Meet NPX 012 – Tim Buckholz
- Name: Tim Buckholz
- NPX Number:012
- Employer: Nutanix
- Blog URL: tbuckholz.wordpress.com
- Twitter: @tbuckholz
- Virtualisation background: I first got into virtualization back in the mid 2000s, working with GSX, workstation, and ESX 2 as my company virtualized a large chunk of our existing environment. Over the years I’ve worked with most versions of esx and hyper-v, a fair amount of xen server, and AHV heavily since it came out.
- Storage Background:In my first job as a customer, we had a variety of HP and Hitachi SAN gear running over fibre channel. Windows 2003 failover clusters were my first introduction to shared storage troubleshooting and learning all the fun that comes with fibre channel
- Hyper Converged Infrastructure background: Between my time at Nutanix and a partner before, I’ve been around the Nutanix technology for 4+ years now. I remember back when foundation was a new tool the Nutanix SE at the time I worked with was trying to figure out ?
- Future of HCI and other emerging technologies:HCI as it allows for the simplification of infrastructure in various ways (not just fixing storage) is table stakes at this point, regardless of the vendor. Where it will be interesting to watch is how the platforms evolve to encompass new technologies and integrate concepts in an easy to consume way. For example, not just running kubernetes properly, but helping to migrate applications into the platform automatically, or making adaptive changes to the system on behalf of the user. There is still a lot of room to improve systems where the user in some fashion helps it understand their end goal / intent, and the system sorts it out and adjusts parameters to meet their goals vs just automating their requested action(s).
- Value of NPX: As an architecture focused certificate, there is obviously value for people wanting to improve in their career. Being able to demonstrate high level skills across multiple domains of expertise in disparate environments is very important to customers (internal or external) that like keeping their options open while knowing that the end result will truly meet their needs.
- What made you go for NPX: I wanted the certificate primarily to prove to myself that I could achieve something at that level. The fact that it’s a defense in front of a panel of 3 people means that it’s not an accident when you pass, and there is no way to cheat your way through like a lot of the computerized tests, so it’s definitely validation of your skills and capabilities.
- Advise to people looking into the NPX track:While the certificate is difficult to achieve, it’s something that many people are capable of if they are willing to put in the effort. In many cases people do work at the level it requires, its simply requiring them to document everything in depth and formally write it all down in ways they may not today.