I noticed at work after I logged on that everything was sluggish with using my Mac. Something that’s highly unusual. I thought it was a network issue and filed it away to look at later, I had other things to do. Then I had another one of my users ask if there was something going on that would cause sluggishness and then what was a postpone-able curiosity became a problem.

I checked everything and then I brought up my ARD window to my server, Atlas. There was a Time Machine error (which there often times are these days now that the Time Machine is full and it’s having to eliminate old backup sets, they aren’t upsetting errors and I just clear them and everything is fine) and then there was a message on my console “There is a serious event for your RAID controller, click here to start your RAID Controller program” so I did. Apparently the little battery that keeps the RAID controller alive during a power outage failed conditioning and is a dead duck. That explained the slowdown because when the battery dies in the RAID controller, the RAID controller goes into safe-mode and turns off Write Caching. That was the sluggish bit. I forced Write Caching back on because what the server doesn’t know (and really can’t) is that I have 5 huge lead-acid batteries serving as redundant UPS’s. So we aren’t in a life-or-death situation.

I called Apple Care and after a little wait I got to a nice lady who took my information and asked if I knew what I needed and I told her that I simply needed a new RAID Controller battery. She connected me with an Enterprise Apple Server tech who had me go through just 1 short step and then confirmed that I had a dead battery. He took my shipping information and said that the replacement battery would be delivered next-day and be there tomorrow. I thanked him and that was that.

Why did I enjoy it so much? Everyone was American and spoke clear accent-free English. They were friendly and approachable and they shepherded me through to the solution without defensiveness or caginess. From Hello, to whats wrong, to here’s a solution, to Goodbye. Smooth, quick, easy. That’s the way it is supposed to be!

One final little note… buy AppleCare. Just shut up and plunk down the money. It’s the best investment you will ever make. Don’t wonder, just do it. Trust me.