Five on Friday

Featuring Chris O'Brien, network manager

1. What's the role of a network manager?
I manage a team that is responsible for making sure computers (and other devices) can connect and communicate on Olivet's network and with others on the Internet. There are a lot of servers, services and utilities running behind the scenes that require quite a bit of interaction to keep things running smoothly. Most of our time is spent monitoring and working on those.

2. How many spam e-mails do you block from Olivet inboxes on a daily basis?
Between 125,000 and 400,000 messages per day!

3. You and your wife both work at Olivet. How did the two of you meet?
Our stories actually differ a little. We had a Bible class together, but she doesn't remember me from that. I would come to class a half-hour late twice a week due to an overlapping ecology lab, but I must not have made enough of an entrance to be noticed! Some time after that, we both worked as students in the IT department - that is when she remembers meeting me.

4. What are you most looking forward to as spring approaches?
Getting outside and spending a lot more time on one of my favorite hobbies, photography.

5. With a name like O'Brien, do you have any plans to celebrate St. Patrick's Day next week?
Being Irish already, I tend to celebrate that all year round! But I'm sure I'll wear a green shirt and/or tie. :)