Discussion on:

IT pro finds job satisfaction and security in storage management

I am completing my final requirements for a BS degree in CS. For the past 2 years I have been a full-time student and a student worker for Technical Support Services and the Web Site Migration Teams. I've learned more about backing up and transferring data on a network by being exposed to the network environment through "OJT". I have seen my supervisor repair tape drives, assisted a system analyst log and swap out backup tapes, and moved customers data safely to a network share while re-imaging their computer. Replacing hard drives etc. The point is get experience while you’re at school. I have never seen applicable classes to storage management 101, but I feel the need to pursue MCSA/MCSE certification after school. I use an analogy of a "Y". I've learned a wide variety of programming languages and computer relegated classes on the left leg. Now it's time to learn the network side the right leg. After reading this article it has made me realize the computing is really all about the data. I believe security, data storage, server maintenance is a good way to approach a corporation for a job. After all that is why we spend thousands of hours learning about computing, to become well informed, trained professionals. A couple of years ago it was flash now it’s security. I feel I’m on the right trac now. It feels good. Go Apache

To add to the above post, what type of skill set is required to pursue storage managemnet as a career???

I agree with you. What always bothered me about my former company was the way they belittled users who were having a problem. They tend to forget that even those these users weren't necessary computer literate that doesn't mean they aren't smart people. We are even talking managers and even Vice-Presidents, Presidents, etc. They good at what they do. If we had to do what they do we might get a better appreciation for who they are. Computers and technology can has an uncanny ability of intimidating people similar to the affect math has.

On the storage management subject, I got a taste for it when I became a junior back-up administrator for my company. We were using ArserveIT as a backup and restore solution. Luckily enough my environment was a little more laid back so I didn't have the type of pressure Peter had. Definitely and important area of development now and in the future.

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Data storage and recovery skill is always a definite requirement in almost any system management position. The article covers a specialist area of a particular system management software, in this case the Tivoli. Unless you work with an MIS site with Tivoli software, you may not easily get the training for that particular software. It may also be too expensive for you to get the training on your own. Still, data storage and data recovery procedures are basic bread and butter skill for any system manager.

However, system management is always a small subset of any MIS site. As you can tell just from our own Computing and Communication Group, the Network Services Group is a really small group within the entire Computing and Communication Unit. In another word, job opportunity with a systems management group may not be as great as you think.