Tag John Troyer

First of all I want to introduce you to John Troyer, the gem of Virtualization.   (No, I’m not equating John to Jem and the holograms!)

But it is time to get serious now.   John is often portrayed in the community as Chewbacca, but unbeknownst to popular belief he is actually a tad more related to John Solo.    Although even through this brief history of time, I’d like to share with you my impressions of John over the years, how I’ve seen him and the community grow to foster what is today one of the most well formed and well knit communities on the globe.

John Troyer – The Man, the Legend

In the beginning.   There was investment into social media by VMware.    Yea that is how I remember it.  The first time I saw John Troyer was there were these little live interviews going on at VMworld broadcast to the world via uStream.   It was a very adhoc activity… not officially or formally planned, very thrown together, filled with problems, antics and everything you might expect, but all at the same time, amazing!   Everything really seemed to come a fold in 2008 (Maybe VMware decided to really start investing in the community in 2008… or make John went full stream ahead, either way, VMworld Videos, VMware Communities Podcasts, everything started to unfold from there)

All of a sudden.    VMware had a face.   An adorable face, a human voice, someone who can roll with the punches of trying out new things have problems with people flushing toilets on live recorded podcasts and STILL come out of it stronger! [BTW John, it doesn’t classify as just doing your job especially when you do it so well :)]

John Troyer – Just doing my job

As we got to know John just like we got to know VMware we became to notice various similarities.    WOW [VMware/John] helps me do my work easier!  I no longer feel I’m alone because I suddenly know of others out there just like me! A true sense of community started to form with John as the catalyst.     A little backstory. *I* [CXI] have been working with Virtualization [VMware and others] since VMware was founded as a company.   And honestly, it wasn’t until you got involved John that it went from just being ‘Technology’ to actually having a ‘Community’ If that is just doing your job, point 1: Well done! but it didn’t stop there.    It’s one thing to be responsive and reactive to someone within the Virtualization communities needs, but time and time again you would go above and beyond.    In fact it almost felt like ‘above and beyond’ was the defacto norm; and that is definitely true because of what a total Rockstar you are, character, personality and beyond.    I’ve seen more lives change as a result of interaction with you than you may ever realize [Though hopefully you’ll get to glean and learn some of stories out of these blog posts :)]

Where your Job ends and where John Troyer begins

3 Tips you’re doing your job well

• The virtualization community continues to grow and prosper
• Through education and awareness the mission of VMware focused virtualization is spread
• VMware initiated go to market strategies are executed on

3 things John Troyer has done instead

• Built and fostered not just a community, but a family of virtualization focused overlays; bridging the storage, networking and security communities to Virtualization, even in spite of your own efforts it continues to grow!
• Encouraged individuals and created through no fault of your own [though highly influenced] not only a huge stack of bloggers and often self-made rock stars, but Authors.   Helping foster some of the largest publisher stake investment and drive in a technology ever.
• Brought together the industries best virtualization experts under the guise of vExperts – which the program itself would never have gotten where it is today without your Guidance, Direction, and Brand ownership.   [Some might say that’s a VMware success, but without you in the seat, it could just have easily fallen off like similar programs under other company offerings]
• Side bar: The vExpert Program continues to receive industry recognition and is seen as a OMG MUST HAVE Accolade.    And that accolade is DIRECTLY changing the lives of those in the virtualization community.  Feel free to do an analysis of just the careers of those who hold the designation and what directions and impact it has made on them as people and their future [I’ve done the analysis. Result: John you rock! ;)]

So, when I would have discussions with you and you’d be saying “Oh, I’m just doing my job”.  Yea I too am just doing my job, and we all work when we’re desperately under the weather and our voices get so low and deep we can rock it out with some Barry Manilow Karaoke.   But merely ‘doing your job’ ‘doing a great job’ and where the “John Troyer” effect come into play make the difference between Lightning and Lightning Bugs!

The John Troyer Effect

I want you to know John that I’ve put a lot of time and research in to this and you are an absolute rock star.  The virtualization community would NOT be where it is in strength, numbers and closeness today if it were not for you.   This is not just some mild passing idea or concept, this is a FACT.    Virtualization will come and go, but John Troyer, the connections you foster and grow, the way you enable others to prosper and grow on their own.   Your going above and beyond and BEYOND the call of duty (All claiming it to be in the name of just doing your job)   You my friend ARE Virtualization and the Cloud.     You Life vMotion simply admins and architects and bring them to a transformational journey where they come out of it a better person, a stronger communitarian, and they begin to continue to pay it forward carrying the cycle above and beyond again.

So on behalf of the virtualization, storage, security and cat ears wearing community.  We love you John and we cannot thank you enough for every single thing you do each and every day!    Keep up the OMG amazing everything and have a Happy Birthday!

And last but not least a few words in the heat of the storm.