Trouble at the 9th layer.

[Dan Ritter]

On Sun, Nov 29, 2009 at 12:01:41AM -0500, Rich Braun wrote:
> Dan Ritter <dsr-mzpnVDyJpH4k7aNtvndDlA at public.gmane.org> suggested this warning about dev root:
> >   Attempting to violate this policy once will result in a
> >   warning. A second attempt will probably be considered grounds
> >   for termination of employment.
> >
> >   If you think you need expanded privileges on any machine,
> >   please contact the sysadmin staff ...
> 
> Heh.  I am the guy in charge of the dev servers where I work.  If I sent that
> out, the devs would instantaneously go over my head and I'd get a CTO or VP
> directive that so-and-so gets root, period, on all dev boxes (and I've even
> gotten that directive for two of the devs on all /production/ boxes).

Then you aren't senior_manager. Senior Manager can send that
letter and have it take force. Your boss might be Senior
Manager.

Your options include:

- Finding Senior Manager and convincing her that she needs to
  set this policy

- Convincing a majority of the devs (or the senior devs) that
  they will have fewer embarassing incidents if there is a wall
  between development and operations. If you've got a highly
  automated deployment procedure, this gets easier. 

- Becoming Senior Manager (no advice there, I'm afraid, unless
  your company has promotion by combat)

- Letting things corrode and fixing the mistakes. This can lead
  to a long though unfulfilling career

- Leaving for a saner company

> I try to bend over backwards and give the devs what they need--quickly--but
> this is a battle I have not figure out how to win, at least in a small company
> (IT organization of about 25-30 with 6 to 10 developers).
> 
> But maybe it's a battle I should try again soon because most of the long-time
> hires have disappeared--a lot of this office politics depends on longevity,
> and now only one of the developers has been there longer than me.

I wish you luck.
 
> ISO 7-layer model: 8th layer = finance, 9th layer = politics.

Religion is in there, too. 

-dsr-

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