I have a 4U server that I built hanging vertically on the wall in my wiring closet at home using one of these: http://istarusa.com/claytek/products.php?model=WUT-40B . My case has lots of fans, so no problem moving the air vertically through it, and I left enough space below it to afford access to the connectors. They make other sizes of vertical mounts which may be more appropriate for your switch. It isn't a full rack, but it is a lot cheaper than a full rack, more practical than a full rack, and you can always upgrade later.

I'm sure that it is coincidence that this sort of story gets publicity now. Nothing to do with countering the bad press the TSA has gotten today. And I'm sure there is no way this sort of thing could be prevented in the future without an all-seeing, all-knowing, all-powerful TSA keeping watch on everyone who decides not to stay in one place all the time. Nothing to see here. Move along. Except for you, and you over there. We'll need you to step over here for a moment...

Few people have personal experience with "a large percentage of cases around the country", and those who do should generally have something they can cite to back up their claims.

It is equally immoral to take the earned product of someone's labor to give it to someone else. If you don't want to be a heartless bastard, then don't be one: give whatever you want to whomever you choose. However, if you take it away from someone you think is less deserving to give it to someone you think is more deserving, then you are a thieving bastard. Using the government to do your work for you is just as bad as doing it yourself.

Of course, you are in the best position to judge your circumstances. Just wanted to put some food for thought out there. You might also want to keep in mind that there are real costs to the employer for firing/hiring, and they would have to balance that (and the whole going-to-hell thing) against the possible benefits to them.

Besides that, occasionally you will find that that there are decent human beings that just don't "get it" overseeing these things. If you are subtle and avoid the "screw you guys, I'm slacking" confrontations, someone might realize there are real issues to deal with and do the decent thing, especially if there are people around who recognize your value. Again, depends a lot on circumstances.

Good luck...

Here's a thought: stop working longer hours; you are just reinforcing management's bad behavior. At this point you are clearly too important to sack, so no worries there. Do your excellent job at a reasonable pace, and keep a backlog of things you have to do, making it available to interested parties who wonder why things aren't getting done faster. And when new work arrives, let them know that while you would be more than happy to fix their problems right away, there is a pile of other stuff to get through first, so it will have to wait. And most of all, stop worrying about it. It may be that nobody ever wises up and get you some technical help, but at least you'll be less overworked, and maybe a bit happier.

What we really need are proper apprenticeships, where there is an agreement between the employer and apprentice where the former provides training -- along with compensation commensurate with obtained skills and effort, over time -- in return for service. This could replace full-time college studies in many cases, with apprentices taking individual classes that would prove valuable as needed.

No, it would make them the Free Software, Non-Free Non-Software Foundation. FSNFNSF.