[Infrastructures] Career Path - Infrastructure Architect
Bren Tighe
tighetribe@yahoo.co.uk
Fri, 18 Aug 2006 08:24:18 +0100 (BST)
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Hi All,
The background in computer science is of relevence to me as I have just Graduated from The University of Bolton, Manchester England with a first class honors degree, I based my degree on becoming an Infrastructure Archictect and took additional modules in programming (php, c++, Bash, Java), Networking, Unix Administration, communications, I even based my final project on the concepts discussed on infrastructures.org.
I am quite passionalte about automated systems and infrastructure management as a whole and have a number of skills that Roderick mentioned. What I am finding difficult is trying to pitch this mind set at new employers and some of them look a little confused when I mention infrastructure.org, CFEngine, Isconf etc etc.
I suppose what I am trying to say that I am finding it very difficult to find roles as a junior systems administrator where I could start to infiluence these practices.
Has anyone got any advice on how to get ones foot in the door of this kind of sys admin as a lot of companies that I have spoken to a job fairs do not seem to have a clu what I am talking about.
Many thanks all and Happy Friday (time zone dependent)
Bren
Rodrick Brown <rodrick.brown@gmail.com> wrote: You really need to have a clear, and level headed mindset towards
technology as a whole, finding the right tools for the right job is
very essential. A infrastructure architect really has no bias to any
one particular technology and are usually visionaries one way or
another, one of your primary roles at least in my experiences working
in architect type positions is foreseeing future technology trends,
implementing scalable solutions, taking business processes and coming
up with all the right technology requirements and a flexible enough
glue to mold it all together.
You really need to be highly technical in many areas of information
technology such as system administration, programming, networking, and
security, a solid background in computer science, or a computer
engineering is essential as you tend to be through into everything and
its basically up to you to work with the steering committee, get by in
from other technology groups, and lead the entire project coordinating
and coming up with the technical blueprint. Architect positions are
very challenging especially when working with large fortune 50
companies but it can also very rewarding good luck.
Here are a few books I highly recommend.
The practical guide to enterprise architecture.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0131412752/qid=1123724305/sr=2-2/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_2/002-6749199-1708064
Architecting Enterprise Solutions
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0470856122/qid=1120187864/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/102-0628971-1328118?v=glance&s=books&n=507846
Next Generation Application Intergration
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0201844567/qid=1120188979/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/102-0628971-1328118?v=glance&s=books&n=507846
On 8/17/06, Mason Schmitt wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> I am evaluating where I am at in my career and welcome feedback from the
> members of this list as I aspire to become an infrastructure architect.
> Any feedback on or off list would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Where I am now:
> -----------------
>
> I am the "Systems Administrator" at a small cable ISP in Salmon Arm, BC,
> Canada. I have been working as the sysadmin here for over 5 years now.
> My current responsibilities cover a lot of ground due to this being
> such a small company. Here is high-level overview of some of my
> responsibilities:
>
> - all system and network design (not software development though)
> - network and systems security
> - implementation of my designs
> - project management
> - building and configuring systems
> - some mgmt tasks
> - employee supervision
> - budget planning
> - assist with hiring
> - contracts and supplier negotiation
> - level 3 tech support
> - managing / maintaining linux systems
> - supervising management of windows systems
>
> I also have begun to do some consulting on the side for SMBs - mostly
> security / architecture related work.
>
> I strive to keep a holistic view of my network and systems and I always
> have an eye out for maintainability, availability, stability,
> scalability and ease of succession for the eventuality of someone
> replacing me. I have been experimenting with configuration mgmt tools
> and infrastructure techniques such as those laid out at
> infrastructures.org as well as trying to find my own way. Lately I have
> also been working on a virtualization project.
>
> This reads like a resume, but that's not my intention; I want to know
> what I need to do to get to the next level.
>
>
>
> Where I want to be:
> ---------------------
>
> - Architecting larger infrastructures
> - working with a larger team (I'm desperate for peers and a mentor...)
> - doing work with technologies that interest me such as grids, various
> types of clusters, large scale storage
> - continuing to work with linux and/or other unices
> - continuing to work with open source
> - doing a bit of research on some of my concepts for architectures
>
>
>
> Questions:
> ------------
> - What skills do you consider critical as an infrastructure architect?
> - What do you recommend for education?
> Note: I'm not crazy about going back to school for an extended length
> of time - I like being in the industry and my family likes the pay
> cheque. However, if it's imperative that I go back to school, I am
> willing to do so.
> - What kind of job opportunities are out there?
> - What professional affiliations are worthwhile?
>
> --
> Mason Schmitt
> _______________________________________________
> Infrastructures mailing list
> Infrastructures@mailman.terraluna.org
> http://mailman.terraluna.org/mailman/listinfo/infrastructures
>
--
Rodrick R. Brown
http://www.rodrickbrown.com
_______________________________________________
Infrastructures mailing list
Infrastructures@mailman.terraluna.org
http://mailman.terraluna.org/mailman/listinfo/infrastructures
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Hi All, <br><br>The background in computer science is of relevence to me as I have just Graduated from The University of Bolton, Manchester England with a first class honors degree, I based my degree on becoming an Infrastructure Archictect and took additional modules in programming (php, c++, Bash, Java), Networking, Unix Administration, communications, I even based my final project on the concepts discussed on infrastructures.org.<br><br>I am quite passionalte about automated systems and infrastructure management as a whole and have a number of skills that Roderick mentioned. What I am finding difficult is trying to pitch this mind set at new employers and some of them look a little confused when I mention infrastructure.org, CFEngine, Isconf etc etc. <br><br>I suppose what I am trying to say that I am finding it very difficult to find roles as a junior systems administrator where I could start to infiluence these practices. <br><br>Has anyone got any advice on how
to get ones foot in the door of this kind of sys admin as a lot of companies that I have spoken to a job fairs do not seem to have a clu what I am talking about. <br><br>Many thanks all and Happy Friday (time zone dependent)<br><br>Bren <br><br><b><i>Rodrick Brown <rodrick.brown@gmail.com></i></b> wrote:<blockquote class="replbq" style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); margin-left: 5px; padding-left: 5px;"> You really need to have a clear, and level headed mindset towards<br>technology as a whole, finding the right tools for the right job is<br>very essential. A infrastructure architect really has no bias to any<br>one particular technology and are usually visionaries one way or<br>another, one of your primary roles at least in my experiences working<br>in architect type positions is foreseeing future technology trends,<br>implementing scalable solutions, taking business processes and coming<br>up with all the right technology requirements and a flexible
enough<br>glue to mold it all together.<br><br>You really need to be highly technical in many areas of information<br>technology such as system administration, programming, networking, and<br>security, a solid background in computer science, or a computer<br>engineering is essential as you tend to be through into everything and<br>its basically up to you to work with the steering committee, get by in<br>from other technology groups, and lead the entire project coordinating<br>and coming up with the technical blueprint. Architect positions are<br>very challenging especially when working with large fortune 50<br>companies but it can also very rewarding good luck.<br><br>Here are a few books I highly recommend.<br><br>The practical guide to enterprise architecture.<br>http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0131412752/qid=1123724305/sr=2-2/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_2/002-6749199-1708064<br><br>Architecting Enterprise
Solutions<br>http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0470856122/qid=1120187864/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/102-0628971-1328118?v=glance&s=books&n=507846<br><br>Next Generation Application Intergration<br>http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0201844567/qid=1120188979/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/102-0628971-1328118?v=glance&s=books&n=507846<br><br>On 8/17/06, Mason Schmitt <mason@schmitt.ca> wrote:<br>> Hello all,<br>><br>> I am evaluating where I am at in my career and welcome feedback from the<br>> members of this list as I aspire to become an infrastructure architect.<br>> Any feedback on or off list would be greatly appreciated.<br>><br>> Where I am now:<br>> -----------------<br>><br>> I am the "Systems Administrator" at a small cable ISP in Salmon Arm, BC,<br>> Canada. I have been working as the sysadmin here for over 5 years now.<br>> My current responsibilities cover a lot of ground due to
this being<br>> such a small company. Here is high-level overview of some of my<br>> responsibilities:<br>><br>> - all system and network design (not software development though)<br>> - network and systems security<br>> - implementation of my designs<br>> - project management<br>> - building and configuring systems<br>> - some mgmt tasks<br>> - employee supervision<br>> - budget planning<br>> - assist with hiring<br>> - contracts and supplier negotiation<br>> - level 3 tech support<br>> - managing / maintaining linux systems<br>> - supervising management of windows systems<br>><br>> I also have begun to do some consulting on the side for SMBs - mostly<br>> security / architecture related work.<br>><br>> I strive to keep a holistic view of my network and systems and I always<br>> have an eye out for maintainability, availability, stability,<br>> scalability and ease of succession for the
eventuality of someone<br>> replacing me. I have been experimenting with configuration mgmt tools<br>> and infrastructure techniques such as those laid out at<br>> infrastructures.org as well as trying to find my own way. Lately I have<br>> also been working on a virtualization project.<br>><br>> This reads like a resume, but that's not my intention; I want to know<br>> what I need to do to get to the next level.<br>><br>><br>><br>> Where I want to be:<br>> ---------------------<br>><br>> - Architecting larger infrastructures<br>> - working with a larger team (I'm desperate for peers and a mentor...)<br>> - doing work with technologies that interest me such as grids, various<br>> types of clusters, large scale storage<br>> - continuing to work with linux and/or other unices<br>> - continuing to work with open source<br>> - doing a bit of research on some of my concepts for
architectures<br>><br>><br>><br>> Questions:<br>> ------------<br>> - What skills do you consider critical as an infrastructure architect?<br>> - What do you recommend for education?<br>> Note: I'm not crazy about going back to school for an extended length<br>> of time - I like being in the industry and my family likes the pay<br>> cheque. However, if it's imperative that I go back to school, I am<br>> willing to do so.<br>> - What kind of job opportunities are out there?<br>> - What professional affiliations are worthwhile?<br>><br>> --<br>> Mason Schmitt<br>> _______________________________________________<br>> Infrastructures mailing list<br>> Infrastructures@mailman.terraluna.org<br>> http://mailman.terraluna.org/mailman/listinfo/infrastructures<br>><br><br><br>-- <br>Rodrick R. Brown<br>http://www.rodrickbrown.com<br>_______________________________________________<br>Infrastructures mailing
list<br>Infrastructures@mailman.terraluna.org<br>http://mailman.terraluna.org/mailman/listinfo/infrastructures<br></mason@schmitt.ca></blockquote><br><p> 
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