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network managers are hired to lead the way for their users
The network manager is the person who shows end users and management the right combination of hardware, software and procedures to perform a task in the most efficient way. The user doesn't know about the dozens of combinations that the network manager tried that didn't work. Usually working alone, the network manager finds that magic combination by intelligence, persistence and luck. That's the way it should be; network managers are hired to lead the way for their users. But wouldn't it be great if there were some way for network managers to get together and share the information they've learned with each other?
* When thinking about buying a new product, struggling to work the bugs out of a product or wondering how to solve a particular organizational problem, wouldn't it be wonderful if each network manager could talk with someone who has already been down that road?
Those were the goals in creating the Apple Network Manager's Association (ANMA).
Since April, 1991, in both Seattle and the San Francisco Bay Area, network managers and professionals have been getting together in local monthly sessions. Now, this same concept is being brought to Los Angeles.
Every month we have an open and very candid technical discussion about the problems we've had, the solutions we've tried, the products we like and the products we've had trouble with. Members use this time to ask each other how to solve particular problems.
We also have more formal presentations by individual members and outside vendors, who show us how they've set up their networks, incorporated the required protocols and systems, linked distant sites together, structured their wiring, etc.
ANMA invites vendors to speak at many of meetings. For example, we will be asking Power On Software to send an engineer up from Orange County to cover some of the settings and features in Now Up To Date and Now Contact.
Over time, we will be reaching out to Maxum, Apple, Farallon, Cisco and others. The vendors have generally sent (at our request) technical employees. The discussions will be short on marketing, long on solutions and give us a forum for our feedback to the vendors about their products, policies and service.
We will also publish a newsletter, and create a library of books to be checked out. We're all busy people -- that's the nature of what we do -- but we've found it worthwhile to take the time to come together and share our information.
In building a community we find that we can all grow more both personally and profesionally with a more collaborative environment. Give The Network Group a call and tell us you are interested in getting a local ANMA group started. I know you'll find it rewarding.
Charles Edge, President
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