today our phone system, an old PBX system had 2 cards die.
We could only come up with 1 replacement card.
But none of us had the training on the system, because the man who has owned it for many years, has left on furlough.
My troubleshooting experience kicked in from working at Cisco with high profile clients.
-when you don't know how to solve the problem, identify who does
-locate them, get them on the phone
well that's easier said than done with the issue is WITH THE PHONE SYSTEM and you have no idea where in the world this travelling furlougher is.
So I began making emails and calls, one thing let to another and I found the person staying at their mother in laws in Australia.
I got them on the phone, after about 15 minutes of troubleshooting with a co-worker we hit a dead point.
We tried everything, 2 lines cards were dead, we only had 1 spare line card, that's 32 phones out of order. 32 homes that can't talk to the outside world.... 32 families who may be needing to desperately talk to loved ones.
The experienced phone tech got to a point where he said 'this has never happened to me before, I'm not sure what to do next.'
So we were all quiet. The problem seemed to be moving, and following the chassis, so we were in a world of hurt, and I dunno why but using my old thinking from Cisco boards I said,
'let's take the good board and try replacing the other board we think is good.'
it was really the only logical thing left to try but it really shouldn't have worked.
Low and behold it DID work.
It worked because the replacement card was the wrong model number and 3 techs didn't notice it. It took a tech who completely had ZERO experience on the system to see the subtle change.
AGAIN, during times when things are broken, and I surprise myself by being useful... in a way I had not previously thought myself skilled... re-assures me that.
GOD has sent us here for a reason. US, chosen us to be here.
It's remarkable really these last few days God has spent some time re-confirming us here, and reminding us that while life may be getting tough, HE has put us here, specifically us.
it's a remarkable reassurance that we really needed right now.
