Dear Bob ... My boss came in this morning and made a remark that I'm just not sure how to take, so I am looking for your advice. I am a systems administrator on UNIX platforms. I came to this job four years ago after being an "IS Coordinator" on a Windows network for several years. In the previous job, I was everything from server and network admin to user support. I was offered this corporate-level job after p Dear Bob …My boss came in this morning and made a remark that I’m just not sure how to take, so I am looking for your advice.I am a systems administrator on UNIX platforms. I came to this job four years ago after being an “IS Coordinator” on a Windows network for several years. In the previous job, I was everything from server and network admin to user support. I was offered this corporate-level job after putting in for a different job, but this job offered a new challenge, so I went for it. I taught myself UNIX, and built an AIX e-commerce platform that has become a major income producer for the company. My major customers (the e-commerce web folks) are very satisfied and have no desire to change platforms, but our architecture group has, for valid reasons, determined that e-commerce should be migrated to cheaper Linux rack servers. Their vision is to make a series of virtual, possibly diskless, Linux boxes on Intel multiple processor boxes.While this is a fine goal, the Intel platform is run by a different manager, with his own staff. While I have been included in the project team for this migration (from AIX to Linux), and have been included in meetings. I have not been assigned any tasks. I believe the Intel group sees this as their territory, and are working with the “customers” to set up the new systems. I mentioned to my boss that this project reminded me of being included in big brother’s activities when I was a kid (welcome to sit in, but not fully included), and I thought it would be a cold day before I was fully included in this project.This morning, my boss came in and asked me what tasks I have been working on for this migration project. When I told him I haven’t been assigned any, he said I should “insert” myself into the project and see what involvement I could procure. He said if I didn’t keep a hold on the e-commerce environment when the AIX boxes went away, there would be nothing for me to do. I am wondering just how I am supposed to “insert” myself into a project involving a different platform with a different staff and a different manager? I’d always thought it’s up to powers above me to give me my assignments. I did approach some of the Intel folks (good folks that I get along with very well, normally) to offer my services, but I got a response indicating that I would have to talk to their manager. Again, I am wondering – is that my place, or should the managers be getting together to decide their manpower needs? I’m just a bit confused about how far I should be going on my own initiative.For personal reasons, finding a new job outside is both unlikely right now and an unwelcome distraction from other responsibilities. Any ideas where I should go from here?– Lost in the jungle Dear Lost …Man – I got a headache just reading your description of the situation. Some fun, huh?If I have this straight, you’re being hung out to dry because IS happened to organize by hardware platform rather than by software platform or application, and everyone involved is making staffing decisions based on turf rather than who’s competent to do what. Happens every day.I don’t know the right answer for you. A lot depends on the personalities of everyone involved, levels of trust, what’s already been done and not done, and so on. Here are some tactics you might pursue:* Go back to the project manager and point out the obvious: You know the requirements and “customer” communications process better than anyone else. You also know the holes in the process better than anyone else, which means you can help make the project more than just a drop-in replacement, turning it into something that adds more value to the business. If he assigns you some relevant project tasks and helps create an ongoing role for you, you can help the project succeed. Otherwise, it could easily blow up whether or not the Linux servers do their jobs. * Contact the Intel manager as suggested. Depending on his personality and your trust level, be more or less open. What you want to say is that you’re doing your best to ensure a smooth transition to the new platform and to his organization, but there are limits to what you can do when you have no official status on the project and no assigned tasks. You’ll have to judge whether you’re candid about wanting to move into his organization, but it’s probably a good idea: “What I’d really like to do is help you during the transition, and then stay involved with managing the company’s e-commerce infrastructure in your organization once the transition is finished.”* You say your “customers” like you and the quality of service you provide. How much? I don’t like the idea of internal customers, but since you have ’em you might as well use ’em. If the project manager and department head won’t go to bat for you, contact your highest-clout customer and provide an entirely businesslike briefing of what’s going on and the possible impact, including their loss of your services as part of the transfer of responsibility to the Intel group.Make it clear you’re there on your own initiative – you feel a responsibility to make sure everyone is properly informed. Also make it clear you’ll do your best to ensure a smooth transition, but that you’re operating under significant constraints – namely, you have a full time job running the current environment, have no real standing in the transition project, and have no stake in the outcome since you won’t be part of the team that supports them once the transition is complete. Then, give your customer the project manager’s contact information and let them know that’s who to call for more information. With luck, your customer will take the hint and make a phone call. If you go this route, someone is likely to chew you out for “making them look bad,” or bypassing the chain of command, or some such nonsense. If so, stay calm. Avoid being belligerent, but certainly don’t apologize. Your answer is this: “What exactly did you expect me to do? At any time during the last six months, you could have told me what you want me to do to help keep this project on track and what I’ll be doing once it’s over. You haven’t, and I have no desire to sit in my cube waiting for my job to end, and no desire to watch the project hit unnecessary potholes because everyone is worried more about their turf than about making sure the migration is successful.”But with any luck at all it won’t come to that.– Bob ——– Technology Industry