Module 4

This assignment was actually pretty easy for since I work in the IT field as an engineering intern at Trusted Network Solutions, an IT value added retailer (VAR).  The reason for a VAR's existence is to provide solutions to companies whose IT staff is unable to fulfill a need they have.  I'll give several examples.

Let's say a small company called LittleCo wants to upgrade their Microsoft Exchange server from 2007 to 2010, but being a small company their IT staff, being two people, do not have the expertise to perform this upgrade.  While LittleCo's IT crew is competent they are busy running the day to day operations of their company, and do not have the time to train up on Exchange migrations.  TNS has engineers who have performed the upgrade several times so we not only know how to do it quickly, but also what pitfalls to avoid.  LittleCo purchases an Exchange 2010 license and engineering hours from us, and if necessary, a new server to act as the email server if their current one is not up to specs.

As another example, a large corporation called HugeCorp wants to add a SAN (storage area network, which is basically a server with a massive amount of storage for data accessible over the network) to their network in preparation for expansion of the business.  While their larger IT staff and higher budget means they could spare the people and the funds for training on the process of installing the SAN, they want it done quickly and they don't want to mess with the complexities determining the best SAN to use and deal with ordering the system from the manufacturer.

TNS handles all the footwork by gathering the requirements from HugeCorp, reviewing the offerings from our partners who manufacture SANs, putting together a build with everything needed for it to function (not just the server and the licenses, but everything down to the power cables).  We submit a proposal to HugeCorp with the product and engineering hours as a scope of work, and if there are any changes required by HugeCorp we can make adjustments before finalizing the work contract.  Our engineers receive the SAN, make sure it's not DoA, get it patched and updated, and then work with their IT staff to set it up on their network and assure that it's functioning properly.  Should any issues arise they can call us and we can help troubleshoot it.  Those are just a couple examples of the type of work we do, but it should give an idea of what a VAR like TNS does.

I interviewed my boss about his work as both an IT consultant and an engineer:

• Describe a day in your life at work.

Right now, I wake up and work remotely on either entering time to service tickets or replying to email, or both.  Then I leave for the office or to go to a customer appointment.  I also usually try to plan my day before I leave home; however, plans usually change once the day gets moving along.  I usually have 2-3 customer appointments per day, helping with either new installations or doing break/fix work on problems occurring in the network.  Throughout the day I am checking email and making sure there are no emergencies that need to be taken care of.  If there is, adjustments need to be made to the remaining appointments.  At the end of the, I try to catch up on email and paperwork.

•  With the rapid pace of technological change, how do you keep up?

This is tough to do.  There are 3 ways this is accomplished.  First is working with products and learning about new features.  This provides a way to get practical experience with different technologies.  Second is participating in training, either formal or manufacturer specific.  Last is reading and learning about what is coming in the future.

•     What are your predictions of the industry 5 years from now?  20 years from now?

From a consulting perspective, there is a big move towards cloud offering and managed services.  I see this space becoming larger as time goes on.  I still see a need for on premise hardware and software installation and support.  I don’t see the consulting field dying.  Twenty years from now, who knows?  Mass use of the Internet is just about 20 years old.  With the rapid change of technology, this is now unpredictable.

•     What's the best part of the job?

The best part of being a consultant is working with customers to fix the problems they have in their networks.  Getting to know customers and their networks is great, and helping them grow their network is fun.

•     What's the worst part of the job?

Plans changing.  It is so hard to predict what a day will look like.  It can be stressful when someone call saying they have a huge network problem and want help now when there are preset appointments with other customers.  Juggling the schedule is hard and can very demanding at times.

The complexity combined with the rapid change of the IT and computer fields makes working in them very challenging.  Unlike many other occupations, you must constantly adapt and learn new skills if you are to survive in the industry.  You can’t just learn and practice to mastery the tools and techniques and then be set for 20 years of employment.  There’s not only the risk of becoming obsolete due to change in your area of focus, but also your area of focus itself could become obsolete because of disruptive technologies or outsourcing and automation.