RTFM !!!

As always it's been a while since I wrote. This time about a situation I encountered at work. Let me explain shortly what happened. A software was installed on a desktop by our Hyperion guys, the software t must connect to a server on a different LAN, while the application tries to log on to the server it exits with a cryptic error.

So the application guy calls me for support, and starts explaining what happens. I reply him that probably the error is generated due to the firewall which is in between both LANs, I tell him I'll we'll have to open a request to the security team to open the needed ports for the software's communication with the server. The Hyperion guy puts up a strange face and asks me "Ports ? I don't know which ports, how do I know ?" At that point I really would have liked to answer "RTFM !!!" but of course you keep calm and inform the user that a perfect place to get the information would be the applications manual. At that point I find out that the Hyperion guys don't have the manual they have to download it, but to make this even worse he asks me "where can i find that in the manual ?". So you calmly tell him it could be in the troubleshooting section or maybe in another section.

The next day we receive a mail telling that the software needs 2 ports (8200 & 8299) so we forward the info to the security teams which promptly modifies the firewall. A test is done but nothing. Hmmmm, So you start reading the manual to find out that there's a section called "PORTS" in the manual with a subsection with the same name as the application, and strangely you can find that both ports (8200 & 8299) are mentioned but beside those another 10 ports are mentioned and 3 of them are dynamically defined by the application's server.

Is it possible that a person who is a consultant for a certain program isn't aware of how his software/application works ?