System Specialist (operativo) Mihail Petrik, who joined Above IT following a business acquisition from Kehätieto, has closely observed how customers’ IT environments have transitioned from physical servers to the cloud. At the same time, the work and required expertise of an IT specialist have also evolved.
When Mihail started in the IT industry about ten years ago, servers were still an essential part of customers’ daily lives. Today, most of his work involves Microsoft 365 environments.
– When I entered the workforce, customers still had physical servers. Now, everything has moved much more to the cloud. It has also made many things easier, Mihail says.
Mihail describes the cloud as simple and functional. In his own work, the change is primarily reflected in how his working time is spent: server-related tasks occur significantly less often than before, while Microsoft 365 and endpoint management are daily tasks.
Moving to the cloud reduces maintenance related to physical infrastructure, but users, permissions, endpoints, and data still require management. The need for IT management has therefore not decreased; rather, its focus has shifted.
Microsoft technologies became familiar during his studies
Mihail’s path into the IT industry began with an education focused on Microsoft technologies in Sweden. The program included students from Finland, Sweden, and Norway.
– Everyone had the same goal: to prepare for the IT world. It was a good community and a great environment for studying.
Mihail originally studied server environments in particular and completed his Microsoft 365 certification at the same time. He entered the workforce through an internship.
Mihail has worked with some of his current customer environments for years. Long-term familiarity helps him understand how an individual change or problem relates to the rest of the environment and how the overall system has been built over the years.
Problem-solving keeps the work interesting
In Mihail’s daily life, cloud environment management is reflected in tasks such as managing SharePoint permissions, email, and endpoints. Alongside Microsoft 365, there have also been server and network tasks over the years.
Occasionally, something unusual comes up, and solving the problem requires more investigation.
It is precisely these situations that Mihail enjoys.
– When you investigate something and finally get it to work, it always gives you a good feeling. The more challenging the issue, the more excited you get to research it.
In a cloud environment, value for the customer is created not only through individual technical tasks but also by agreeing on clear practices and responsibilities for the whole system, and by developing the environment in a controlled manner.
Skills development also continues with Azure. Mihail recently participated in Azure training and continues to study independently.
– I have been using Azure for years, but now the intention is to delve deeper into it and complete a certification.
Getting active after the workday
To balance a workday spent at a computer, Mihail stays very active. In Helsinki, cycling is his usual way to commute to the Above IT office in Espoo and to get from one place to another.
Additionally, he plays football with friends a few times a week. Exercise is best suited immediately following the workday – he is happy to leave the latest game shifts to others.
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