Get to Know F&S: Gabriel Moga
Every morning, the first item on Gabriel Moga’s to-do list is checking the IT systems for any alarms.
As information technology solutions administrator, Moga manages the private and secure campus network that runs mission critical systems for security, access, building automation, electrical, and mechanical operations on the St. George campus.
According to Moga, the upkeep of the IT requires constant adaptability. “I’m always changing gears between supervising user support, IT purchasing, server support, and implementing network upgrades,” he said.
One recent project had Moga, as a member of a multi-stakeholder team, consulting on all elements of IT installation for a new building.
“The access control system, HVAC devices, electrical meters, and lighting controls are all part of a physical layer that we help with,” Moga said. “We procure the switches and make sure that they come online by collaborating with central IT.”
Moga’s passion for technology started in primary school when he had the opportunity to play with circuit boards. “I fell in love with the way all these small components came together to form a functional whole,” he said.
Moga followed his love to a degree in electronics engineering at the Polytechnic University of Bucharest. He came to Canada in 2004, and he’s been working at the University of Toronto since 2007.
Moga has been blown away by the rapid technological shifts he has witnessed over the past few decades.
“When I was young, I saved some money, purchased computing parts, and built my first computer,” he recalled. “The program was saved on a cassette tape, and you’d have to reload the programming language every time you started the device. Now, everything is virtual.”
Since the IT industry is constantly changing, Moga makes sure to future-proof his systems. “I really enjoy and appreciate quality craftsmanship that makes things last. That’s why I try my best and take pride in my work. What we leave behind is our legacy,” he said.
To keep up with industry shifts, Moga worked hard virtualizing the Facilities & Services servers.
“When I first came here, the servers were decentralized physical entities spread out across at least 10 locations on campus,” he recalled. “I pushed for a data centre to consolidate the servers. Now, we have over 120 virtual servers in one place and a disaster recovery site, which means we save on utilities that power and cool the physical servers and their locations and reduce our carbon footprint.”
“Plus, virtual infrastructure means there’s higher flexibility and scalability for F&S and our services,” he added. “Furthermore, our main data center is hooked up to the solar power farm on the building’s roof! One more small step towards being greener!”
In his free time, Moga loves hanging out with his family. When he’s not playing soccer or basketball with his sons, he plans family vacations and fishing trips, and goes for walks or bike rides with his wife and their daughter.
When asked what skills are needed to succeed in IT, Moga condensed his work experience into three main points:
“Be open to new technologies. Read up on the new industry trends. And, of course, work hard!”