You’re not employed to fix all the problems, you’re employed to fix the problems your boss wants you to. Save the emails where they deny your concerns for the inevitable subpoena but other than that shut your mouth on this topic and move along to other tasks.
Edit: further note since you’re new to IT. HIPPA requires that orgs keep patient data of children in an accessible manner until that child is around 25 iirc. When I first started in IT we still had a couple 3.1 and 95 machines running an old out of support EMR software until the patients in it were old enough we could pitch it. It’s entirely possible this is the reason your boss is keeping this machine, it may not be upgradeable because the software simply doesn’t work above windows 7. I will say there’s merit in moving that data local to the machine and getting it off the internet access though. But if your boss says leave it then leave it.
Yup, this. Cover your ass by putting shit in writing via email, (and bcc your personal email too, so they can’t just delete the emails off the mail server and pretend they never existed.) But besides that, if the boss wants to have a vulnerable system, then that’s their prerogative.
My boss didn’t exactly state the reason why. He said the machine cannot be down at all, yet when I visited yesterday, the computer was crashing all day. They had to turn it off over 10 times. I told him the software vendor confirmed compatibility with Windows 10, and I forwarded the upgrade guide. Still, he refuses to grant permission. I checked the Windows 7 system last month, and it’s only running this one program with no other software or files. It’s a default Windows 7 setup with just this program. The program can be set up the exact same way on the new computer.
Is there maybe a cost associated with the upgrade to windows 10 version for that software? I’ve had vendors quote me everything from 3k to 150k for the upgraded version and move assistance to go from server 08 to server 2012 compatibility (equivalent of 7-10 desktop)
There probably is a windows 10 and later compatible version, but you may need to upgrade and there’s a capital expense the business may be unwilling to do
There is no cost to upgrade it; they sent me a guide to download and install the software. The employee who must use this machine to do his work said he will call my boss and tell him directly. If my boss still refuses, he said he will call the VP, who is my boss’s superior. This employee has been with the company for a very long time, so it shouldn’t be a big deal. Should I still send the email?
For the love of god do not go above your bosses head to do something he told you to drop unless you want to be unemployed. Send the CYA email but be aware if that VP pressures the boss to do your idea you better hope he doesn’t say it’s because of you they’re forcing this. You’re green and want to do well, I get it, but you need to accept that sometimes you just need to do as your boss says even if it isn’t the best.
You’re not employed to fix all the problems, you’re employed to fix the problems your boss wants you to. Save the emails where they deny your concerns for the inevitable subpoena but other than that shut your mouth on this topic and move along to other tasks.
Edit: further note since you’re new to IT. HIPPA requires that orgs keep patient data of children in an accessible manner until that child is around 25 iirc. When I first started in IT we still had a couple 3.1 and 95 machines running an old out of support EMR software until the patients in it were old enough we could pitch it. It’s entirely possible this is the reason your boss is keeping this machine, it may not be upgradeable because the software simply doesn’t work above windows 7. I will say there’s merit in moving that data local to the machine and getting it off the internet access though. But if your boss says leave it then leave it.
Yup, this. Cover your ass by putting shit in writing via email, (and bcc your personal email too, so they can’t just delete the emails off the mail server and pretend they never existed.) But besides that, if the boss wants to have a vulnerable system, then that’s their prerogative.
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My boss didn’t exactly state the reason why. He said the machine cannot be down at all, yet when I visited yesterday, the computer was crashing all day. They had to turn it off over 10 times. I told him the software vendor confirmed compatibility with Windows 10, and I forwarded the upgrade guide. Still, he refuses to grant permission. I checked the Windows 7 system last month, and it’s only running this one program with no other software or files. It’s a default Windows 7 setup with just this program. The program can be set up the exact same way on the new computer.
Is there maybe a cost associated with the upgrade to windows 10 version for that software? I’ve had vendors quote me everything from 3k to 150k for the upgraded version and move assistance to go from server 08 to server 2012 compatibility (equivalent of 7-10 desktop)
There probably is a windows 10 and later compatible version, but you may need to upgrade and there’s a capital expense the business may be unwilling to do
There is no cost to upgrade it; they sent me a guide to download and install the software. The employee who must use this machine to do his work said he will call my boss and tell him directly. If my boss still refuses, he said he will call the VP, who is my boss’s superior. This employee has been with the company for a very long time, so it shouldn’t be a big deal. Should I still send the email?
For the love of god do not go above your bosses head to do something he told you to drop unless you want to be unemployed. Send the CYA email but be aware if that VP pressures the boss to do your idea you better hope he doesn’t say it’s because of you they’re forcing this. You’re green and want to do well, I get it, but you need to accept that sometimes you just need to do as your boss says even if it isn’t the best.