Let’s start with a background.
I went to school for physics. I discovered that I hated advanced mathematics. I switched to computer science. All of you in the know, stop laughing.
After school, I took a job as a systems administrator at a college. Well, at a university. Well, at a very good university. I was a fresh out, and they asked me questions like, “Do you know Windows?” And being that I’d built my own computers and installed Windows 95/98, and had logged in a few times to an NT domain, I said, “Of course! I’m a windows expert!”
I believed that for all of about 4 hours my first day.
What I discovered very quickly is that I didn’t know anything about Windows. What I did know was how to install a workstation operating system and software. What I did know (but I didn’t realize then) was how to troubleshoot problems with the operating system and software. What I know now (that I only realized fairly recently) is that the ability to troubleshoot, to see problems in an environment (ANY environment), identify them, categorize them, research them, and solve them… THAT is a skill. One that far too few people actually have (but often claim they do).
But I’m not here to toot my own horn. The opposite, in fact. I want to paint a picture here for you, the reader, so that you understand where I’m coming from before you walk down the SharePoint path with me. I have 10 years of Microsoft Windows and Active Directory experience. I’ve built and upgraded and migrated Windows NT/2000/2003/2008 domains. I’ve created robust group policy schemes. I’ve deployed software. I’ve dinked around on Cisco networking equipment. I’ve imaged hundreds of computers. I am capable of troubleshooting any of those systems. I installed SharePoint 3.0. Once. And then never really used it. Now you have the background.
I am now, currently, a SharePoint Administrator. I interviewed for the position and told them, up front, that 1) I didn’t know anything about SharePoint, and 2) I didn’t think that would be a problem. I have learned a great deal more about SharePoint in the last week than I knew a month ago, and a month ago, I’d learned a great deal more than I’d known initially.
This blog will hopefully outline my trials and tribulations, my goofs and gaffs, and my successes as I build out the SharePoint infrastructure here. I’m not sure how anonymous this will remain, but for now, I’ll leave specifics out.