Twitter Handle: @jasemccarty
Blog URL: http://www.jasemccarty.com/blog/
Current Employer: EMC – VMware Affinity Team
How did you get into IT in the first place?
I have been tinkering with computers since about 1982. That's when I started coding. In college, I focused on Electronic Engineering. When I decided I didn't want to design control systems/etc. Staying for my post-graduate degree, I focused on Computer Engineering. I started out as a Systems Admin/Web Developer/Trainer at my first job. It was one of those all-in-one type positions. It didn't matter what had to be done, I was the only person there to do it. I feel that having to work in so many different roles, it well prepared me for what I do today.
How did you get into working with VMware and becoming a 2011 vExpert?
I started using VMware in 1999 when Workstation was only in beta. We had a pretty large Linux environment and it worked well there. I got really deep into ESX in 2005 and managed a fairly large environment for the market I live in. In 2006 I decided to start blogging so I could keep track of some scripts/solutions I had found that helped me out. I often blog about VMware tips, tricks, scripts, configs, and sometimes op-ed type pieces about my thoughts around virtualization. I'm honored to again be selected as a VMware vExpert.
What would you tell someone who wanted to get a job like yours to do?
I always recommend that IT people be more engaged with their business unit counterparts. It is one thing to know how technology works, but another to know how to make it work to best fit the business objectives of your environment. Just because something can work, it may or may not be the route to take. A good Systems Engineer/Architect is good not only by knowing the technology, but also knowing the right way to implement it.
