[TriLUG] June Meeting -- The Evolution of Systems Administration with NetActuate and the TriLUG Elections!

[Brian McCullough via TriLUG]

As technology infrastructure evolves, so too does the role of the system
administrator. What was once a role defined by hands-on hardware
management and server uptime has grown into a dynamic,
automation-driven, and highly strategic discipline. In this talk, Craig
Jackson from NetActuate explores the transformation of system
administration from traditional break-fix and maintenance tasks to
modern expectations that include infrastructure as code, cloud
orchestration, cybersecurity awareness, observability, and cross-team
collaboration. We'll examine how the rise of DevOps culture, containers,
and platform engineering has reshaped not just the tools sysadmins use,
but also the mindset required to stay effective and relevant. This
session is both a retrospective and a call to action: to embrace
adaptability, continuous learning, and the shift from "keeping the
lights on" to becoming infrastructure architects and enablers of
innovation.

A lifelong Linux and Unix enthusiast, Craig got his start as a hobbyist
in his adolescence, eventually working in dial-up internet support
through the 90s and early 2000s. During college, he interned at a
healthcare hosting company, where he deepened his understanding of
infrastructure and real-world operations. He later took a career turn
into healthcare, stepping away from tech for a time. When he returned to
the internet world, he found a landscape transformed -- where scripts
became pipelines, servers became containers, and sysadmins became
automation engineers. Now established in the cloud networking and DevOps
world @ NetActuate, he's been on a continual path of rediscovery,
bridging old-school fundamentals with modern infrastructure
requirements.




TriLUG Elections are upon us!

Due to various circumstances, the TriLUG Steering Committee Elections
were postponed from the May meeting until the June.

TriLUG elections are upon us! TriLUG needs YOU to help with the week to
week operations and steer the direction of TriLUG for the next year (May
- May). As described in About Steering, there are 5 positions:
- Chair
- Vice Chair
- Treasurer
- PR Officer
- SysAdmin

Candidates do not run for a specific position, but to become a member of
the overall Steering Committee.

Together, the individuals elected to these positions do things like:
- Curate speakers for monthly meetings
- Manage TriLUG infrastructure/services
- Coordinate on various TriLUG concerns

Please fill out the form at Nomination Form to put yourself or another
as a nominee on the ballot. During the meeting, we will vote on the top
5 nominees who will then become the new Steering Committee for
2025-2026. There will be a lot of challenges in the upcoming year, but
there will be ample opportunity to network with others and grow
community organization skills.

The Talk:

Watch this space! The TriLUG Steering Committee is working on finalizing
speaker details for the June meeting. The description and title of this
meeting will change once details are confirmed.

As usual, pizza and beverages will be provided and the meeting will be
held at the North Carolina College of Textiles, room 2207, 1020 Main
Campus Drive, Raleigh NC, 27606 at 7:30 PM.

Please sign up using the Meetup link so that an accurate headcount can
be gathered for pizza and drinks. That link is: TriLUG Meetup

Note that TriLUG meetings start at 7:30 PM this year due to a change in
venue availability. Please adjust accordingly

There is an underground parking deck next to the College at the Monteith
Engineering Parking Deck. Parking is free after 5 PM.

Call for speakers and topics

We are always looking for potential speakers! If you or someone you know
would like to present on a topic please let us know. Contact the TriLUG
Steering Committee by email at steering at trilug.org