The Case of the Missing Layer 3: A Hilariously Misguided IT Mystery
Every IT professional has a Dennis. Or a Monty. Or, as one Redditor from r/TalesFromTechSupport recently shared, a legend so fantastically out of their depth, their blunders become organizational folklore. This is the story of Dennis—a man who thought Layer 3 switching required three physical boxes in a rack, and who nearly called the police over a "missing" device. Buckle up: this is one for the IT comedy hall of fame.
The Layer 3 That Wasn't: When IT Goes Full Monty Python
It began, as many tech support tales do, with an urgent and deeply confusing call: "Our Layer 3 is missing." For the uninitiated, Layer 3 references the network layer of the OSI model—a logical function, not a literal piece of hardware. But Dennis, a self-declared veteran of "big Corporate I.T." turned small-company engineer, was convinced someone had swiped a physical "Layer 3" device from the rack.
As detailed by u/podgerama, the original poster (OP), the company ran on a handful of VLANs and relied on Meraki Layer 3 switches. Everything was functioning perfectly on the dashboard. But Dennis? He was ready to involve the police over this "theft."
One might expect a seasoned IT pro to understand the difference between logical and physical networking layers. Instead, Dennis frog-marched OP and the owner to the comms room, demanded to know where "Layer 3" was, and triumphantly accused OP of never installing it—because, physically, there were only two switch-like devices visible.
The big twist? As OP put it, Dennis believed "layer 3 switching" meant literally stacking three devices. "Look, at the top, there's layer 1, then mid way up the rack, there is the layer 2 switch, but where is the third?" he declared, with the misplaced smugness only an IT impostor can muster.
Layer 8 Issues and the Art of Digging Your Own Grave
The Reddit community wasted no time dissecting Dennis's masterclass in incompetence. As u/Langager90 wryly asked, "Was he actively trying to get fired?"—a sentiment echoed by dozens who couldn't fathom Dennis's commitment to his own undoing. After all, as u/grendus noted, "Rule number one of handling being unqualified for your position is to not draw attention to that fact." Dennis, it seems, never got the memo.
Other commenters flexed their network humor, riffing on the infamous OSI model. u/Aln76467 quipped about "layer 8 or 9"—a playful jab referring to the unofficial "user" and "organization" layers, where most real-world IT problems originate. As u/ryanlc explained, "Layer 8 - user. Layer 9 - organization. Layer 10 - government. Layer 11 - NSA." In Dennis's case, the issue was clearly at Layer 8 (the human interface), with a side order of Layer 9 (organizational oversight).
And then there was the comment section's favorite: "Layer 3 incompetence on show," courtesy of u/Mycams. The phrase "ID10T error" (read it aloud) also made an appearance, because in tech, sometimes the error truly is between chair and keyboard.
When "Corporate IT Experience" Means Carrying Boxes
The community also speculated on Dennis's alleged corporate pedigree. u/trro16p mused, "My guess when he said he came from the 'big corporate world of IT', he failed to mention that he was the guy that carried the computer equipment that was getting installed/repaired." Ouch.
Others theorized Dennis was "doing that stupid thing where new managers come in and make changes in order to show much 'value' they are bringing to the company" (thanks, u/NewUserWhoDisAgain). If so, Dennis's value-add was more like a value-subtract—the kind that ends with a sheepish owner apologizing and scrapping the self-created "IT coordinator" role altogether.
Teaching Tech, with a Side of Comeuppance
The real treat came when OP delivered the perfect analogy: “If someone asks you to give them a hand, are they asking for assistance, or a body part?” Even Dennis had to admit it meant assistance. The penny dropped (for the boss, at least), and Dennis’s fate was sealed—no police, no cameras, just a pink slip and a return to ticket-based tech support.
The Reddit thread erupted in applause. "I love a good comeuppance story... this was great!" wrote u/Ill3galAlien. Others shared their own tales: "Our Dennis was named James," recalled u/rhoduhhh, "and I am not sad he got 'laid off.'"
Through it all, the story became a case study in humility (or the lack thereof), the perils of pretending, and why real expertise is about knowing what you don’t know.
Conclusion: Dennis, the Menace and the Lessons of Layer 8
So what can we learn from Dennis? For one, never underestimate the power of a good analogy—or a well-timed Google Photos receipt. For another, as u/CorpoTechBro summed up, Dennis was "the layer 8 issue." In the end, it’s the people, not the technology, that make or break IT.
If you’ve ever tangled with a Dennis, drop your tales of woe (or wisdom) in the comments. And remember: when someone says the Layer 3 is missing, check if they’re missing a clue first.
Have your own Layer 8 horror story? Share it below, and let’s keep the laughter (and the learning) going!
Original Reddit Post: I had a Monty too, but he was called Dennis