6/1     Some idiot where I work brought in a netgear router and plugged it in
        and broke DHCP for a whole bunch of buildings. Is there a way to
        prevent idiots from breaking DHCP? I know that win2k has some domain
        authentication BS, but not all our hosts are running win2k.
        \_ fire the idiot.  most problems are much more easily fixed with
           social engineering than some halfassed 'technical solution'.
           \_ The idiot is the Dean of Students. I work at a high school.
              If we had all managed switches, I could have found him easily,
              but we have a lot of old infrastructure, so I could only nail
              it down to the bulding.
           \_ Let me also add that this idiot also starts blaming others,
              saying that he had that router for over a year and that we must
              have changed our configs or something... so if anyone were to
              get fired, it would probably be me before him... so social
              techniques don't really work here. What I'd really like is for
              there to be a memo saying that you *can* get suspended/fired for
              \_ If the people in charge lie and do stupid things, there's
                 little you can do.  Leave at the first opportunity.
                 \_ I really enjoy my job. I just try and ignore stupid lying
                    and politics (that's hard to do).
                    \_ You're going to get canned eventually as the fall guy.
                       \_ Indeed.  And surely this may cut into the enjoyment
                          of your job a bit, no?
        \_ tech. suppot at my old job used to do stuff like this all the time.
           even worse they SPECIFICALLY AND WITH INTENT, SET UP A DHCP server
           The help-desk people would get all bent out of shape, like those
           above, but, come-on, you can't fire a person every time they do
           something stupid, else you would have to fire damn near everyone.
           (The same help-desk people were constantly bringing the network to
            a crawl by Ghosting images over it, even though the computers they
            were ghosting to were in the same room as the ghost server).
           \_ Sure you can.  Let's start with rule #1: do not plug any
              device into the network.  or you're fired.  simple, see?
              Rule #2: always ghost over a private network or use a
              cross over cable between the two hosts.  or you're fired.  works
              like a charm.  it's simple, elegant, even a moron could follow
              the rule.  or get fired.
                \_ Rule #3, IT people are a lot less important than they
                   think they are, now shut up and get back to work and
                   drinking diet coke you fatass.
                   \_ sadly, agree.  Tech people's social status is about
                      the same as plumber.
                      \_ Highly subjective.  What size company?  What type
                         company?  Product-based?  Service-based?  At my
                         company, tech is rightly seen as the engine, and
                         techies are treated very well.
                         \_ what is the name of your company again??
                   \_ everyone is less important than they think they are.  IT
                      people aren't special in this regard.  was there some
                      sort of point you were trying to make or were you just
                      trying to look tough to yermom on the motd?