Is IT support for companies "essential services"

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Geek
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#2447089 26-Mar-2020 13:17

Critical support services to ensure businesses and workers can continue working from home are considered to be essential. This includes functions such as IT and Payroll

FINALLY.... We get the recognition we deserve!!

ResponseMediaNZ

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Ultimate Geek
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#2447092 26-Mar-2020 13:20

CMTechNZ:

Critical support services to ensure businesses and workers can continue working from home are considered to be essential. This includes functions such as IT and Payroll

FINALLY.... We get the recognition we deserve!!

Yes but please don't use this as a free for all to go and do NON ESSENTIAL WORK - this is still only for ESSENTIAL work

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#2447121 26-Mar-2020 13:29

ResponseMediaNZ:

CMTechNZ:

Critical support services to ensure businesses and workers can continue working from home are considered to be essential. This includes functions such as IT and Payroll

FINALLY.... We get the recognition we deserve!!

Yes but please don't use this as a free for all to go and do NON ESSENTIAL WORK - this is still only for ESSENTIAL work

1000x times this.

We have outlined to our customers what constitutes critical. Almost all of them had already grasped the concept. We have said we won't be in the building with anyone else. They need to unlock the doors then get back in their cars and wait for us to complete, or if for some reason, it will be long, lock us inside and leave. Communication by phone only, then we will return to the car, and they can lock up. Staff are instructed they require written permission from me and only me to leave thier homes to work, and they are to go to site and back to home with no stops unless they are for fuel.

Catastrophic hardware failure will be a big challenge since it seems we can't get parts of service for them unless they are essential.

freitasm

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#2447127 26-Mar-2020 13:36

As above. IT support for ESSENTIAL SERVICES only.

If you are doing some work for a non-essential service you are not going to go out for meetings or to fix someone's server. That's why you work from home.

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CMTechNZ

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Geek
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#2447130 26-Mar-2020 13:38

1000x times this.

We have outlined to our customers what constitutes critical. Almost all of them had already grasped the concept. We have said we won't be in the building with anyone else. They need to unlock the doors then get back in their cars and wait for us to complete, or if for some reason, it will be long, lock us inside and leave. Communication by phone only, then we will return to the car, and they can lock up. Staff are instructed they require written permission from me and only me to leave thier homes to work, and they are to go to site and back to home with no stops unless they are for fuel.

Catastrophic hardware failure will be a big challenge since it seems we can't get parts of service for them unless they are essential.

As most of my customers are non-essential I had put up signs at the entrances to state it anyone has entered the premises to write it on the sheet. As nobody else should be accessing the site it should be only myself if I had to do any critical work. I was anticipating they would allow this as it would cost my customers even more if their staff couldn't work from home due to a failed PSU or something similar.

CMTechNZ

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Geek
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#2447133 26-Mar-2020 13:41

freitasm:

As above. IT support for ESSENTIAL SERVICES only.

If you are doing some work for a non-essential service you are not going to go out for meetings or to fix someone's server. That's why you work from home.

It doesn't specifically state it is only for 'IT support for ESSENTIAL SERVICES only'

https://covid19.govt.nz/government-actions/covid-19-alert-level/essential-businesses/

Critical support services to ensure businesses and workers can continue working from home are considered to be essential. This includes functions such as IT and Payroll

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networkn

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#2447136 26-Mar-2020 13:42

CMTechNZ:

freitasm:

As above. IT support for ESSENTIAL SERVICES only.

If you are doing some work for a non-essential service you are not going to go out for meetings or to fix someone's server. That's why you work from home.

It doesn't specifically state it is only for 'IT support for ESSENTIAL SERVICES only'

https://covid19.govt.nz/government-actions/covid-19-alert-level/essential-businesses/

Critical support services to ensure businesses and workers can continue working from home are considered to be essential. This includes functions such as IT and Payroll

It states it very clearly.

freitasm

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#2447138 26-Mar-2020 13:42

CMTechNZ:

freitasm:

As above. IT support for ESSENTIAL SERVICES only.

If you are doing some work for a non-essential service you are not going to go out for meetings or to fix someone's server. That's why you work from home.

It doesn't specifically state it is only for 'IT support for ESSENTIAL SERVICES only'

https://covid19.govt.nz/government-actions/covid-19-alert-level/essential-businesses/

Critical support services to ensure businesses and workers can continue working from home are considered to be essential. This includes functions such as IT and Payroll

It specifically says it, but do you need more information on how this disease spreads, the risks to human life?

If you do, and still disregard it, then I do have a problem with you raising this kind of question and running an IT business.

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Geek
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#2447149 26-Mar-2020 13:51

From my understanding if in a weeks time there is a power cut and the server on-site doesn't reboot or has some issue. I could go in and reboot it. As I have access to the site and can access everything but the server room door without contact I would be at an extremely low risk. This means 20 remote workers can continue to operate rather than 3 weeks of uncertainty.

I would be putting myself at a much greater risk catching a taxi or going to wait in line outside at the supermarket.

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#2447150 26-Mar-2020 13:52

CMTechNZ:

https://covid19.govt.nz/government-actions/covid-19-alert-level/essential-businesses/

Critical support services to ensure businesses and workers can continue working from home are considered to be essential. This includes functions such as IT and Payroll

If you need clarification contact the appropriate government authority

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

CMTechNZ

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Geek
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#2447159 26-Mar-2020 13:58

If you need clarification contact the appropriate government authority

Yes, I have done that already, along with many others. That is why they have additional decisions and exemptions.

I'm not suggesting rushing out and doing business as usual. These exemptions are only in place for any work to be carried out that is critical and that has to be done on site. Hopefully everything runs fine and there is no need to go on-site.

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nztim

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#2447273 26-Mar-2020 15:35

*DON'T* go out and "fix" someones server if the client is not part of the essential services

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

freitasm

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#2447276 26-Mar-2020 15:37

nztim:

*DON'T* go out and "fix" someones server if the client is not part of the essential services

QFT. You are not paid enough to break the lockdown and expose yourself and your family.

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#2447340 26-Mar-2020 16:44

https://covid19.govt.nz/government-actions/covid-19-alert-level/essential-businesses/

"Critical support services to ensure businesses and workers can continue working from home are considered to be essential. This includes functions such as IT and Payroll"

So if a server/network goes down, we can go onsite .
There will be no one there.
The risk is CONSIDERABLY less than going to the supermarket

There risk IS LESS than going onsite the earlier Mon/tues/wed, because there is no one there .
Hands up who refused onsite work the 2 days before the lockdown . Lets have some sanity please .

People are out riding bikes for pets sake .

What does P*** me off is those who didnt bother to test their remote access & vid conferencing etc untill today . Yes , Im getting those calls .
And those who wait till now to want to fix ongoing issues they were warned about ( had a few of those) .

My remote into work has decided to turn to crap today :-(

edit : I live alone , but I fully understand those who dont want to risk their family's safety .
A personal choice I guess

nztim

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#2447342 26-Mar-2020 16:51

1101:

https://covid19.govt.nz/government-actions/covid-19-alert-level/essential-businesses/

"Critical support services to ensure businesses and workers can continue working from home are considered to be essential. This includes functions such as IT and Payroll"

So if a server/network goes down, we can go onsite .
There will be no one there.
The risk is CONSIDERABLY less than going to the supermarket

There risk IS LESS than going onsite the earlier Mon/tues/wed, because there is no one there .
Hands up who refused onsite work the 2 days before the lockdown . Lets have some sanity please .

People are out riding bikes for pets sake .

What does P*** me off is those who didnt bother to test their remote access & vid conferencing etc untill today . Yes , Im getting those calls .
And those who wait till now to want to fix ongoing issues they were warned about ( had a few of those) .

My remote into work has decided to turn to crap today :-(

edit : I live alone , but I fully understand those who dont want to risk their family's safety .
A personal choice I guess

As @freitasm has said, you are not paid enough to go put yourself at risk, you have to eat for survival you put yourself at risk to get food for survival. Yes that would be less risky going into a server room at a client but that is not the point

FYI I rebooted a not essential clients server and got it back up and running via iLO today - if you put the ways and means in place prior, the need to go onsite reduces

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

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