One day I was randomly looking at our arp tables and CDP/LLDP neighbors. Mostly hoping to find whatever needs upgrading. And then it stuck out, a horrendously outdated AP. Has not been updated since 2011. This was even before the guys that were at my company before me.
It was not pingable, all ports were closed and it was only visible via CDP and only on other devices that were close by. None of my passwords worked. The hostname was a very descriptive 'Router 1'.
Worst of all this device defied everything on how we usually configure devices and several of our policies. I just had to go down that rabbit hole.
Well, I start tracking down its mac address in arp tables until I come to a Linksys. A Linksys SPS enterprise switch. Anyone remember those before they were absorbed into Ciscos SBS lineup? And there it was, an interface with a description containing the customers name.
I ask my boss/CEO whether he knows anything about them and he is like, who are they? Then we ask accounting if they are still paying us. Turns out yes they are and their payments are very regular. Exemplary even.
Nothing, I call the client and ask to get an IT person which I eventually get. I ask him to reset our password(luckily he had an admin account as well on the device) and we arrange an appointment for my visit to them so I can upgrade that old beast. Turns out they have been trying to contact us as well on our old contacts.
Eventually the date came and it was a 2 hour job stepping it trough updates and being careful that nothing breaks. Luckily everything worked out fine. I enabled remote management, did some cleanups and everything was just fine.
Once in every blue moon you can find clients that you really can forget about. Though you really don't want to(forget about them).
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