Interview with a Windows Server 2010, Exchange Server 2010, and Hyper-V Wiki Ninja and MCC: Florian Zimmermann

Welcome to our Monday Interview with a Wiki Ninja!

I love the blog titles where you have to read them three times just to understand what they mean. Read it two more times. Eventually it makes sense. =^)

Today's ninja is Florian Zimmerman, someone who's been a huge help on TechNet Wiki, a Microsoft Community Contributor (MCC), a Microsoft Partner, a contributor to some German Wiki content, an active Gallery participater (click here for his contributions), a fellow writer on this blog, and he is also helping me moderate in the "Where Is" forum.

FZB's avatar

 

FZB's Profile

 

From Florian's Profile: "I have been working over the years both as software developer and administrator. software development focuses on .net/c#, administration the whole microsoft server range as well as storage solutions and network infrastructure. currently working as administrator, responsible for maintenance and developing of our network (das to san, hyper-v standalone servers to clustering, introducing 10GBase-T/SFP+,...)"

 

Who are you, where are you, and what do you do? What are your specialty technologies?

Hi, my name is Florian Zimmermann and I currently work as an IT System Administrator. Where I work, this involves the maintenance of the existing infrastructure as well as planning future architecture and used technology. On the hardware side of things, I mostly work with Dell PowerEdge Servers (R710/R810) and Equallogic SAN Enclosers as well as Switching infrastructure (SFP+ for Storage, RJ-45 for Server backbone) including VLAN. Speciality tech when it comes to software would probably be Windows (Virtualisation/AD) followed by MSSQL and Exchange. There is more hardware and software, though I wouldn’t call the rest specialities.

 

What are your big projects right now?

That’s one of the nice things about working in the IT industries, there’s always something new to learn or improve on. On of the bigger upcoming projects at work at the moment is getting our Hyper-V Cluster from Windows 2008 R2 to Windows Server 2012. Almost done is the migration from Exchange 2003 to 2010. When it comes to learning and certifications, I am preparing for the SQL 2012 exams at the moment.

 

Besides your work on TechNet Wiki, where do you contribute?

Before I started with the Wiki, I was – and still am - active in the forums (and before that the newsgroups and chats back in the days). The forums are still the most active part, but I also publish scripts I think can be used as example for others on TechNet Gallery. Activity List.

 

What is TechNet Wiki for? Who is it for?

Lets start with the second question first: TechNet Wiki is for everyone! If you are involved with IT, this is the place where you find How-To’s and Explanations beyond what a manual can provide (Manuals have a hard time nowadays with fast paced product/tech cycles, in my opinion you don’t find many good ones, simply as there often is not enough time to make a in depth one). Don’t find it? Make it! Extend on it, correct it, either in articles or in comments.

 

What do you do with TechNet Wiki, and how does that fit into the rest of your job?

It started with reading articles found by searching the internet, from there it continued with editing (while reading you stumble over typo’s, formatting issues, outdated info like links to old service packs and such things). I also translate articles to german now and then and create new content, though that varies depending on the time available.

Fitting the rest of the job… It’s the same as with forums or gallery for me, you learn a lot by participating, and when you don’t just consume experience/knowledge, you give some back.

  

Who has impressed you in the Wiki community, and why?

And the winner is… the community. There is really not one person to pull out of the mass in my opinion. Of course you have the more prominent members with a lot of articles and activity, but in the end, it’s maybe even the less popular content where someone put his or her experience over a specific problem not very common that safes the day for someone searching for help. So you could say, everytime you find the info you need, the author (and potentially many editors) got me impressed.

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Thanks to Florian for all your contributions!

Please post any questions or comments to Florian below.

Remember, what goes up, must go Wiki. (I actually don't know what that means.)

   - Ninja Ed