Network Dictionary – Server Hugger

Server Hugger – a sysadmin who like to able to touch their servers, typically to the point of obsession. Thus they must have data centers in their building or very nearby (which is becoming increasingly difficult).

As read on GigaOM
Trailer Park 2.0: Where your data lives.

Server huggers like being near their servers -ñ they feel that the emotional well-being and efficient operation of their servers requires them to be physically close at all times.

In my experience these people fit one of the following categories:

  • young and inexperienced
  • insecure and lacking in sufficient knowledge / training
  • inflated sense of worth
  • working on really old software and hardware that needs constant upgrades.
  • company has not invested in KVM equipment – even though it costs less than the administrator’s time these days.

It is now a given that Server Virtualization and Cloud Computing will make this type of person extinct in the near future.

About Greg Ferro

Greg Ferro is a Network Engineer/Architect, mostly focussed on Data Centre, Security Infrastructure, and recently Virtualization. He has over 20 years in IT, in wide range of employers working as a freelance consultant including Finance, Service Providers and Online Companies. He is CCIE#6920 and has a few ideas about the world, but not enough to really count.

He is a host on the Packet Pushers Podcast, blogger at EtherealMind.com and on Twitter @etherealmind and Google Plus