Rock my world!!

By Aaron Bird, Thursday,30 April, 2009 at 10:12 am

What’s an ITRockstar? Sunnies indoors, Tats, Bikes, Geeks, AC/DC...

How about all that, and someone that not only shifted a 50 user HQ into new premises the weekend before Christmas, but also implemented a new VoIP phone system, new WAN, 10gb LAN, Blades, SAN, and completed the design and build of the IT sections within our new building. Also commissioned a new datacentre, UPS’s, AC, MATV, Boardroom, security systems, CCTV, music system in all 59 offices so that others can be ROCKSTARS!! All in December!

I know – you’re thinking... Just stage it all up in the new datacentre first – then move across right? After finally getting power on into the datacentre 2 days before the move – there was no way, except just cross fingers and dive into it. Come Monday, everyone arrived at HQ and apart from some teethers with the new WAN and the AS400 not enjoying being moved... Everything else worked!

I even had our construction division move a precast concrete panel in our new datacentre by 300mm AFTER it had been put up! Talking about new premises – we are in one of the most energy efficient buildings in the country that in turn is reliant on IT systems to work... From a solar water array, 300000 litre water tank, self contained sewage system, passive air conditioning through to the soon to be completed 3 hole golf course, rugby fields, walking tracks and cricket each lunchtime... very cool! And we get paid to work here! And I get to manage all the IT systems that the building is reliant on!

Once the move was completed, our AS400 died – so everyone went on holiday and I stayed back over Christmas and NewYear until it was fixed, then once it was fixed I implemented Exchange 2007.

hey.... no sense in sitting around idle...

Last year I put our company through new licensing options from Microsoft and even paved the way to have new SKU’s created, delivered custom applications through Sharepoint, and built up our new Dynamics AX environment.

Not just satisfied with keeping my own ship afloat, when Microsoft launchwave for Server 2008 neglected to come down to Dunedin, I rang Microsoft and they agreed to hold another session down here, and not just content with that – I organised my team and we rang as many companies as we could to get them all to the session. An event success!

I also assist my wife with her online business http://www.chookmook.co.nz and was instrumental in having her product reviewed by a division of People magazine in the USA – ROCK ON!

To top it off, I’m also doing a strategic management degree at Otago Polytechnic and have a wife and two kids at home – where do I find the time? Who needs sleep anyway!

IT Rockstar or stupid?

Go on – spot me the 10g’s of overseas conference so that I can get the hell out of here and have a holiday!

36 Comments

  1. Mark

    3 June, 2009 at 11:35 am

    Wow, I worked with Aaron when he was just a roadie (before the tats and the kids) with a forestry company migrating users to a W2k domain….it’s cool to see how much he has done. His talent was obvious even back in 2000! Would love to see you and the flock if you make it to the States! Good Luck!

  2. Aaron

    29 May, 2009 at 10:56 am

    Just wanted to say thanks for all the votes (be it 1 hand or 5) :) all the positive comments, and all the great feedback that I have received to date. Today is the last day of public voting, and then the top5 will be announced - so congratulations to everyone that entered, but also those that made the top10 and subseqently the top5. YOU ROCK!
    Thanks to 920 for running such a great competition, fingers crossed I make it up to Wellington, but if I don’t - good luck to everyone else still in the hunt to be NZ’s 2009 IT Rockstar!
    Cheers
    Aaron

  3. mark B

    28 May, 2009 at 7:26 pm

    Hey Birdee, great looking bit of gear.If they made an IPOD that looked like that I might even buy one.
    You betta wtach out….Airbourne may be knocking on your door wanting you to do the wiring looms for thier wall to wall tower of marshall amplifiers!
    Good luck for Rockstar….your IT creation would have to be one of the best in NZ.

  4. Bernie

    27 May, 2009 at 8:00 pm

    Aaron, lookin’ good!! But can you sing?
    Don’t know how you in IT don’t go nuts sometimes, but do know you do indeed manage to cover our amateur asses.

  5. Seth Dickinson

    27 May, 2009 at 2:01 pm

    Okay, now the penny drops and puts everything in perspective…… lol. Rapped that you’ve taken those Brass clangers outside the ‘Concrete Bunker’ and are now taking on the world, (The rest of the world needed to see for themselves……..)
    Personally I think the achievements reached on your site are tremendous and a credit to your winning combination of creativity, ingenuity and engineering genius, (Ahem, with a little help of course) which without your persistence to create something as uniquely streamlined, compact and future proof would not normally feature in the more common, conservative projects of similar nature.
    Proud to have been associated with your “Masterpiece”. Rock-on.

  6. Trev

    26 May, 2009 at 9:46 pm

    And while Aaron was organising the new HQ, he also helped me with my annoying questions regarding networking hardware for one of the papers I was taking towards my IT degree.

    And I understood what he was saying. Not bad considering he is a Gore boy!

    You rock!!

  7. Alistair Hogg

    26 May, 2009 at 2:21 pm

    Mate, if I hadn’t been there and seen it in progress myself I don’t think I would have believed it. Great accomplishment whatever way you look at it, and obviously very satisfying. Not happy you have better stamps on your arms than me and not convinced they aren’t stick ons!!! Good work mate, go for it.

  8. Keith

    26 May, 2009 at 12:50 pm

    Looks more like Aaron’s midlife crisis than Rock Star but hey what ever works for you. Of course you are the orginal IT wizard so more than happy to wish you every success. Looking forward to catching up, but can you at least turn your hat around the right way if we are going to have coffee.

  9. Richard Fogarty

    26 May, 2009 at 12:28 pm

    Outstanding effort to make it to the Top 10, Rock On A Bird! You have my vote. i am surprised though you have not shifted your office to that server room, something to be be very proud of! All the best.

  10. Michelle Smith

    25 May, 2009 at 8:05 pm

    This put a way different spin on things, you looked a lot different 20 or so years ago!!!!!! Good luck and go for it, you have worked hard to get this far!!!!!!!

  11. Jock

    25 May, 2009 at 11:38 am

    Stop standing around and get back to work. Do you not realise there is a network to manage and users to keep happy. Well done mate on making the top 10, you deserve it. No doubt we will see you in the top 5.

  12. Jacinta aka ChookMook

    24 May, 2009 at 12:31 pm

    Congrats on making it to the top ten!!!

  13. Jock

    23 May, 2009 at 5:57 pm

    Stop standing around and get back to work. Do you not know there is a network to manage, users to keep happy, and good coffee to drink. Well done on making the top 10, you deserve it. If the IT gig gets to stressful for you, there is always male modeling……..

  14. Phil Bray

    18 May, 2009 at 4:48 pm

    Aaron is very easy to deal with ,knows what he needs , and is
    quick to install and run all our drivers and software

  15. Paul

    18 May, 2009 at 11:03 am

    Awesome clip mate, I think you could be more Rock Star than IT Manager….. guess we will see ya on NZIDOL next!!

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