Happy System Administrator Appreciation Day (#SysAdminDay)! Today, we’re thrilled to highlight Luckie Ford, principal application systems analyst at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Luckie has been a Zenoss advocate and rock star at MD Anderson, and we're excited to hear about all that he does with Zenoss — and debunk some popular sysadmin myths along the way.
How long have you been with MD Anderson Cancer Center?
Twenty-three years.
What is your main role as a sysadmin?
I manage and monitor our 700 servers supporting all of our financial and HR systems.
What’s the coolest part about your job?
Knowing I play a small part in our mission of making cancer history!
What would you say has been the best new tool for managing and pinpointing issues with computer networks and IT infrastructure?
The ONLY answer: Zenoss.
As a sysadmin, do you play well with developers?
I try to play well with everyone! 🙂
Are there any stereotypes you’d say are true or not true of sys admins?
TRUE: We LOVE donuts!
As a sysadmin, what would you say makes Zenoss unique or valuable?
Everything! We’ve been forced to do more with less in our organization, and Zenoss allows us to stay proactive with our systems while still being able to complete all of the increase in work being passed our way.
Is there anything you wish people knew about being a sysadmin?
We aren’t all nerdy.
What qualities does a good sysadmin have?
Logical, consistent and persistent.
Can we see what your desk looks like on a normal day?
Any advice for new sysadmins out there?
Keep learning, your head down, and your mouth shut. Let your work do your talking!
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Smack dab in the middle of 10,000 acres in the Texas Hill Country. No traffic, no noise, no people!
We've been celebrating Sysadmin Day all week by sharing interviews with Zenoss sysadmins Marshall Dean, Esteban Diocares and Max Forma. Today is System Administrator Appreciation Day — but at Zenoss, we don’t think a day is enough when it comes to the great work sysadmins do every day! We know what it's like to walk a mile in your shoes, and we want to make that a comfortable walk with a killer new pair of special edition Zenoss socks. We have limited supply, so act fast!
