Arrogance doesn’t help your Exchange Server uptime

Yes that’s right, I’m calling out those who think their sh*t doesn’t stink. Those who think their Exchange Server environment is the best in the world. Those who think they can do a better job than Microsoft – the company that actually wrote the product.

As men we have ego’s that need protection. We think we are better drivers, our car is faster than the person in the next lane, that we know more about a topic than someone else, and that we can do a better job than someone else.
Depending on the level of professionalism you bring to your job this can be broken down into two types of IT managers/administrators:
– You think your Exchange Server is infallible because you built it and it’s never had an issue (that you can recall)
– You realise that technology is technology and that there’s always someone who knows more or can do it better than you

I find it frustrating to speak to a grown person who acts like an petulant child that feels threatened because you’re going to take their toy away. The problem is that it’s not a toy – it’s a corporate messaging and communication system.
On the other hand I find it great to speak to an IT manager/admin who realises that running a mailbox server is a commodity these days and can be done better by someone else – so want to be liberated of it.

There may be many legitimate reasons why an IT manager/admin can’t or won’t move their Exchange Server environment to Office 365 or even out of the building – and these I can appreciate and work with.
However those who think they can do a better job than the company that wrote the software really get under my skin.

If you think that by outsourcing the operation of the Exchange Server you might find it difficult to justify your employment – then clearly you aren’t adding enough value to the organisation.
To those people I say get your head out of your ass. An Exchange Server is not a toy that only you can play with.

You can read more of my latest piece/rant at BoxFreeIT: http://www.boxfreeit.com.au/Blog/you-think-you-can-run-a-server-better-than-microsoft.html