After two years of studying biology and chemistry, Honza Nguyen knew he needed a new direction. Turning to Information Technology he landed at Ataccama on the advice of a friend. Now this travel-loving, guitar-playing, PC game-hooked guy is an integral part of Ataccama’s Cloud team. Wondering what it’s like to be a Cloud Engineer at Ataccama? Honza tells all.
How did you come to be at Ataccama?
I started in September 2017 in Support. I heard about Ataccama because my friend and classmate David was working here. He really liked it and so I gave it a shot. I learned the product, I learned about the people, people learned about me, and I really enjoyed the whole process. I was really nervous, but because of how Ataccama is and the culture at work, I’m just like I am in real life. And I’m really blessed that I started working at Ataccama and I don’t think I’ll ever be leaving.
Why did you move to the Cloud team and what makes it the right place for you?
“Don’t be afraid to come in and learn something new, because we’re also learning, so you can join us in the process.”
I started in Cloud because David worked there and he had been telling me for 2 years how great it was, that there was a lot of work to be done, and I should move to the team. I’d say it was one of the best decisions I’ve made at Ataccama. I did enjoy Support, but I also felt like it wasn’t the direction I really wanted, or the path I wanted to be on. Moving to Cloud has given me a lot of opportunities to learn and to become someone I want to become. I really enjoy the cloud stuff we do.
Our tech stack (Kubernetes and Docker, Terraform, Atlantis, Aws and Azure, Bash, Python, Ansible, Vault) is continuously expanding and growing. Don’t be afraid to come in and learn something new, because we’re also learning, so you can join us in the process.
How is the Cloud team different from the Support team?
It’s a different take on the product. When I was in Support, I worked on client questions and their issues. In Cloud, you actually deploy it. There’s still the client side because we have clients in the cloud. It’s a little different, it’s a little more challenging because of the way we work, the technologies we use, and it’s something that I don’t know. It’s really fun for me to learn. In Cloud, you’re trying to develop, and that’s something I look forward to.
Describe how the Cloud team works at Ataccama
Although the work is complex, the positions are quite clear. We have two people working on the architecture. They set up the picture of how it should be technically done, and as engineers, we are the worker bees. We take all those little parts and make them work. The guys above us have the whole picture and they know where to put these parts, how they should be connected.
So, you have the Cloud Tech Lead who sets up the whole picture of how it should be done technically, but we also have the Cloud Team Lead who makes sure everything reaches the proper place, and that we, the Cloud team overall, are taken care of. Then we have the engineers and the engineers have two workflows. Either they develop the cloud infrastructure and other bits and pieces or they support the clients. So, we have the infrastructure, but we also have the production support process, whether it’s the Gen1 or Gen2 platform, so we have to do operations as well. I’m currently working on the deployment of the Product and I also solve other technical or clients issues that come up.
What do you appreciate about working at Ataccama?
“I feel like if you want to learn and learn fast, then this is the right place for you. I’m really happy.”
Ataccama gives you unlimited space to improve. And when you improve, it also means Ataccama improves, so it’s a mutual benefit. The company sees that, which is very important, they appreciate you as an employee. I feel like if you want to learn and learn fast, then this is the right place for you. I’m really happy. I’m not the student type, but count me in any time Ataccama offers a course or something.
Also, the Cloud team has our own mini Ataccama culture, so I encourage anyone who wants to work in the cloud to work here because you’ll be getting a culture package, along with the work package. The people in Cloud along with other ATA people have gaming sessions on Thursdays. Everything you could wish for is here. It’s really fun, there are a lot of people, and we help each other. The more the merrier.
Interested in exploring the Cloud? We’re looking for a Cloud Platform Engineer as well as other engineers to join our #UnlimitedPlayground. Is writing more your thing? We’re also looking for a Technical Writer to join the Cloud team.
Want to learn more about Ataccama’s engineering team? Check out our blog post with the Head of Engineering.
