looking for suggestions on multiple office logistics
I am obsessively organized and it bugs me when I have a system that seems really crazy. So, that is why I'm asking for advice for handling my current situation with three offices, behind the cut.
Here's my work situation. I'm looking for advice on how to handle the logistics of my computer networks.
I am shared by 3 entities who are all related, but have 3 locations, IT departments, email addresses and servers, and different policies which range from normal to pretty Draconian. I have 3 offices and I should be spending significant time at all 3, but end up spending much less time at office #2 because of the computer policies.
#1: I can log in here with a cable or on the wireless network, which is really fast, so that's what I typically do. I have email, which I need to use due to automated systems. The email has POP, IMAP and web-based capibility. I can forward this email, but I would like this to be the one I send most messages from since it is my primary employer. I also need to use software on their network for much of my work. I can log in remotely with VPN if I need to. I have no computer in this office, but bring my laptop (I also have no printer in this office and need to ask the secretary to print anything for me). I cannot forward the phone in this office.
#2: This is the one that makes things difficult. There is no wireless, and I can only connect with a plug, and only with one of their computers (so not my laptop). I have one computer here and do not have administrative privileges on it, so I cannot install anything. They block all outside email and email websites (including #1's email, as well as gmail, yahoo, etc.). I can log into #3's intranet & email from this computer, however. I cannot install VPN on this computer. I have a flash drive (from #2) that works with it but for some reason, it doesn't seem to recognize my other 2 flash drives. I cannot forward this email. I can forward this phone anywhere I want, and I keep it forwarded to the #3 phone (meaning I have 2 voice mail systems and nobody ever knows where to phone me). I do not need to use any applications on this network, but my secretary is employed by this company and has only a computer on this network, so I use this email and need to use the shared drives on this network to get things to her. I also need to keep the outlook calendar up to date so she can schedule meetings for me (which is a pain since I like to use google calendar since I can access it anywhere, and I just sync it a couple times a week). This email is on an outlook server and I can check it over the web, but it does not have a POP or IMAP address, and the outlook server will not communicate with my email program so I only check it through the web page, which is a pain. There is no wireless in this building.
#3 is where I spend most of my time and where most of my employees are located. I have a computer there plugged into #2's network (for any port there, I can request it be activated to either the #2 or #3 networks). I also have a cable for the #3 network, which I plug into my laptop. All of my employees there are on the #3 network. This network doesn't block any websites, but does block ports so that I cannot use an email program in order to check all my emails. I typically VPN to Co #1 from my laptop here, and mostly never look at the Co #1 computer. This email also does not allow forwarding. My phone here can only be forwarded to phones at #2 and #3. I do not really need to ever use this email, but I do need one program on this intranet.
Home: I use gmail for all personal emails and put everything on my google calendar, whether is home or work. I have a fast connection at home and can vpn into #1, remotely login to #3's intranet through a web page, and check #2's email on the web page.
What I do now: Mostly, I park at #1, stay there until noon, check #2's email once during that time. Then I drive to #3, walk to #2 (different building's, 2 buildings apart, but I can get there via 2 over-street walkways), check in with my secretary, very quickly deal with anything else, and walk back to #3. I use VPN to connect my laptop to the #1 network and check the #2 email before I leave for the day. I check the #2 email every week, usually on Monday. MW, I download my .ics file from Google calendar and import it into the #2 outlook calendar on the #2 computer in the #3 office. Except for a couple of meetings, this works well except that the people at #2 do notice that I'm never there.
How can I effectively work in this environment without going crazy?
Here's my work situation. I'm looking for advice on how to handle the logistics of my computer networks.
I am shared by 3 entities who are all related, but have 3 locations, IT departments, email addresses and servers, and different policies which range from normal to pretty Draconian. I have 3 offices and I should be spending significant time at all 3, but end up spending much less time at office #2 because of the computer policies.
#1: I can log in here with a cable or on the wireless network, which is really fast, so that's what I typically do. I have email, which I need to use due to automated systems. The email has POP, IMAP and web-based capibility. I can forward this email, but I would like this to be the one I send most messages from since it is my primary employer. I also need to use software on their network for much of my work. I can log in remotely with VPN if I need to. I have no computer in this office, but bring my laptop (I also have no printer in this office and need to ask the secretary to print anything for me). I cannot forward the phone in this office.
#2: This is the one that makes things difficult. There is no wireless, and I can only connect with a plug, and only with one of their computers (so not my laptop). I have one computer here and do not have administrative privileges on it, so I cannot install anything. They block all outside email and email websites (including #1's email, as well as gmail, yahoo, etc.). I can log into #3's intranet & email from this computer, however. I cannot install VPN on this computer. I have a flash drive (from #2) that works with it but for some reason, it doesn't seem to recognize my other 2 flash drives. I cannot forward this email. I can forward this phone anywhere I want, and I keep it forwarded to the #3 phone (meaning I have 2 voice mail systems and nobody ever knows where to phone me). I do not need to use any applications on this network, but my secretary is employed by this company and has only a computer on this network, so I use this email and need to use the shared drives on this network to get things to her. I also need to keep the outlook calendar up to date so she can schedule meetings for me (which is a pain since I like to use google calendar since I can access it anywhere, and I just sync it a couple times a week). This email is on an outlook server and I can check it over the web, but it does not have a POP or IMAP address, and the outlook server will not communicate with my email program so I only check it through the web page, which is a pain. There is no wireless in this building.
#3 is where I spend most of my time and where most of my employees are located. I have a computer there plugged into #2's network (for any port there, I can request it be activated to either the #2 or #3 networks). I also have a cable for the #3 network, which I plug into my laptop. All of my employees there are on the #3 network. This network doesn't block any websites, but does block ports so that I cannot use an email program in order to check all my emails. I typically VPN to Co #1 from my laptop here, and mostly never look at the Co #1 computer. This email also does not allow forwarding. My phone here can only be forwarded to phones at #2 and #3. I do not really need to ever use this email, but I do need one program on this intranet.
Home: I use gmail for all personal emails and put everything on my google calendar, whether is home or work. I have a fast connection at home and can vpn into #1, remotely login to #3's intranet through a web page, and check #2's email on the web page.
What I do now: Mostly, I park at #1, stay there until noon, check #2's email once during that time. Then I drive to #3, walk to #2 (different building's, 2 buildings apart, but I can get there via 2 over-street walkways), check in with my secretary, very quickly deal with anything else, and walk back to #3. I use VPN to connect my laptop to the #1 network and check the #2 email before I leave for the day. I check the #2 email every week, usually on Monday. MW, I download my .ics file from Google calendar and import it into the #2 outlook calendar on the #2 computer in the #3 office. Except for a couple of meetings, this works well except that the people at #2 do notice that I'm never there.
How can I effectively work in this environment without going crazy?