Infrastructure in the Real World
After years of school, sacrifice, and helping people fix computers for free, my first real opportunity in IT finally arrived.
At the time, I was still attending Los Angeles College full time during the week and Devry Institute of Technology full time on weekends, while raising my children and trying to build a future in technology.
My first professional role came with a 90-day probation period, where I had to prove I could provide help desk and network support across the Los Angeles area.
My title was PC/Network Specialist, supporting over 900 users.
This was during the early infrastructure era of enterprise computing. Our environment included:
- Windows NT 3.5 servers
- DEC Alpha servers
- Cisco ASA firewall
- Cisco switches
- Exchange Server 5.0
- Windows desktop deployments
We were operating in what was called a MAN — Multi-Area Network — connecting multiple locations across the region.
This was infrastructure work in its pure form.
School, Work, and Discipline
My schedule during those years was intense.
Work: 8 AM to 5 PM
LACC classes: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Tuesday/Thursday evenings
Devry classes: Saturday and Sunday all day
There was almost no downtime.
Because I maintained an average 4.4 GPA, I was eventually allowed to attend only midterms and finals for many IT courses, which opened something unexpected.
Opportunity.
Consulting Across the Country
From 1996 to 1998, I began consulting with Korn Ferry International, traveling across the country to help roll out Windows 95 deployments.
I was sent to:
- Manhattan, New York
- Washington, DC
- Houston, Texas
- Menlo Park, California
- Twin Cities, Minnesota
This was during a time when software piracy was rampant, and companies urgently needed IT professionals to modernize their systems.
Demand for infrastructure skills was exploding.
Career Momentum
Opportunities started coming quickly.
Southern California Edison made an offer.
USC matched the pay.
But in July 1999, GTE (now Verizon) made an offer that was too strong to refuse.
By December 1999, I was working as a Network Engineer, responsible for infrastructure from Woodland Hills to Camarillo, California.
That role didn’t last long — not because of failure, but because another opportunity appeared.
An aerospace company in Carson, California offered me a six-figure salary to manage:
- Exchange Server 5.5
- multi-state infrastructure
- enterprise messaging systems
Their locations included:
- Carson, CA
- Lakewood, CA
- Tucson, AZ
- Peekskill, NY
- Bothell, WA
I was constantly traveling.
Week 1 — California
Week 2 — Arizona
Week 3 — New York
Week 4 — Washington
I was living in the friendly sky.
The Cost of Success
During this time, my fourth child was born.
And that’s when I realized something difficult.
My career was growing fast — but I was missing time with my family.
By 2001, I made a decision.
I stepped away from that life and started my own IT business.
Not because I didn’t love technology — but because I needed balance.
What Infrastructure Really Means
When people ask what the Infrastructure path in IT looks like, this period of my life is the answer.
It means:
- supporting systems that must never fail
- traveling when things break
- building networks that connect organizations
- managing communication systems people depend on
- being on call when nobody else can solve the problem
Infrastructure is not glamorous — but it is essential.
And it builds resilience.
Looking Ahead
In Part 3, I’ll share what happened after leaving corporate IT in 2001 — when I started my own IT business and discovered a different side of technology and service.
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