WAR STORIES!

[javentre]

Years ago, I was working for a managed security provider.  It was probably my 2nd week on the job.  Mid-shift, the internet connection became unusable.

It turns out that the circuit was pegged and it was a bunch of SMTP traffic clogging up the link.  We didn't host any SMTP servers....

After tracing some cables, a server was discovered, in the ceiling!!  It was placed there by a previous admin.

[deanwebb]

I love switches and stuff in the ceiling.

[hizzo3]

Oh this is too funny... Then again working in a small company that grew fast I can see how some of this happens.
Not network related, but I used to have a server at my desk (hidden/locked in my overhead, stayed cool)... It was cheaper to req a new desktop and I reconfigure it than to get a real rack unit up. I just recently had desktop pick it up. Our IT hated me developing all kinda of apps and reports. When they complained I offered to let them  to take charge, then they would leave me alone. Lol

[that1guy15]

I love switches and stuff in the ceiling.

We name our closets by floor than assign letters such as 1A or 3D. One of my larger remote sites has a 3.5E closet and when you find the 3E closet you look up and there is a drop down ceiling tile in the hallway with a switch and patch mounted. Looks just like every other tile and you would never know it was there.

[LynK]

Worked in a hospital. One of the branch offices kept loosing network connectivity randomly, and for a minute at a time. The router and switch would constantly reboot. Replaced both devices, and then found out that on the other side of the wall was an X-ray machine. The walls did not have proper lining.

[Nerm]

I used to have a picture around here somewhere that was of a couple servers in a closet sitting on the floor next to the router and switch. Next to the devices was a water heater with the drain plug pointed directly at them.

[ChestHair]

This is my new favorite thread.[emoji1]

[hizzo3]

I used to have a picture around here somewhere that was of a couple servers in a closet sitting on the floor next to the router and switch. Next to the devices was a water heater with the drain plug pointed directly at them.

They didn't call that the fire suppression system?

[config t]

Damn! Ive never walked up on a network with STP disabled...

My current network has about 3-4 major design issues that I am reverse-engineering and correcting. Each with their own level of head-desk moments. Its landmine after landmine on this guy. I will say though its not the biggest and most glamorous network but the experience gained and learning is off the charts. I will wear the scars of this network proudly for a long time!!

This made me feel like a feral warrior, wearing a necklace made of teeth from networks that I have battled and conquered.

[deanwebb]

Active Directory.

If I knew what the problem with it was, I wouldn't be posting about it here... Working with AD issues in a large enterprise is like dealing with guerrilla warfare. Never know when, where, or how the enemy strikes next.

[dlots]

Our network when i took over had 5 different EIGRP ASs redistributed into one another (for no real reason), duplicate subnets in use, and no documentation at all.

[deanwebb]

6 months, I've been working to get this solution put into place. As of the last meeting, I now go exactly back to where I started and start over again. Not only that, but I will now have meetings with the same people I met with, in the order that I first met with them.

The difference this time is that I've now gotten all of their collective *approvals* to have this next cycle of meetings.

"The bureaucracy will expand to fill the needs of the bureaucracy." - anonymous

[Nerm]

School system with about 600 users and yes that is an RV042 running the ship. Sad part is under the shelf that the RV042 is sitting on you will find a 2801 (not visible in this pic) terminating the ISP circuit and then feeding the RV042. Saddest part is the reason they were using the RV042 is because their previous IT guy couldn't get to the "web gui" of the 2801.

[awilderbeast]

Seems like spanning tree everywhere!

Similar issue, access switch in a factory as root, around 300 users, vlan 1 is the only vlan with 10 secondary IPs on it /23 on every IP. needless to say we had a lot of broadcast traffic! also all HP switches were EOL/EOS about 5 years ago. Had 3 fail in 1 afternoon (luckily for the business a Sunday, unlucky for me! ). No documentation, if a nother switch was needed was just plugged into the closest switch to it. daisy chains everywhere. had no idea what was connected to what or where, needless to say had issues everyday until i gradually started wining the battle. The war is not over yet though!

Also if anyone is interested, i have a pretty long DDoS story, (we are an ecommerce retalier, who were DDoS for 1 Bitcoin ransom everyweek!) i could tell you what we did, what the attacker did and what weve done since, its a long story though...

Ta

[deanwebb]

Please do share the story, good sir. That is what this thread is for.