friday.

However, GE didn’t bother to start work on it until this past Monday and ran into all sorts of problems. None of us have been able to start our work on the original production server because we are waiting on him to finish the upgrade/install.

So, it’s been postponed another week…making it only a week from the SCM3.5 upgrade. Dangerously endangering that date.

On top of that, there’s AMPFM. This is the project that MJ has meltdowns over and it got reassigned to all of us.

They were supposed to begin “functional” testing next week and we were told there was no moving the date. Howerever, none of the integration team thinks it’s ready. In fact, even I have found issues with my assigned area that are dependent on the vendor fixing them. What I can’t understand is that the applications having the most trouble interfacing are all owned by the same vendor and are advertised as being integrated. Yeah. Right.

Anyway, as the date approaches we are finding more and more stuff that just doesn’t work and more and more stuff that needs to be changed and whenever we change stuff, we then have to retest.

And I’m feeling a little panicky because I promised my part would be ready for the “functional” test but that was before the changes and the discoveries.

As of last week, the integration team was suggesting that starting “functional” testing next Tuesday would be a bad idea as it probably will not be a true “functional” test.

Yesterday, the web access for the application went out of service with no ETA as to when it will be running again. Not to mention, I’ve been in an email war with the sys admin over a ton of things, including how I can possibly test if I don’t have access to do so.

As of this afternoon, the “functional” test has been moved to April 25th.

Now, those of you keeping track will note that this is now 3 days after the eWebIt 4.0 SP1 & SIM 2.0 upgrade and 5 days prior to the SCM 3.5 Upgrade. It’s important to note that the resources expected to help with the AMPFM testing are the same ones responsible for the SCM3.5 Upgrade.

Oh, and AMPFM? Going “live” on November 1rst, whether we are ready or not.

And I feel like I’m running the wrong direction on one of those People Movers in the airports while banging my forehead repeatedly against a brick wall.

###In other news, my new boss has announced that he can no longer manage the Database & Integration Group and do the rest of his job. He is going to higher a manager just for us. The good news is that he’s not just sticking us under one of the questionable managers — some of the team would up and quit, I think.While I look at this with some feeling of deja vu, I do see his point. With all the Drama Queens and Divas in this group (me included), he needs someone to cater to us, to make us their priority, to hold our hands and babysit us.

I just don’t like the unknown of who this might be and what his/her personality might be. My experience with managers of such type has not been good. I like my current boss. I like working for him. He doesn’t micromanage and I’m afraid we will get a micromanager.

###Peter started emailing talking about writing stuff. I’m not sure what to think and general chit chat. I like talking to him, but I do have to wonder why the sudden interest in my life after silence so long.The present I sent Meg for her birthday should have arrived but, of course, no thank you note or call, despite the fact that I hand made it, cut myself on the glass, and put some thought into what I thought she would like. I know I need to let go. I’m working on it.

###PW’s computer apparently caught fire. I suspect El’s boyfriend as he was the only one in the room when it happened, but PW thinks it was something spontaneous. ###My friend TT was told he’s being laid off just as he moved into a more expensive apartment. He is now debating getting loans/scholarships and going back to school. Good for him. ###On the plus side, I think the Prosac may be helping. Either that or the arrival of Spring.Oh, and it snowed yesterday.

tags: work, discombobulated

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