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. Donna

    14 May, 2009 at 7:49 pm

    Singing voice mail?
    hope it matchs the look dude??????

  2. Jacque

    10 May, 2009 at 10:14 pm

    Good Luck Aaron….can I put an order in for some duty free alcohol????? Ha Ha…RRRRR(southern drawl)rrrockstar ……

  3. sonia

    10 May, 2009 at 2:22 pm

    way to go birdy,, you have my vote,, all the best and I hope u top the winners list.. u sure as hell have put ur back into it,, sonz

  4. Paul M.

    8 May, 2009 at 9:53 am

    A hard working geek - and a really nice guy! What is the world coming to ? Good Luck.

  5. Frosty

    5 May, 2009 at 11:43 pm

    Oh lord, That’s some sexy hardware! Mmmm mmm…

  6. petefromrnz

    1 May, 2009 at 10:40 pm

    you got my vote(s)- great photo!!

  7. Tracy

    1 May, 2009 at 10:02 am

    Great pic Aaron! You deserve a break.

  8. Marie

    30 April, 2009 at 11:26 pm

    Rockstar or what! Ill vote on account of your wife will kick my arse if I dont! Lol. But damn it, you deserve it!

  9. Bumbles

    30 April, 2009 at 10:19 pm

    Rock on! Best of luck :)

  10. Aarons number one fan

    30 April, 2009 at 1:32 pm

    I hope you win, you are the hottest IT fella I have ever seen, pity your married, Id have you on toast.
    Big upps to you my home boy G.
    Sexy dude with brainy smarts, what more could you want in a man.

  11. Robyn

    30 April, 2009 at 11:49 am

    You rock man!!!

  12. Donna

    30 April, 2009 at 11:01 am

    What a Hottttttttyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!

    What a rock star bod!
    Rock on dude!!
    Show off them there tats and show other hopefulls what their up against and make them shrink!

    You look really well Aaron.
    Good work and well done Aaron!!
    the smurphs

  13. Angie Mitchell

    29 April, 2009 at 9:22 pm

    hawt!

  14. Ros

    29 April, 2009 at 11:25 am

    Yep - looks most definately looks “ROCKY”. Certainly hope you rock on to winning!!! Well done!

  15. Damian

    29 April, 2009 at 6:44 am

    Hey Aaron, looks like you’ve really nailed it - definitely rockstar material

  16. Theresa

    29 April, 2009 at 12:26 am

    Very cool geek

  17. Yvette

    28 April, 2009 at 3:37 pm

    Really nice photo Aaron, fingers crossed…xx

  18. Anita

    28 April, 2009 at 3:24 pm

    Where to start!! First what a great photo!! I can completely attest to the comments about Microsoft and while I guess I was meant to help you with licensing, you were certainly a help to me also. What a great outcome. You deserve it Aaron!! Good luck and Rock ON…….

  19. Ian

    28 April, 2009 at 3:21 pm

    Spread the word around, the Birdman’s back in town!
    Keep up the singing voicemail messages dude!

  20. Jacinta

    28 April, 2009 at 10:40 am

    010110010110111101110101001000000111001001101111011000110110101100100001

    Translation (binary to text): You rock!

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