Albert Einstein once said if the end of the world was an hour away he would spend the first 55 minutes analyzing and understanding the problem and the next five minutes generating ideas.  I can't say I'd always agree with dear Einstein.

The only sure thing about technology is that eventually hardware or software is bound to fail; often businesses want to know why? Whose fault is it? Who is accountable? How come we didn't know this could happen?  (Please note most of those customers are generally Microsoft shops, go figure.)  

Generally while business folks are looking for heads to roll across the boardroom table, technologists are doing what they can to fix things when they break.  Nothing lasts forever and you can't always glare into a crystal ball and know that a hard drive or domain controller is just going to up and fail; it just happens.

Sometimes I think many technologists feel like the little Dutch boy standing at the leaking dike in the famous Hans Brinker story.  

It might play out something like this:

Little Dutch Boy Technologist: "The dike is failing! I am plugging the hole with my finger but others are forming. Quick, evacuate the village or we'll be flooded and perish! Grab what you can and run!"

Village Leader: "Go get me the contract on the dike. We have a 10-year guarantee on that thing."

Little Dutch Boy Technologist: "Sir, if we don't get everyone out soon, the village will be flooded. Save yourself! Head for higher ground."

Village Leader: "I want a full report ASAP on why the dike is failing! I want to know who's responsible!"

Little Dutch Boy Technologist: "Sir, with all due respect, I have my finger in the dike holding back the rushing waters that will surely drown us all and think it is best if we evacuate the village and not generate a 'full report'. I will stand here with my finger in the dyke and perish for the company ... village."

Village Leader > Village Leader's Assistant: "Call everyone from the village into the center of the town so we can have a meeting to find out who is accountable for the leaking dike."

Village Leader > Little Dutch Boy Technologist: "We're paying you how much?? I thought you said this thing wouldn't fail!!"

Little Dutch Boy Technologist: "Sir, with all due respect, when I told you I thought we needed a backup dike you said it wasn't in this year’s budget."

{insert sound of gushing water and screaming villagers here...}

Perhaps, you might see where I am going with my mirthful tale of the Little Dutch Boy Technologist...

Back to Mr. Einstein… I am not saying analysis is a bad thing, but sometimes you just need to act and figure out what happened after everyone is safe on “dry land”. 

If your company HAS TO find someone to blame ... I hear there's a billionaire in Redmond that you can call...