Name: Ron Singler
Blog URL: http://blogs.rupturedmonkey.com
Twitter handle: @rsingler_
Current employer: Datalink Corporation
How did you get into IT?
After getting out of the Army I went to work for a Verizon contractor installing T1s and T3s back when high capacity circuits were brand new. From there I accepted an "official" IT engineering position and working for a small company I was able to work across compute, network, and storage disciplines.
How did you get into working with VMware and becoming a 2011 vExpert?
In 2001, I joined Publix Super Markets as their Storage Architect. When GSX came out we were looking for a solution for our offshore developers to develop our code and keep it local to our data center. The solution was to implement GSX and install Windows XP in VMs for them to connect to over VPN. Pretty bleeding edge for the day, but it worked great! I made the move to Datalink back in 2007 as a Solutions Architect and have been designing solutions around VMware since. I've spoken at several VMUGs in the Southeast region as well as a number of partner led sessions for customers to learn more about Datalink's Virtual Data Center solutions which feature VMware as it's core hypervisor.
What would you tell someone who wanted to get a job like yours to do?
Always install and play with solutions that interest you. Learn how to talk about those solutions from the line of business point of view as well as the IT point of view. Having the skills to communicate what you're passionate about is critical in a job like mine.
