No Vendor is More Special than Another
June 18th 2008 02:29
No Vendor is More Special than Another
Time to put my It hat back on. I usually leave off whilst blogging for a number of reason: one is that I get paid to write IT reports and Orble cannot afford me; another is that the supporting data for many serious claims is valuable in the market place so I am not such a fool to bite the hand that feeds me; the third reason is that any claim in IT attracts a Nerd Flame War. Nerd Flame War are no different than any other flame war because “the crapth dost floweth free” from the mouths of novices whereas the experienced tend to be less verbose. Rather than a discussion about the merits of a new technology we end up with competition not unlike whether Holden or Ford make better cars or which team in the footy is best. In some parts of the industry there are saying that are designed as a reality check for over enthusiastic ego maniac such as: Now you have finally qualified you may think you are King Shit, but the day you start work you will realize that you Shit amongst Kings. Charming statement, crass but completely true.
How does this relate to Vendors of technical equipment? The answer is that often people pick sides in the Vendor Wars in the same way that they pick a football team. Once having made their choice many are reluctant to change that choice for any reason, but mostly because they see it as their baby and must be defended to end. It becomes a power struggle where “I am right because I say” not because the overwhelming evidence and statistical trends have shown it to be so. People fall in love with a vendor as they do a car and like love it can be blind to all its faults.
You may ask how it is that people in the Information Technology industry end up being so emotional when the essence of their job is to be as scientific and objective as they can possibly be. The answer is “Seduction”. People are seduced by vendors because the vendors are totally reliant upon client loyalty to turn profit. Home users are just small fry in the market but IT purchasing officers are the core business that makes or breaks a vendor. Just a single company purchase can be worth millions and have added streams of revenue from this like support and training.
We can take the example of any major vendor in the IT market today and you will that only part of their business is actually producing the item of technology: the software or the hardware. Once the original purchase is made how would the Vendor keep money flowing in? Take Cisco Systems for example; they produce routers to move network traffic around. Yet they also run Cisco training to teach the Network Engineer how to use their equipment. They also provide seminars and lavish breakfasts to impress the trainers and industry experts. By the time you have finished looking a Cisco Leather Jackets and Baseball Hats you are looking at two intertwined industries that feed each other. Sun has a similar business structure. The Sun Servers can cost upwards of $40,000 and Sun encourage everyone to load Sun Solaris as the preferred Operating System. Sun also provide support for the whole system and offer a 3 day training course in Solaris for the Network Engineer running the system. The Engineer can do further studies and certify in Solaris. Microsoft sell the product and design MCSE course for the ambitious IT Employees to follow. Almost every vendor has a certification course required by IT staff to qualify in.
Vendor Certification is a self feeding monster that becomes an industry in itself. The Cisco CCNA is just the first step up a ladder to the ultimate prize of the CCIE and the magic six figure pay packet. Solaris has a shorter ladder but lucrative enough for those that wish to climb it. The Microsoft MCSE is considered by many as the stepping stone into the industry as so attract people of all kinds and competencies. Yet there is always a catch and it is called recertification. Many vendors have a 3 year sunset clause on all their certifications (on last check the CCIE had a 2 year sunset) where the person must sit the test again. The little circle of training starts again in what is the best example of perpetual motion you will find. Getting off creates the fear of being ousted from the industry.
We have a culture where the vendor controls much of the IT purchasing officers thinking before he call them to get prices. The IT staff are asked to research the best solution and they call up the Vendors for information. The Vendors offer equipment and a training course that will secure the IT staff better industry qualifications; The Certification is used to secure better jobs; the jobs require more certification; the vendor offer huge discounts to the purchaser based upon the number of staff that have certified in their product and the staff ask for more pay because they are now certified. The circle of certification goes on for the IT staff with the Vendors laughing all the way to bank. The bottom line for most IT staff will be based upon self interest. Just like the executive that ponders a contract over the best free lunch the IT staff ponder a purchase over the best training option.
If a Vendor server and software costs $60,000 all up but a generic version costs $5,000 you may wonder why people are so quick to lose $55,000. Logic should dictate second thoughts. However fear of missing out on Vendor based Certification can often skew such decisions towards self survival. Those that have that magic piece of Vendor stamped paper more often than not get the job. The problem is that it does not always mean that the best decisions are being made.
In the end, no matter what they offer, a Vendor is just another Vendor in the market.
The end: I will now take my IT hat off and go back to destroying the world.
I am Certified. How can you tell?
Time to put my It hat back on. I usually leave off whilst blogging for a number of reason: one is that I get paid to write IT reports and Orble cannot afford me; another is that the supporting data for many serious claims is valuable in the market place so I am not such a fool to bite the hand that feeds me; the third reason is that any claim in IT attracts a Nerd Flame War. Nerd Flame War are no different than any other flame war because “the crapth dost floweth free” from the mouths of novices whereas the experienced tend to be less verbose. Rather than a discussion about the merits of a new technology we end up with competition not unlike whether Holden or Ford make better cars or which team in the footy is best. In some parts of the industry there are saying that are designed as a reality check for over enthusiastic ego maniac such as: Now you have finally qualified you may think you are King Shit, but the day you start work you will realize that you Shit amongst Kings. Charming statement, crass but completely true.
The Vendor is offering 3 day introduction course with my million dollar purchase
You may ask how it is that people in the Information Technology industry end up being so emotional when the essence of their job is to be as scientific and objective as they can possibly be. The answer is “Seduction”. People are seduced by vendors because the vendors are totally reliant upon client loyalty to turn profit. Home users are just small fry in the market but IT purchasing officers are the core business that makes or breaks a vendor. Just a single company purchase can be worth millions and have added streams of revenue from this like support and training.
Yes we love Unix. How can you tell?
We can take the example of any major vendor in the IT market today and you will that only part of their business is actually producing the item of technology: the software or the hardware. Once the original purchase is made how would the Vendor keep money flowing in? Take Cisco Systems for example; they produce routers to move network traffic around. Yet they also run Cisco training to teach the Network Engineer how to use their equipment. They also provide seminars and lavish breakfasts to impress the trainers and industry experts. By the time you have finished looking a Cisco Leather Jackets and Baseball Hats you are looking at two intertwined industries that feed each other. Sun has a similar business structure. The Sun Servers can cost upwards of $40,000 and Sun encourage everyone to load Sun Solaris as the preferred Operating System. Sun also provide support for the whole system and offer a 3 day training course in Solaris for the Network Engineer running the system. The Engineer can do further studies and certify in Solaris. Microsoft sell the product and design MCSE course for the ambitious IT Employees to follow. Almost every vendor has a certification course required by IT staff to qualify in.
Vendor Certification is a self feeding monster that becomes an industry in itself. The Cisco CCNA is just the first step up a ladder to the ultimate prize of the CCIE and the magic six figure pay packet. Solaris has a shorter ladder but lucrative enough for those that wish to climb it. The Microsoft MCSE is considered by many as the stepping stone into the industry as so attract people of all kinds and competencies. Yet there is always a catch and it is called recertification. Many vendors have a 3 year sunset clause on all their certifications (on last check the CCIE had a 2 year sunset) where the person must sit the test again. The little circle of training starts again in what is the best example of perpetual motion you will find. Getting off creates the fear of being ousted from the industry.
We have a culture where the vendor controls much of the IT purchasing officers thinking before he call them to get prices. The IT staff are asked to research the best solution and they call up the Vendors for information. The Vendors offer equipment and a training course that will secure the IT staff better industry qualifications; The Certification is used to secure better jobs; the jobs require more certification; the vendor offer huge discounts to the purchaser based upon the number of staff that have certified in their product and the staff ask for more pay because they are now certified. The circle of certification goes on for the IT staff with the Vendors laughing all the way to bank. The bottom line for most IT staff will be based upon self interest. Just like the executive that ponders a contract over the best free lunch the IT staff ponder a purchase over the best training option.
If a Vendor server and software costs $60,000 all up but a generic version costs $5,000 you may wonder why people are so quick to lose $55,000. Logic should dictate second thoughts. However fear of missing out on Vendor based Certification can often skew such decisions towards self survival. Those that have that magic piece of Vendor stamped paper more often than not get the job. The problem is that it does not always mean that the best decisions are being made.
After the CCCCCCNAEICANA certification I can ask for a raise.
In the end, no matter what they offer, a Vendor is just another Vendor in the market.
The end: I will now take my IT hat off and go back to destroying the world.
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Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
Thanks for your comments.
I am biased toward Cisco because that is was my primary income. Knowing that you are on a ride and knowing how to get off are two different things.
In essence by the time someone certifies as CCIE they should know lotsa stuff. And yes it does command a big pay packet. Case is sold if someone else is paying for your certification.
However I do know two of the original architects of the Australian Internet and they have no certification. One writes books in conjunction with Cisco. The other was sometime found sleeping on his routers after alate night. Yet few people are that brilliant and so we must show a piece of paper to prove it.
The circle of training begins with self interest and few people are as self interested as IT staff.
Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
I am suggesting that dedication to something can go to the point of love. He wanted to be with what he loved doing.
However do not go so far that you are actually sleeping with the routers. If you start to see a router as an alternative to a woman then seek help fast.