Technology has a way of moving right past you if you aren't paying attention, and you can really become confused and overwhelmed by it all. Accomplishing the smallest task on your computer, can be the most frustrating thing you can remember ever doing. I got tired of feeling that way, and also tired of paying people to fix things or set them up. I decided to change that and learn about computers, but my sixth grade skill on a Commadore64 would not be a good starting place. I decided I would research and build a computer , then I would go take a few classes at Bellingham Technical College. That was only four incredibly short years ago.
That's exactly what I did. I thought about it a while and decided to do it. I built a computer then I went down to BTC and took my preliminary entrance stuff. Then school started two days after that. I really immersed myself into the world of technology, and in the last 4 years I am very happy with my growth and accomplishments. I got my two year degree in computer network technologies, received my CompTIA A+ and Network+ certifications, built 30+ desktops and shuttles, replaced lcd screens, memory, and disk drives in laptops,and have been employed as a systems administrator for a small multi-site company for a few years. The workforce is where I have really began to really gain a lot of valuable knowledge. I get to use a lot of different operating systems ie; Windows Small Business Server 2003, Xp, Vista, Fedora, Debian, Cent-os, ubuntu, and suse. Sometimes I would run these on host machines, and sometimes on virtual machines or on a VPS. At work we have 30 computers at my site, 15 at the other site (that's also where the server is) and a website. I do 90% of my administration remotely. Supporting all those people and keeping everything running by myself has really proven to be a trial by fire, and over time I am being tempered by it.
I realize that I am by no means, the foremost authority on technology, but I am very knowledgable and learning at an accelerated rate. I would love to take any suggestions for tutorials that I should write or technology I should review, so if you have a suggestion, feel free to comment or email me.
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Willing to relocate for the right job.
- Harlan W. Olsen
- Whatcom County, Pacific NW, United States
- I am currently seeking employment in the IT field. You can review my resume in your preferred format at the bottom of this page. I have been working in IT since I took my internship in the beginning of 2007. At the end of my internship, the 'real' Administrator gave his notice. I then had the wonderful experience of becoming the Systems Administrator, and that is when I really got the opportunity to to see 400% growth in the company in under six months! In a mission critical environment, there is a sense of urgency that school just doesn't have. With such a rise there was inevitably a fall, and I was phased out. I believe that as a sole administrator for a multi-site company helped to accelerate my learning,and I am more experienced than my years in IT would indicate.
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