Administrator Advice

[L33er]

If you're using a windows machine, put the users into the
'Network Configuration Operators' group and it'll let them change adapter settings like the IP address.

Nice suggestion, but in my experience, NO was the answer.

I have been out of the trees and the forest for quite sometime.

 

[L33er]

The last shop I worked at I called him the:
"IT Guy and if that sounds disrespectful then it came across properly"

And I had a Geek Squad guy from BestBuy.

 

[saultgeorge]

I'd like to ask the community for help and advice regarding a situation at my place of employment. I'm understanding of the need for security from an IT perspective and how they don't want anyone having administrator accounts or free access to that type of control.

Problem is for controls and automation engineers...you need it for the majority of your job...and my IT branch in particular is iron fist, don't care, nobody gets it. Long story short, I'm having to prove why I need it (where I used to have it and now have lost it strictly because IT says take it lol). In the controls field, we all just understand that down to communications, the very nature of the way these software's are built...they need admin to operate cleanly. Some software's even hiccup and chug without it trying to process certain functions. When you call Siemens, Allen Bradley or Emerson...if you're not running admin they practically don't even want to deal with you until you do.

The question I have for the community is this...how do I prove why I need it in a convincing manner? How do I help IT understand the need? Has anyone else ever dealt with this...do you have any good resources or supporting documentation that may help them understand (legitimately, we all know the jokes here lol)?

I know Siemens documentation for one lists admin needs and permissions, they have a section for it. I haven't checked with other brands yet but my goal is to amass as much proof, professional documentation, aids and resources as possible to prove why this is needed and you cannot just parse features out. So I'd like to ask the PLC community, do you have any documents or resources that may aid my cause in this battle or have any advice outside of tuck your head in sand, it's impossible (because I know it feels that way sometimes!).

Thanks for any input, always appreciated. I know you guys understand my pain in this matter.

I just saw this and didn't read the other 2 pages yet, however this happened to me on my last job. I started and for almost 5 weeks they didn't have a Rockwell license for me, and I was a Senior Controls Engineer for plant support with no laptop or software.
When I finally got some equipment, mostly due to the guys that were already there and wanted me to get up to speed so they could take some time off, I had no admin priveleges. Every time I did a download from Rockwell or got the "do you wish to make changes to...xxx? then click yes and then "enter adimin user/password to continue" I had to track down an IT guy to do this.
Well I solved this by telling them that if I were called out and I was home on line with the plant at 2:30 a.m and needed admin from IT, I would be calling IT at home and then also emailing/texting the plant manager. Bingo!! I had full admin in 20 minutes. IT does not like being called at home. Hope this helps.

 

[saultgeorge]

The last shop I worked at I called him the:
"IT Guy and if that sounds disrespectful then it came across properly"

I worked for an OEM in Warren at 8 mile, and they had a hybrid Windows 10 firewall system that wouldn't let one BootP an EN2T for instance. I posted my problem on this forum a few years ago about that and almost every response started with "...check firewall settings..."
IT refused to change any firewall settings, however as a comprimise we had a guy in IT who was quite knowledgeable in Rockwell and he would come at a moments notice to set up IP addresses when needed. I heard it loosened up a little after the new product launch in '20 but I'd left by then.