As the Peoria Data Center Manager at Pearl Technology, Scott L. Garver is the sole employee of the building and is responsible for the day-to-day operations. He is also responsible for ensuring that everything runs smoothly through the night. If there’s an emergency, Scott is the one on call to provide a solution.
How He Serves
Scott has a list of credentials that follow his name: MCITS, MCP, Security+, Net+, and VCA-DCV. In a nutshell, these credentials showcase Scott’s varied experience and expertise in what he does.
Located at 606 NE Jefferson in Peoria, Scott calls himself a “glorified janitor, because I’m the one with the keys.” This underplays what he really does though. The truth is Scott monitors the physical security of the Peoria Data Center, ensures the air-cooling systems are working and reliable power is being provided to clients’ racks, views a monitor with 16 security camera feeds, ensures the data center runs efficiently, and even monitors what is happening at the Bloomington Data Center.
“When a client shows up, I make sure they are authorized to be here and let them in. It’s my job to get them to their racks and discuss the policies of the data center. I’m responsible for their security here. I am also responsible for ensuring that they only focus on their racks and nowhere else. I’m an insurance policy that our clients hope they don’t have to use.”
Scott knows all the systems and how to fix whatever situation might occur. For example, if the air handlers in the server hall stop, he knows what to check and the various reasons why that might happen… and how to fix them. He solves problems.
What His Experience Means
Scott was part of the CIAN/A5 acquisition at Pearl in 2019. He started with CIAN in 2008, so he’s been with Pearl Technology over 17 years.
Before joining the team at Pearl Technology, Scott worked as an IT director for a local manufacturing company and as acting Assistant City Engineer for the city of Rock Island. He’s been working in computers for his “whole life.”
Formally, Scott took a computer programming course in college. Even before that, though, he taught himself much of what he knows today. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
“I designed and built computers from scratch before Dell and Gateway existed, since 1975,” Scott explained. “I was in and out of jobs in the industry in New Jersey for a while. When I got out of the Navy, I worked for a civil engineer, wrote programs that performed surveys and analysis. I designed the parking lot/drainage system at a nursing home complex using the programming I wrote. I’ve been working with computers on and off ever since the Popular Mechanics January 1975 issue. Do you remember that magazine? An article in the magazine set me on a lifelong path, working with computers.”
Scott believes his computer certifications are value adds for Pearl Technology’s clients. He says going with a smaller data center, along with his credentials, means Pearl Technology can offer clients the security and responsiveness they need.
“My love of science, programming, and engineering is important to the service I offer our clients. When Bradley University sends students over, I give them a tour of the data center. I keep the building running and secure. If something goes wrong, I address it immediately. Everything around me grabs my attention, and I must acknowledge it. So, if something isn’t right, I will recognize it. I am consumed with the DETAILS.”
Scott explained that—whether it’s electricity, wiring, or plumbing—it’s all the same to him. All have valves, switches, and sources. It’s all physics to him.
“If something isn’t working, I quickly figure out why and address it. Knowledge of systems in general and the ability to determine a specific cause for an issue are critical to the job. This data center houses a lot of client gear and requires an immediate response if there’s a problem. We respond in minutes, not days. We are hands-on if you need us, and we offer a very personalized, one-on-one experience.”
Scott lives near the data center, so if he gets an alert in the middle of the night, he arrives there quickly. He then diagnoses the issue and addresses it. He says he’s basically on call for emergencies 24/7.
“I love the quiet here and the fact that I’m one of the few people who can handle this job. I stay here from 8 to 4:30 and focus on the surroundings and monitors. I’m very focused on our clients and love building relationships. I know all those who come into the data center. We know each other well, and we joke. They see me as a trusted advisor.”
Scott contributes to Pearl Technology’s growth through his ability to build relationships, become a trusted advisor, and years of service and expertise.
“I believe information is going to continue to rapidly increase, and the need to securely store it will keep on growing. That’s why we’re working on being a backup destination. Many want to send their data and info to the cloud. That must be stored somewhere, and I feel we may grow more in that direction in the coming years. We offer some ability to do that now. Clients can have their servers in one of our data centers and their secure backups in the other data center. It just makes sense to me.”
What Sustains Him
Scott lives with his wife in East Peoria. The two have four grown children, three grandchildren, and a dog.
“I tend to be a quiet, private person,” Scott said. “God first is my motto. It’s important to me that I ensure the data center runs securely and efficiently. If you don’t hear from me or about me, that means that I am doing my job.”
In his free time, Scott makes addressable LEDs and light shows. He helped with the large nativity display the Knights of Columbus put on during the East Peoria Festival of Lights. He built the large stars with lights on them. His passion is building, creating, and designing electronics. One of his hobbies is using Home Assistant, a home automation software.
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