Server environment and how to choose

We are recently trying to upgrade our production server. We were not sure whether to go with Linux or Windows. I spent quite lots of time configuring Linux server, that includes configuring Samba, VNCserver etc... At last when it came to choose to finalize the one, its really a challenging decision. In my experience, I have never come across any kind of linux related work. All my work purely on windows environment and after working for around couple of months in Linux, I think I like Linux very much. We had two server, brand new server, once is installed with Linux and other is installed with Windows. The processors in both the servers are defective(http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?locale=en_US&objectID=c01955503) but however Windows was running all successfully without showing any sign of error at the beginning but Linux was continuously automatically restarting itself in every hour or so. I just enabled kdump in linux and after restart, the kdump was exactly showing the problem that a processor is defective. So I am in favor of linux, the reason is its freeware and at the same time I also do some work on java with linux at my home. We really had lots of issues with Windows in the past, sometimes out of memeory , some issues that definitely come up with Windows. Whereas some of team member, they generally go by convenience of use and they think how best we can use the system without using the brain. In fact there are some instances people really force the management to take a decision in their favor whenever they think that they are in a critical position in the project and whatever they will ask, the management will agree on their demands. Whereas I generally prefer how best the tools could be used in long run that can enhance the expectation of customers. Many times I am quite proactive on this but this time I thought to leave the matter with the team, team means couple of peoples those always look out for easiest way to accomplish the task. Anyway, out of all elaboration and argument for linux, its finally decided to go with Windows. Though I am not that much worried about the decision, but at the same time I am bit concerned that though people always look for the best whereas our team in the other way around. If team is happy then I am also happy and I am not different from team. I am sure with windows as the production server, some issues would definitely come in the coming days. So all the best to your selection...

Again Team spirit is a matter of fact

Some other day, I was asked why are you so bothered about others, you do your work and let others do their work and if somebody is not doing their work or dilly dallying their work then why are your bothered. I simply realized the three monkey principle i.e. dont see bad, dont listen bad nor say bad. We are in a industry where the overall goal of a company is achieved by combining individual's achievements. Its we to define how you want to proceed in this age. If you feel you are entitled to do your work only then maybe this is not right industry for you. Hence you cannt see any bad in this industry and rather you have to make sure that the overall goal of the team is achieved.

And we started looking for a resource for my project. Basically our requirement was not to get a rocket scientist rather to get a good developer with basic knowledge in java/j2ee and computer technology. The resumes I got for screening are really awesome, I remember I got four resume and all of them have more than 7 yrs of exp. I really felt lucky that we are going to get a java Gurus and I was feeling lucky for that. Our codebase was really in a bad shape. Generally it should be , because within last two years, three developers (hmmm, I think more than three have already put their hand in the code) have worked on the same code base. Anyway, my intention is not to highlight anything wrong, rather I just wanted to pen my experience , I mean how it impacts in case you got a bad resource for your team and management is too much flexible of handling any issue. This reminds me one news where one space craft crashed because of mistake by a worker while designing harness. Good that I am not into rocket science and rather I am just maintaining a web application, that to a simple web application with no credit card transaction. So I got ready to interview all candidates and select one with good exposure to IT environment. As usual with my interview style, I just prepared with basic questions to be asked. Also bit nervous because they are all 7+ yrs of exp holders. So I just prepared myself in previous day of interview.

As usual, we got our first candidate for interview and he is a good guy and dressed quite well. I really appreciate his business etiquette. He gave his introduction and it was really impressible thought a bit of communication gap. But who cares, we dont need a marketing manager or sales head , but we need a technologist. SO it is fine even he know basic English as long as he can communicate by mail or verbally. Then it is my turn to ask some technical questions. I found that he is good a common questions, but when it comes to some micro level question like "what is singleton class", then he fails poorly. That is fine, I thought maybe he has forgotten but is it really forgettable? Then I asked some more question....and slowly slowly I realized that this guy does not know basic of java programming and only remembered how to answer common questions. Then I started taking interview for other three candidates. To my utter surprise, non of them are up to the mark which can impress an interviewer. Candidates are not expected to answer all questions but as an interviewer, we should be satisfied. But there is no point to get satisfied by the answers given by these four candidates.
Anyway as our requirements were quite urgent so instead of interviewing more candidates, my manager decided to choose one out of these four. Though I was not agreed to non of them, but I have no other way to choose one. Because this one at least answered most of the common questions. I thought, maybe this guy is good at programming. So we recruited one and I am quite not satisfied but at least, was happy because we can expedite the work.

.....Now comes real fun when the guy joined in our team and started development. And I really rather we really had a tough time managing the application as well as code base. The new developer does not have good programming knowledge. It was really a tough time, when we have database connection issue, memory issue.

I will again add some more into it... till then please put your valuable comments, in case you also faced with same situation especially when recruiting in USA.

Innovate

Not sure whether I know whats the exact meaning of Innovate and this is used a primary objective in IT industry. Everywhere you go and find the objective or principle of IT industry, I am sure you will find the term innovate as of the keyword. Anyway, the wiki says "The term innovation means a new way of doing something. It may refer to incremental, radical, and revolutionary changes in thinking, products, processes, or organizations. A distinction is typically made between invention, an idea made manifest, and innovation, ideas applied successfully." Hence this states the way you achieve things or do your work by thinking out of the box and finding the principles and strategies to help you and your company to achieve the goal. It is one of the main driving force for each individual to reach the destiny and if you are a team leader then your guidance of innovation would provide a helping hand to your team member to grow further. Even also you are a individual team player, I mean if you are independent contributor then your importance in the company is more to shape the future leader. Be in keeping team spirit, be in adhering to team environment, its you to help others to grow and achieve individuals goal. If you are thinking , being a individual contributor, you are responsible to yourself, then you are simply doing hand to mouth and the broader aspect of company's principle of innovation is not achieved. Then its you to decide whether be part of innovative of industry or be in a hand-to-mouth industry. Hence goal is to grow and let others grow. Yes, you can find peoples simply delaying their work and taking the whole flexibility of your company in nuts then its you to ensure that the whole environment provided by your company is kept intact without being polluted by so called ineptness of your co-worker and here the term innovation comes into play. That means how to achieve your goal by strategically applying the principles of the company's overall principles.



GROW and let Others GROW, be your motto.....