As many of you know, I recently started a new gig. And so far, i’ve been preforming really well.
Our Vice President has added installation of digital presses to my workload, and I’m quite alright with that (they added a nice incentive for it).
I know the hardware, operation, and workflow of the equipment and industry really well.
One thing through me for a loop. The IT end of the install. I didn’t realize how little I really knew about networks and IT. I struggled terribly with the network terminology and getting the press on the client’s network. I know what an IP address is, and i’ve seen IT folks do their thing during remote connect sessions, but I had no idea what a Gateway was, or a subnet mask, IPv4 or something or other, Pinging devices, or how to generate a static IP.
Don’t judge me too hard (PD, you may judge as hard as you like - there’s something refreshing about it), I know a lot of this is simple, basic computer knowledge.
I’d like to ask what I can do, or if there are resources available that I could use to refine these skillsets.
Or, If any of you beginners in graphics , happen to excel at computers, I’d be happy to tutor graphics and print in return for some IT skills.
Oh I’m not gonna dress you down for that…
I’ve only worked within existing networks and the last one at work, I sorta watched grow from a baby so know my way around a bit on the local portion. It helps that our department runs from it’s own server too. And we’re all hardwired. No wi-fi for machinery for security reasons.
The backend stuff is now run by our network security company so I have to get them in to set up a static IP and get all the pathways open. Not gonna mess with security protocols. It isn’t an embarrassing thing not to want to be familiar with that part. Printers have on board mini-computers and can be vulnerable to attack, especially if it is wireless. Last thing you want to do is open a port to the outside world, even if by mistake.
If the company where you are installing has security IT in place, interface with them. If they don’t, highly suggest it to them and maybe have a good referral in your back pocket.
They aren’t nearly as active as they once were. But, the folks there know everything. If you have a really complicated question they can help. If you have a not so complicated question I might be able to help
You’re a designer, not an IT person. All the stuff you are talking about it IT talk. My suggestion is to reach out to a friend who is in IT and have them talk you through it. It may require some sort of friendly bribing, but I think that is OK.
A new hire installing print equipment should get full training at the expense of their employer. Is there any reason why this isn’t happening? I wouldn’t be embarrassed about not knowing something that is specific to an employer’s equipment.
I think it’s great that you are using initiative and trying to learn on your own but why was there no hand over? Is this a brand new position? Did they use a contractor previously?
I sympathise with the OP - we moved premises 2 years ago and re-establishing our small network (2 digital presses, 2 macs, 3 PCs, a PC print server and a NAS drive) was an absolute nightmare. We still haven’t got it all working properly.
With regard to IT skills, some years ago I worked briefly at a multinational and was given a new PC and desktop printer for office work. I was not allowed to even plug it in until the IT department had been down to ‘train’ me. They footled about for ages and eventually I had to show them how to connect the printer to the PC. We all learned something that day.
Where I work, a vendor would never be allowed to install the equipment or have anything to do with the network. The place is locked down so tight with security rules and protocols that it’s sometimes difficult to get things done.
All our computers are encrypted and will only work with certain ethernet ports specifically paired to them (no wifi is allowed). Even peripherals of various sorts must be approved by the IT security people before we can connect them to our computers. A new printer needing an IP address needs to also be approved, configured and granted very specific permissions on the network. Just logging in to do our daily work requires VPN access where passwords need to be at least 12 characters long and contain no words — just random alphanumeric characters and symbols that we’re forced to change every month.
I could go on, but it gets more and more ridiculous all the time. Then again, we do have sensitive data stored in-house, like financial records, proprietary technology, credit card information and that sort of thing.
