I have formal training and certifications including: Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, US Government certified Terminal Area Security Officer, with various other lesser certifications. I have 25 years of data technology experience. I build some of the fastest servers.
The fact that my profession requires more of my personal time than most other professions to be well educated and informed is a reality. So, yes it is a labor of love.
If you want solutions to your problems that work, hire a professional. Have a professional do it right the first time. When someone comes to me after a network is in extremely poor condition, the dollar signs roll in my eyes. It costs three times as much or more to repair an improperly maintained or engineered network than it does to do the job right from scratch or maintain as it is needed.
Those of you considering information technology as a means to make lucrative six figure salaries would be better served to study law or medicine. You’ll make more money quicker with less of your personal time occupied by your professional requirements. The rules of science and law change SLOWLY. Information technology changes occur daily.
In my years of providing professional support and services I have had one client of note that OVER SPENT on Technology. The Client has a small office with eight work stations and purchased $150,000 of server hardware and software from an organization. They would have been better suited to spend $28,000 or less. I suggested they sell the excessive servers that they could not even afford to maintain correctly. Then to purchase more cost effective solutions. There are companies out there that will take advantage. Before you spend $20,000 or more on technology, get a second or third opinion.