#3, :) yeah, I don't normally "vent" in this way, but in this case, it is more than justified.
I feel for you in this context. We regularly get called in on jobs that are in tough shape.
It is very true, that like PC's in general, there is a lot of diversity around the skills the MS centric IT community produces. Too few seem to understand what is under their mouse.
For example, "back in the day" when one could enable VPN less connections to Exchange via forced encryption over TCP (using ISA), I think we were the only host doing it. I certainly never heard of any. When RPC over HTTPS first came out in August 2003, it took an admin with real skill and a deep understanding of Exchange to enable it - and equally to answer for mobile users in their assign domains, vice the default first site name, etc... - it just was not designed for that initially. Even after the setup was made (excuse me) stupid proof, admins still get the mobile part wrong.
With the pre-SP1 versions of Exchange 2007, things became even more difficult - more complex. Most especially so if other E2K3 systems were to be maintained an co-exist. We built our own around that model so we could understand exactly how to do it and therefore be able to support new customers doing the same.
Needless to say, E2K7 initially required a deeper understanding of Exchange and the entire MS centric platform/servers in order to install and run well. It revealed a lot of holes across a diverse landscape of differing levels of skill. Increasingly, we encountered admins that were not classically trained and unable to get it to work as designed. It still frustrates us when we encounter it - as it cheapens all of us. Candidly, we were glad it was harder... it seemed to separate those with experience from those without. Sadly, MS is doing it again, and masking the complexity and allowing those with too little experience to try.
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