In this article, we meet Robert Azzopardi, our resident Systems Architect at Smart Technologies.
Hi Robert, can you tell us something about your career background?
Well, I have been involved in IT for the past twenty years, during which I have gathered extensive hands-on experience in developing and implementing IT infrastructure solutions. During this period I have also acquired quite a lot of knowledge and competencies in Storage Design, Virtualization, and Stretched Clusters. Moreover, I’ve done a lot of work on Business Continuity and High Availability, aimed at sustaining implementations for complex business requirements. I’ve also been fortunate in acquiring considerable experience working with HPe. Throughout my career, I have worked with a cross-section of customers coming from sectors such as finance, banking, shipping, logistics, and manufacturing.
How has your background prepared you for what you are doing right now at Smart Technologies?
Overall, these experiences have given me the tools to be able to collaborate successfully with our clients to bring their projects to life, particularly as regards my ability to manage projects, provide consulting and the requirements gathering aspect of my role as Systems Architect.
Could you please explain to our followers what the role of a Systems Architect entails?
The Systems Architect’s role is considered vital to the success, design, delivery, and support of any IT project. Not only do we create and implement computer systems and networks for organizations, but we also analyze desired processes, and recommend the right combination of IT components to achieve a specific goal. As such we are expected to understand the desired business strategy and outcome, map out and simplify the range of outcomes, design the right architecture, understand integrations, interfaces, and interactions, and advise project teams on recommended solutions.
How long have you been at Smart Technologies? What can you tell us about your experience about being part of the team at the firm?
I’ve just started my fourth year at Smart Technologies, and I can say that there has never been a dull moment. When I had first joined, together with our CEO and the rest of the team, we had set out a road map for the mid to long-term, and I am glad to state that we have reached most of the milestones we were aiming for. My experience at STL has greatly enhanced my range and depth of expertise, especially since I am surrounded by extremely knowledgeable and highly qualified specialists who are always willing to go the extra mile, and who are great team players. Moreover, I have gained important exposure across various sectors, thanks to the management team’s readiness to venture into innovative projects, creating product diversification, adding value to our client’s businesses, and supporting the professional growth of our technical teams. I am proud of the success we have achieved at Smart Technologies, and look forward to tackling and overcome future challenges with the rest of the team.
