Testimonial by Manu Zafar Abdulla. Joined
TCS ILP on June 16,2011. Belongs to Mainframe Stream, posted to Mumbai
and is from Non Computer Science Background.
My interesting tryst with mainframes started on the fourth day of ILP.The first session was handled by our Tech-lead.Apart from the meager idea of mainframes (which perhaps, i acquired when I studied 'the history of computers in my school days..), I had no presumptions.We were introduced to what basically a mainframe was..that it was something that spanned rooms..with lots of resources to handle huge amount of data..that banking, insurance, railways and healthcare sectors relied on them..and so and so.As soon as he tried to log in to the server..the server got hung up.We got our first chunk of advice..'to be in love with mainframes, what you ought to have is a lot of patience(I swear..there were no server problems after that till now!!).We were further dipped in to this exciting world(i hope the whole of our batch would agree to it!!..) by our facilitator(an experienced TCS mainframer,friendly, softspoken and a curious teacher!! .).The interface was completely new..( i'll keep the tech stuffs apart..) felt like an evolved version of DOS..but much more colourful..ooh yeah..The first week,we were taught how to create files in certain formats..copying between them..different commands and such basics.( I tell you, for a layman..these things arent very simple,make sure you pour in attention to the tech sessions.!!). Our systems are connected to a mainframe located somewhere else..every activity is done logging on to this server and so homeworks cant be done at home.We usually get assignments..which would have to be completed at our lab..(Our sessions end at 2:00pm..but we always reach our place of stay at 9:00pm...assignments..case studies..evaluations..we are occuppied 7 days a week!!). We are used to spending our weekends(the much awaited weekends, infact!!) in techlabs to meet our monday deadlines..We enviously keep gazing at Java and .net guys hanging out and enjoying to the fullest (It seems to us that they have no work atall!!).
As a 16 day old mainframer(as I potray to be), here is what I have inferred...Learning mainframes isnt tough..its all about getting used with this 'never seen' interface..the more you practice.. the more errors you incur and the better you turnout to be.You'll have hurdles initially and hectic ILP schedules,but everything would add value to our career. We dont get to learn mainframes in this scale from anywhere else. TCS presents a wonderful opportunity for us to be in the big mainframe game. And definitely, our splendid spring is on the offing!!! Happy mainframing to all aspirers!!
My interesting tryst with mainframes started on the fourth day of ILP.The first session was handled by our Tech-lead.Apart from the meager idea of mainframes (which perhaps, i acquired when I studied 'the history of computers in my school days..), I had no presumptions.We were introduced to what basically a mainframe was..that it was something that spanned rooms..with lots of resources to handle huge amount of data..that banking, insurance, railways and healthcare sectors relied on them..and so and so.As soon as he tried to log in to the server..the server got hung up.We got our first chunk of advice..'to be in love with mainframes, what you ought to have is a lot of patience(I swear..there were no server problems after that till now!!).We were further dipped in to this exciting world(i hope the whole of our batch would agree to it!!..) by our facilitator(an experienced TCS mainframer,friendly, softspoken and a curious teacher!! .).The interface was completely new..( i'll keep the tech stuffs apart..) felt like an evolved version of DOS..but much more colourful..ooh yeah..The first week,we were taught how to create files in certain formats..copying between them..different commands and such basics.( I tell you, for a layman..these things arent very simple,make sure you pour in attention to the tech sessions.!!). Our systems are connected to a mainframe located somewhere else..every activity is done logging on to this server and so homeworks cant be done at home.We usually get assignments..which would have to be completed at our lab..(Our sessions end at 2:00pm..but we always reach our place of stay at 9:00pm...assignments..case studies..evaluations..we are occuppied 7 days a week!!). We are used to spending our weekends(the much awaited weekends, infact!!) in techlabs to meet our monday deadlines..We enviously keep gazing at Java and .net guys hanging out and enjoying to the fullest (It seems to us that they have no work atall!!).
As a 16 day old mainframer(as I potray to be), here is what I have inferred...Learning mainframes isnt tough..its all about getting used with this 'never seen' interface..the more you practice.. the more errors you incur and the better you turnout to be.You'll have hurdles initially and hectic ILP schedules,but everything would add value to our career. We dont get to learn mainframes in this scale from anywhere else. TCS presents a wonderful opportunity for us to be in the big mainframe game. And definitely, our splendid spring is on the offing!!! Happy mainframing to all aspirers!!
0 comments:
Post a Comment