Meet Your OpenStack Training Instructor: Devin Parrish
In this next edition of the “Meet your OpenStack Training Instructor” series, Devin Parrish takes a few minutes to tell us a little more about himself.
Tell us more about your background. How did you become involved in OpenStack training?
After completing my studies in Computer Science, I began working as a Systems Administrator/Devops engineer. From this early experience, I was able to further my skills in networking, storage technologies, Linux administration and software development in languages such as Java and Python.
I love sharing the knowledge, skills and expertise I have gained from those experiences. That is why my role as an Openstack Technical Instructor is such as great fit. It combines my passion for technology and teaching, while also letting me continually interact with others who share those same passions.
What do you enjoy most about training?
I enjoy meeting new people interested in the OpenStack ecosystem and learning how they are planning to use it. A lot of organizations have already done an OpenStack deployment. And so, it's interesting to hear about their experiences and any speed bumps they may have encountered along the way.
That’s what I love about leading these OpenStack trainings. My role extends beyond just lecturing and sharing my expertise. I also get to work collaboratively with any number of professionals, and provide them with guided, one-on-one instruction to real-world challenges.
What particular challenges or opportunities will Mirantis OpenStack training help students meet?
Learning any new topic can be a daunting task. Trying to teach yourself can be challenging, because it can be fairly difficult to even know where to start. Our classes explain things in a logical, structured format, with one topic building of the previous topic. By the end of the final day of class, this format gives each student the core knowledge that they can use to start building on top of.
What kinds of professionals are most likely to benefit from participating in this class?
System Architects to System Administrators. I also think there is something for a wide variety of professionals in each of our OpenStack Training classes. Our hands-on labs are great at getting usage, configuration, and troubleshooting experience, while our in-depth lectures give a lot of information that can be applied when planning for an OpenStack deployment.
What advice would you give our readers who want to learn more about OpenStack?
There's always more to learn, especially in a space that is expanding as rapidly as OpenStack. Build on your fundamental knowledge by attending local meetup groups, the OpenStack summit, and by reading blog posts from Mirantis experts.
What’s one interesting fact or story about you that your students would be surprised to learn?
Two weeks after getting my motorcycle license, my friend and I took our motorcycles from Ottawa, Canada down to New Orleans to spend one night there, only to have to turn around and go back to make it back in time to go to work.
