OpenStack Spotlight – Bill Bauman & Francisco Hernandez

We caught up with Bill Bauman the Cloud Content Marketing Manager at Canonical to give us an insight into his work and his love for technology.

What do you do at Canonical

I came from a technical background, but at Canonical I run content and strategy for our cloud marketing team. That means I get to tell the story of how our cloud tool set grew from Ubuntu into the amazing ecosystem it is today. That includes Ubuntu OpenStack, LXD – the container hypervisor, Juju – the original application modeling tool, and more. I love explaining things. I write a lot of eBooks that explain things like Big Data, SDN, and NFV at a technical business executive’s level. I want everyone, from our beloved developer community to a company’s CIO to really understand the benefits and capabilities of the massive transition to microservices and software infrastructure that we’re all enjoying.

What made you decide to join Canonical?

The people and the technology. When I spoke with people at Canonical, they were passionate, they believed, and they were having fun. Our OpenStack tool set is really unmatched. I saw a full Ubuntu OpenStack cloud deployed in 20 minutes. I saw graphical interfaces that were easy to understand. Seeing is believing, and I felt like I really “got it”. That’s powerful stuff.

Why should people want to speak with you at OpenStack in Austin?

I get really, passionately excited about technology, bikes, travel, coffee, and I’m sure some other things. If you want to talk to someone who responds from the heart, with a thoughtful response, then find me and let’s chat! I love meeting new people. If you’re interested  specifically about Canonical, like our cloud products, I know most of our cloud stuff pretty well, and can demo things for you on my laptop or at our booth. If you want to know about what it’s like to work at Canonical, I’m happy to talk about that, as well.

Top tip for people attending their first OpenStack event?

I’m sure you’ve already heard about showing up for packed sessions, but one of the hidden gems of an OpenStack Summit is the diversity of both attendees and companies. Don’t be shy, and if you are, just get close enough that someone can talk to you. I have learned so much by just walking the exhibitor hall and talking to people I’ve never met. On that same token, don’t be afraid of vendor sessions, some of them are absolutely some of the most useful presentations. Just choose wisely, if you think the topic is interesting, go for it, vendor, individual, panel; there’s just a ton of good stuff, so, I guess I’m saying two things – don’t be afraid to meet new people, and diversify!

What do you love about your job?

The fun. The opportunity. My colleagues. Our success. There is variety in everything, every day. We get to work with the largest providers of communications infrastructure, cloud services, financial services, etc. We actually incorporate customer feedback in what we do.

What keeps you at Canonical?

The same things that I love about my job. Canonical isn’t easy, we all work hard, and we’re all accountable to, and support each other. We’re a community. You get to work directly with the founder, Mark Shuttleworth. You see his vision, his passion, his dedication. It’s an inspiring place, and the standard that Mark holds everyone to is excellence, nothing less.

Where is your office?

I work from home, in Portland, Oregon, USA. I love the flexibility of how we work, and the diversity of where everyone is from.

Francisco Hernandez – Solutions Architect

Francisco Hernandez tells us about his time at Canonical, tips for attending Openstack events and why he loves his job.

Describe what do you do at Canonical

In brief, I am a Solutions Architect working mainly for Telco-NFV engagements.

Who are you interested in speaking with at OpenStack in Austin?

To everyone in fact, from Developers to Administrators, but due to my Telco background I would love talking Telco operators and provides.

Why should people want to speak with you at OpenStack in Austin?

Because I would like to share how 5G NFVs can be deployed and managed using Juju (as generic-VNFM) and how it fits in the ETSI Telco Cloud Architecture.

Top tip for people attending their first OpenStack event?

Make sure you check out Ubuntu OpenStack’s Nova with LXD Containers and Juju (Service Modelling).

What made you decide to join Canonical?

The technologies and tools that we have access to here in Canonical are exciting. Having a Telecom background, I know my skills will be embraced and used heavily with Telecom carriers and Telecom providers.

What do you love about your job?

Everyday I learn something new, and everyday I get an opportunity to push myself into new challenges – and quite honestly, I enjoy collaborating with people smarter than me.

What keeps you at Canonical?

The people first then the technologies.

Where is your office?

I am working from home in Lewisville TX, which has made me more productive rather than working in an office with constant interruptions and distractions…not to mention my first day on the job, I knew my way around the “office” ; )

Interested in career opportunities with Canonical? Visit us at OpenStack Summit Austin (link to page) or check out our career openings (Link to page)

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