[Manager Interview] What is Beyond’s infrastructure unit – System Solutions Department?

Hello everyone, I’m Komatsu from the Beyond PR department. It’s spring! It’s cherry blossom season, and the weather is getting warmer! –

This issue is a manager interview column.

For the previous interview with the HR manager, please see below (Japanese version).

【マネージャーインタビュー】ビヨンド人事責任者が語る、ビヨンドの新卒採用とは？

This issue is an interview with Manager Kashiwagi of the Beyond System Solutions Department (hereinafter referred to as the “SS Department”).

The SS Department of Beyond is where the server infrastructure engineers are located. Manager Kashiwagi was originally a system development engineer, and later became responsible for servers and infrastructure. He became the head of the SS Department with the establishment of the Canadian branch.

This issue will dig deep into Manager Kashiwagi and the SS Department! Please be sure to read to the end!

Infrastructure engineers belong to the service industry

Komatsu: What is the charm and advantage of the SS Department?

Kashiwagi: There is a basic premise here, that is, a large part of the work of infrastructure engineers is very similar to the service industry. Although I’m an infrastructure engineer, I have to communicate with customers a lot during my work (although mainly through text chat). I find this job very interesting. In particular, the customer-centric aspect of this job is very attractive.

On the contrary, if you are the kind of person who says “I want to be an engineer who only focuses on technology”, then you may not be suitable for the job of infrastructure engineer. I personally think that system development (such as programming) will be more suitable for you.

The work of managed service providers (“MSP”) that our infrastructure engineers are responsible for may involve more customer-related parts even compared to system development. And no matter where you go, there is a sense of service industry. For example, when a problem occurs in a certain business, the operator needs to deal with the problem while communicating with the customer about the solution, etc. MSP is very close to such service industry.

Operation・Build・Education

Komatsu: Please introduce us to Beyond’s infrastructure engineers.

Kashiwagi: Our daily business is mainly divided into three teams, namely the operation team, the construction team, and the education team.

The operation team is the MSP (closest to the service industry) of Beyond’s main business. The build team is a team of engineers who are most in line with the public impression of building infrastructure. The education team is responsible for training future infrastructure engineers. Although the teams are separated, the business itself is not independent, and everyone still needs to participate in all aspects of the work. All personnel will participate in the operation and maintenance of the server, and may also be assigned to the server build project according to the schedule.

The division of each team is based on the purpose of improving and managing the business. For example, can we make the work easier in different ways. Can each team achieve better business performance. There are leaders and deputy leaders in each team, and we hope that they can play to their strengths and grow into better leaders.

People often think that server building is more difficult than operation and maintenance, but I think it is the opposite. The work of server construction is to build something that someone else asks you to build, and usually there is predecessors’ experience before you. Someone has done the same or similar things, so you can make good use of them and modify and arrange them in your own way.

In contrast, the operation and maintenance business usually requires improvisation to deal with possible and actual situations. Of course, sometimes you can deal with it according to the operation manual, but many times it is not applicable. In this case, engineers are required to have higher adaptability, technical skills, and communication skills with customers, which makes me feel that operation and maintenance is more difficult.

Although there will be difficult times when building a project to meet the deadline, it has a certain deadline. But the operation and maintenance team is that as long as the customer’s server is still running, the operation and maintenance team will have endless worries. At Beyond, it is because of the operation and maintenance team that the business can flourish!

Build a team with personality centered on the leader

Komatsu: What is the department atmosphere of the SS department?

Kashiwagi: First of all, everyone is young! Recently, each team has been working with the leader as the center, and it feels like everyone has become a good team. Because there are many young people in the team, sometimes I feel that I am the only uncle (laughing). At the same time, because there are many young people, many aspects will feel fresh, and some members will directly say what they want to do. This is not only true for the SS department, but also for the entire Beyond.

I think it is precisely because the SS department carries out its work with the leader as the center that the voices of the members can be well conveyed to the leader. Even if I don’t need to point them out, they can act spontaneously under the leadership of their respective leaders, so I can leave many things to them to do.

Komatsu: What are the characteristics of each team in the SS department?

Kashiwagi: Different teams have many different characteristics. For example, a team that loves each other and has a spirit of mutual assistance, a small fighting team like a warrior, a team where the leader is like a pulley and strives to drive the entire group, a team where everyone works together to compete in a friendly manner, and so on.

The team of education and training engineers is slightly different from other teams, and it is slightly similar to the atmosphere of a school. Although each team will be different due to the personal style of the leader. But each team has its own excellent qualities and characteristics, so it is very interesting.

People who have an open mind and never give up

Komatsu: What kind of people do you want to work with?

Kashiwagi: For the profession of engineers, I think it is important to have an “open mind” to listen to other people’s opinions. So I hope they have at least this parameter.

In addition, although the probability of occurrence is very small, sometimes there may be large-scale failures in business, which may cause tension with customers or among members. Failures that cannot be immediately identified also occur from time to time. When encountering such situations, I think the most important thing is to have the ability to cope, communicate with customers, and persist until the end without giving up. So I hope to work with people who have a heart that does not give up. Conclusion: People who have an open mind and never give up!

Growing organization

Komatsu: Recently, many new graduates have joined the company. What is your impression of them?

Kashiwagi: I just think that the number of people has increased. More people is indeed a good thing! A certain number of new graduates join the company every year, which is a good cycle.

Of course, sometimes great people suddenly join and reform, but I personally think this is not common, and even think it is an anomaly. If this is the case, I think it is fresh and natural if the organization can be optimized in the cycle of new people joining. Of course, if major changes are needed, there is no problem with the joining of reformers.

However, in the current Beyond, it is a natural selection process for new people to join the company and gradually grow and become more capable, and the organization gradually expands.

And my responsibility is to establish a foundation for the smooth operation of various departments even after fresh graduates join. From this point of view, I personally think it is best to form a process of “creating a leader-centered department”.

Create an atmosphere conducive to communication

Komatsu: Are your hobbies and hairstyles related to team building?

Kashiwagi: Yes (laughs), because I am not a good communicator… (laughs). So I will use some small props as an opportunity to start a topic.

Another reason is that I want to create a character like “He is a weirdo”. He does his job well, but he is a little weird in normal times… This kind of thing. The reason is that I am often told that when I am focused on work, my expression becomes scary and looks scary. So I want to spend some time to soften the atmosphere and reduce unnecessary pressure on the members’ superiors.

So, I started dyeing my hair in various colors, cultivating various hobbies as topics to chat with members, and creating some slightly strange characters for myself to create an environment where it is easy to communicate. After starting to do these things, even if it is just a little bit, I feel that the atmosphere in the SS department has improved.

Conclusion

Thank you for reading to the end!

This issue is an interview with Mr. Kashiwagi, the head of the SS department, which is the main business of Beyond (server and infrastructure business). Through this interview, we got to know more about Beyond’s infrastructure engineer, and also got to know more about Mr. Kashiwagi, who attaches great importance to communicating with members and managing the SS department. (I didn’t expect that he was creating his own character… I never heard of it before. Haha!)

If you read this blog and are willing to work with us in Beyond and create Beyond as a partner, I will be very happy even if it is just one person.

In addition to this blog, you can also learn more about Beyond through blogs written by other members, YouTube, etc. I hope you can browse these contents and learn more about Beyond! If you think Beyond is a good fit for you, we look forward to meeting you one day in the future!

Beyond Co., Ltd. is currently recruiting graduates from the 25th class.

Interested parties please visit the Recruitment page

※This website is the recruitment website of the Japanese head office

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