Introducing Myself

[aprotosimaki]

Although my official title is "Systems Software Programmer", my actual job is quite different.

I work for a major North American University in the Department of Computer Science. Along with three other System Administrators we run an extensive network of research computers, running a variety of OS's (Solaris, OpenBSD, Ubuntu, Redhat, Debian, Windows 2003) and a large number of services or products such as FTP, HTTP, SSH, VPNs, SMTP, IMAP, POP, DNS, NFS, SAMBA, ZFS, LTSP, OSPF, NNTP, CUPS, AMANDA etc.

In fact, we consider ourselves a kind of University-based ISP that provides connectivity to hundreds of researchers and professors. And if it exists, we are probably running it or at least have tried to run it.

We also designed and built the network, a network that uses a combination of layer 2 and layer 3 switches, fibre optic equipment, foundries and bridges. We also run a variety of stateful packet filtering firewalls and proxies. Security of communication is always the utmost of our concern.

My job touches all areas of our infrastructure so that on any given day, I could be troubleshooting DHCP issues, fixing mail queues, writing firewall rules or tuning one of our DNS server. Variety is the name of the game.

Since we are pretty taxed both in terms of financial and human resources, we need to be pretty creative on how we run our systems and network. This is the part of the job I enjoy the most, finding elegant and scaleable solutions to complex needs.

In my spare time, I study Latin and Attic Greek. I find studying the ancient languages very helpful in relaxing the mind or at least forcing it down other corridors of thought, a necessary prerequisite in our work environment.

I am married to a beautiful and caring woman who loves her new Mac Book Pro: isn't that just NetBSD with a funny GUI?

I love Liverpool Football Club, the Tennessee Titans and taking pictues.