Knoxville Technology: Q&A with LOPSA-ETENN Co-Founder Mike Julian

During my recent trip to Knoxville, where I went in search of the existing technology scene in East Tennessee, I had the opportunity to interview Mike Julian. Mike Julian is a cofounder of LOPSA-ETENN and works as a Senior Systems Engineer for Peak Hosting. LOPSA(League of Professional System Administrators)'s goal is "To advance the practice of system administration; to support, recognize, educate and encourage its practitioners; and to serve the public through education and outreach on system administration issues".

What is LOPSA-ETENN and how long has it been around?

"LOPSA-ETENN is a chapter of LOPSA (http://lopsa.org). We exist to bring together system administrators from the East TN area to learn from each other and make new friends in the industry. We launched the chapter in June 2012."

Knoxville isn’t exactly known as a technology hub yet LOPSA-ETENN hosts monthly events, would you say that LOPSA-ETENN could be considered synonymous with technology in East Tennessee?

"There's actually more technology than people realize! We have Oak Ridge National Lab here, home of Titan, Gaea, and Kraken (top supercomputers), the Spallation Neutron Source (a high-flux isotope reactor), plus several major companies (TVA, Scripps Networks). Not to mention Chattanooga only an hour and a half away, home of the country's first municipal gigabit ethernet, as well as home to GigTank, a startup incubator.

I wouldn't say that LOPSA-ETENN is synonymous with technology in East TN, but we certainly have many major players attending on a regular basis."

What does Knoxville provide to the technology world?

"As I mentioned above, ORNL has three top supercomputers on site, used for everything from Medicare research to climate modeling."

Before I moved from East Tennessee last year I was hearing about a project that would teach local youths how to build a Raspberry Pi, did that program come to fruition as far as you know?

"Unfortunately, I do not believe that ever came to fruition. I'm not sure the reason."

I believe that two things more people should have first hand knowledge with how they function are cars and computers. How important is it to introduce the next generation to technology at an early age?

"Absolutely critical. Thankfully, technology is everywhere, and kids get their hands on technology pretty easily now."