What it is I do for a living

I've had a few people ask me over the last couple of weeks what it is, exactly, that I do.

Currently, I am a DVT Engineer for a company that manufactures storage area network (SAN) hardware in the form of chips, host bus adapters, switches, storage services platforms and routers for iSCSI and fibre channel.

What this means is...

After development thinks they have a viable product, we get prototypes sent to us for testing. We make sure it:

a) works
b) performs within specifications
c) is reliable
d) is compatible with various vendors (including our competitors)
e) meets all compliance criteria
f) meets OEM requirements
g) meets standards

DVT stands for design verification testing.

We do this every time a driver, firmware or bios is updated, or a new product is released. And, you know those wonderful drivers that come in your Windows, Red Hat, SuSe, MAC, etc operating systems? Guess who gets to test to make certain that the ones my company makes work? Yeah - my team. So, yes, we have to be conversent in most operating systems - some the "normal" user would never interface with like Xen Source, VM Ware, Solaris and AIX.

Right now, I'm working on a beta operating system that is to be released soon. Verifying that the drivers work, that the boards do what they are supposed to do, that nothing hangs up or crashes the system. What I am not doing is testing their complete operating system - that's for them to do.

What I am doing is testing our driver and hardware with their operating system installed to make sure the stuff we are responsible for works. Now, if I run across bugs in their operating system while I do this, then I will submit a trouble to them for them to fix...but that's not part of my job if it doesn't conflict with our product and is solely an operating system issue. But, I use those products myself, when they hit the market - I kinda like them working. *grins*

Also, the two worlds overlap in a lot of places, so many times I can't verify that my stuff is working until their stuff gets straightened out. And sometimes, it's a combination of the two and how they are talking (or not) to each other that is the issue.

I live in a world of bits and bytes...

A world you come into every day if you use things like Flickr, Blogger, GMail, Google, Yahoo or play any online games (World of Warcraft anyone?)...everything that requires massive amounts of storage.

Your company (if it is of a fairly good size) probably even has a SAN setup somewhere to store all the backups of data, email, etc. And in that SAN, I can just about guarantee you will see the name of my company somewhere.

Well, how do you like them apples?

So, update time.

I have a new job with QLogic as a DVT Engineer. It's going to be challenging and I just hope I can do the job to meet my expectation - and theirs. They are taking a chance on me and I seriously appreciate it.

As for news in my current (soon to be old) job...they decide to give all the Converged group their walking papers....and then expect us to train their lackies that they send down from Denver in a week's time frame. *eyeroll* Yeah...This network is complicated, people. What part of that aren't they understanding? It's not just "MPLS". It's not just "VPLS". It's not just "frame". It's not just "IP". It's not just "ATM". It's not just "POS". It's all of it and more...in one big, Gordian nightmare. The device is flaky on a good day, the "solutions" we have in place are cludgy and horrific to follow...and you know what? I don't give a flying fig about if they are trained or not. It was their infinite wisdom that had them lay off the whole team - they can suck it up and learn it the hard way, in my opinion. I'm certainly not going to go out of my way to impart the knowledge in my head when they obviously felt it wasn't necessary to the wellbeing of the company to keep it.

And, if they don't like it - well, I really don't have to be here the next week.

Sour grapes, much? Hell yeah.

But, I'm bouncing off the walls excited about QLogic....nervous as all get out - but excited too. It's just such a grand opportunity and I don't wanna mess it up.

So That's That

Got my severance package today.

Need to make up my mind to sign it or not.

Can't say I'm too horribly surprised. Level3 never was the brightest about who they choose to retain and who they choose to let go.

Given the people who got their walking papers today...yeah...they are living up (or is it down) to expectation.

Some things never change.

I have to say that Broadwing management has been the best at handling these things out of all the ones I've heard/experienced.

Days of Decision

Well, today is the day I either get my relo package or my work through date...

Yeah, day of joy and excitation.

It's also the day I nag WEBS and find out where my yarn is.

Sorry, not really feeling social or chatty, right now. I tend to turn into a major hermit when my life is in the balance.

Slacker

Ok, I know I haven't really been posting much, lately. I suck the biggest toad toenails. I grant you permission to flagellate me with a cat of nine, soggy noodles. No, smarty pants, not flatulate, flagellate. **shakes head** Some people's children. I tell you what.

Anyway, life here has been rather disheartening. Work is a definite state of limbo.

"How's that?", you ask. Well, amazing what buyouts can do to the company being purchased. And, of course, none of us know how much longer we will be employed. And, if we are allowed to keep our jobs, it is 90% likely that we will have to relocate to Denver.

Now, I have nothing against Denver. I enjoyed the time I spent there. However, I don't live there any longer. I have a lot of friends here, not to mention a most wonderful man that is a wee bit too large to fit into my luggage...not to mention the interesting idea of accomplishing the monumental feat of managing to manhandle his 275 pounds of deadweight. Yeah.

Then, there is my son to consider. He lives in Houston. Admittedly, I could fly him up every summer. But, I kinda like having him that "close".

So, I've been putting my CV out and hoping for a nibble. I got one last night from Ntelicore. Now, I really like the job that I'd be doing - goodness knows I'm certainly qualified for it. And, the pay is certainly something to be happy about. However, it's a 5-6 month contract (with possibility of extension). I'm not huge on contracts, but you know what? "Permanent jobs" aren't so permanent anymore. The pay on the job would be great, it's with the state, etc. Ntelicore is based out of Dallas, so far as I can find and I really don't want to take jobs in Dallas. However, if they do a lot of contracting with the state, I'm sure quite a few of the jobs would be here in Austin. I was looking into getting HUB certified anyway so I could do exactly this, so - I responded that I would be highly interested in the position and filled out the forms. We'll see where that goes, eh?

As for knitting....

I'm working on the random log cabin as the mood strikes, so I figure it will be finished around my 80th birthday. I am working on the Vogue Knitting braided scarf - in silky wool. I am loving how it is turning out.

And for my main project.

The one consuming all of my time.

I am working on an Icarus Shawl in Alpaca with a Twist Fino (black) for Gloria.

It's so odd. I mean, it's a laceweight yarn; but, it feels so solid. I keep fiddling with it thinking, "Gee, this is aweful thick." And my friends laugh at me, because it really isn't. As one friend said, "You are just used to it being like a cloud and this just has more substance."

She's right.

Gloria really isn't a "shawl person", but I'm hoping she likes the shawl, anyway. I'd make her something else, but not knowing her dimensions makes it a wee bit problematic.

After Gloria's shawl, I'm making his father an aran lap blanket out of lightweight yarn. I hope he likes it.

On that note, I'm off to do what it is my company is paying me to do...which, oddly enough, is not blogging.

Toodles!

Frog Pond Visit

Well, I doubt many of you remember the Clover Socks I was working on. Suffice to say, they were a tad too small so they had to visit the frog pond last night. **weeps** Oh well. I've never had to make socks bigger around that 64 stitches, but there's a first time for everything. I should have known better, but I didn't. So, it looks like I need to make filler sections for each side of the sock...about 5 stitches each side should do it, I believe.

The surprise project I'm working on is moving along nicely. The WRS shawl has stalled out. The last thing you want to do when you are hacking up a lung is work on something that fine. You want something mindless (or fairly mindless) and gossamer silk work is anything but mindless.

I've been very ill the last couple of weeks, but seem to be overcoming it - for which I'm extremely greatful.

I've also resumed my affair with DAoC. I had disappeared from the game for quite some time, but I'm back now - for a little while anyway. I got a private message in game, last night...someone asking if I were the "real Dremmavae". I nearly responded with, "Well, as real as any of us get in a fantasy world like this." Instead I just laughed and said yes. I feel particularly frustrated because they then proceded to ramble at me for some time and shower me with great and grand praise (admittedly, my shaman used to have quite the name on the server)...it wasn't the showering of praise that made me frustrated....it was the fact that I could not, for the life of me, place who the heck the person was who was talking to me. **shakes head** Oh well.

My guy has been super busy, lately, doing data center moves and such. He's also about to take over a project that's going to "kick [his] ass" to use his terms. I know it sounds selfish, but it has me wondering how much of the already rare time I get with him will be lost. I know he will still try to make time for me, and I'm just being selfish, right now...I'm sure I'll get over it - and once he's settled into the new project things will most likely right themselves. I hope.

On a positive note, I got a promotion at work. Not exactly sure WHAT kind of promotion, since I never got any form of official communication or anything. Have to just love a company that takes over a year to approve a promotion - and then never tells you about it....and I have no idea when the pay increase will show up in my paycheck - or if I even got a pay increase. How do you like them apples? **laughs** Ah, well...cest la vie.

For a bit of amusing oddity: