RedAsh's Blog

Today is the last day, yesterday I was informed that I am to report back to SCS HQ on Monday by Jasbeer. My clearance is done and I will be resuming my official post and duties...

Looks like honeymoon is over... arhhh... I will miss those days of free time in years to come...

There has been a peaceful working environment; at least peaceful for me as I am mostly in the cyberroom studying, researching and surfing.

I have place my auditing skills to use. I also learnt about the structure and organisation of a SCS support team. It is divided into 2 teams, a hardware side known as "Infrastructure" and a software side known as "Application".

Infrastructure takes care of desktop and networking problems and software installation issues. I was assigned to this team, involving in mostly labouring work. I also learnt that when a new batch of PC is bought, 1 PC will be first purchased and properly configured to be cloned. The image will then be reflected onto subsequent PC sets. A pretty good idea.

I was under 2 desktop engineers, Rafik and Collin. I learnt about cloning. Thanks to Rafik. I was introduced to PSB at Science Park. It is a facility where all experiments for quality took place for all imports and exports; where Condom is tested for "safety". There is this one room that made me sick, due to the neighbouring lab constantly conducting test that induces STRONG vibration that affects my brain - making wanna puke and giving me headaches and lost of balence.

I also learnt that there are many "Doctors" there. I happen to meet one and got the honour to get acquinted with him. He is from China. And he gave me a graph on human health represented by 5 elements; he appeared like a construction worker, till Rafik called him "Dr. Lee"... He is a Very humble guy that I liked him immediately.

In this duration, I also learnt alot on the changing IT environment and the true life stories of 3 IT veterans...

First is Rafik. He has a rich 15 years experience in Spring Singapore, proficient in desktop, novell networking, application support. Due to an unfortunate merger and outsourcing plan, he was retrenched and is now a contract staff, on a 1-year term. He is 39 and has a 2 year old daughter...

Another was Kenny. He is the vendor engaged by SCS to execute the RAM upgrade project I was involved in; I was suppose to oversee the process. He is in his 50s and he used to be in this line as well. He now runs his own SME business in hardware support, doing reselling sales - I wonder, he sells for HP items but HP also sells their own stuff - competition?. His company is a subsidary of many major firms, like HP, Dell, Compaq etc and provide on-site services to their customers (users of their machines). Kenny revealed to me he quoted $1++ for each RAM installed, and he underestimated the schedule and made a lost...

Finally was Collin. He is a pleasant guy. He has just reached 40. He told me he used to be a COBOL programmer, but switch to desktop after being overstressed. He had touched dumb terminal (where mouse has yet to be invented) and live in 386, 486 era... For some reasons, I reveal alot of myself to him... he assured me to take things openly... NOT lightly... I took the initiative to have his handphone, so that I may have the chance to invite him to my wedding bouquet... IF I am lucky enough... (Oh Wendy, do you still remember me?)

The other team is focusing on Applications that deals with software and security issues, their head is Suat Lee. I was assigned to assit this team in the beginning of this week (my last week).

I was to arranged, checked for files known as "Service Request Form", and "Migration Form". The former is to ensure that the user request has been throughly tried and the user is to accept the result of the effort by means of signing off (i.e. to cover their "Ca Chi-ing") Indeed, there are many signing required for a single form.

Starting from request => request approval => Evaluated by => Supported by => Reviewed by
=> User Sign off => UAT Sign off => Completion Sign off

There are also Migration Form needed for "Application" requests... (Infrastructure not needed as Migration Form is to documented the transistion from a phrase to another) There are 3 phrases in Migration Form (DEV, UAT, PROD) They goes forth and back but the normal flow is from DEV to UAT to PROD. The form also records the servers and database involved etc; I also learnt that "Data Fix" is consider to be in PROD to PROD phrase only...

I am supposed to check for errors, and point them out since there are LOTS of blanks (human error). I am also to do data entry for the forms then file them. ALL these is meant for auditing.

Oh well, after a long day, there is still a night class for my CIS 326 on Computer Security. Its an interesting class. The lecturer is awesome.

Better sleep early tonight, tomorrow going to Yolk Hotel for a FULL-Day T3B classes... Stock Market, SGX here comes Koh Huang HONG HUI!


Mum bless me. =D