Drew Plaster, Senior Network Systems Administrator at Moda Health recently wrote about his experience as a Nutanix User Group Champion and how it has benefitted his career. 

Here’s what Drew had to say about his experience being a NUG Champion for the Portland NUG Chapter: 

My work as a systems administrator means I’m constantly solving problems, and that’s the way I like it. I’ve always said my greatest strength is making disparate systems work together in the most efficient way possible. The biggest weapon I’ve acquired in this fight isn’t a security tool or solution. Instead, it’s having lifelines—access to intelligent, insightful peers I’ve met through my Nutanix User Group (NUG). 

I started working at Moda Health at the beginning of 2019, and my work on VDI became a top priority at the onset of the pandemic. I quickly moved our VDI onto a Nutanix cluster, which earned me the reputation of being the “go-to Nutanix guy.” I spent more time with the technology than anyone else on the team and went the extra mile to complete further training and certifications.

There was no NUG chapter in our area of Portland, and Gary Foster, our success engineer, thought I’d be perfect to lead it. My first thought was that I’m a stereotypical IT guy—getting in front of people isn’t my thing and I don’t have a lot of free time. But Gary and I got along really well, and if he thought I could do it, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to try. 

I’ve been leading a Portland NUG for roughly five years now. Each NUG chapter meets quarterly and is driven and organized by the group members. While we sometimes invite people from Nutanix to offer support, our members set the cadence and decide what to see, hear, and discuss.

Despite being the “go-to Nutanix guy,” I learned about things we weren’t doing that we should’ve done (and vice versa). Along with my growing book knowledge through certifications and exams, the NUG has helped me gain practical knowledge for frontline use. 

What I didn’t expect when I joined a NUG was such strong fellowship and camaraderie between other IT professionals. More than anything else, that’s where I’ve found the most value. 

All members benefit from:

• Having access to a close-knit group. One of the biggest benefits of NUG is collaboration with like-minded individuals. Since many of us are using similar products and solutions (Nutanix or not), it’s helpful to come together and swap ideas, insights, and opinions. Our 25–50-member Portland NUG has become my lifeline in times of need. 
• Peer-to-peer knowledge sharing. Nutanix support is great, of course, but it makes a difference when friends can help you work through an issue. Your peers are likely more open and honest about any solution, and there’s an inherent level of trust from someone who has walked in your shoes. You can also get thoughts, feedback, and suggestions without opening a support case or waiting on a ticket.
• Faster responses. NUG groups foster faster time-to-resolution since so many people work on the frontlines with the technology. Someone is bound to catch a bug in advance or discover some solution they want to share with the group.

These benefits all help to prevent downtime. Unplanned downtime means lost money, and when dealing with critical systems within healthcare, the outcomes of downtime could be worse than monetary. 

For everything I’ve put into NUG, I’ve received so much more. I’ve developed genuine friendships, have a lifeline of support, and feel comfortable asking questions I wouldn’t have wanted to ask the SE. And while certifications are great for increasing your financial worth and demonstrating expertise, nothing compares to building new connections or having the ability to bounce ideas off someone else.

Check out Drew’s full story here.

Interested in becoming a Nutanix User Group Champion? Apply to become a Champion in your area today!