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Hi everyone,
As you probably know by now, in between updating you on new product releases/updates, poll questions/results, tips & tricks, and geek stuff, we love introducing you to members of the Devolutions family. Today, it’s my pleasure to introduce you to our brilliant CTO Stefane (Stef) Lavergne!
Stef has actually been with us for a while, but he’s been soooooooo busy evolving Devolutions’ product line, defining our multi-platform strategy (MacOS, iOS, Android, etc.), overseeing our research and development efforts, and of course connecting with IT pros in our forum, that we haven’t had a chance to shine our blog spotlight on him…until now! Below, you’ll find my questions to Stef, followed by his answers:
Can you tell me a bit about your background?
My background is in software development. I’ve been all over the place, from supply chain management to outdoor advertising software, and even a stint in medical systems and optometrist office management. That’s actually what I like best about software development: each new job is like a fresh new career with its own set of challenges and solutions.
When you first joined Devolutions, did you anticipate that the company would grow so much?
The answer is yes and no. When I joined Devolutions as the fifth employee, I knew that our CEO David had nurtured a community with a solid base, and that the company had developed amazing solutions in both Remote Desktop Manager. So yes, I did anticipate that we would grow. But I would be lying if I told you that I thought we would grow over 600% in only a few years. That’s an amazing feat!
In your opinion, what drives Devolutions' continued growth?
The company’s vision is a big part of our growth. David, much like any good leader, sees a few moves ahead and makes sure that everyone is on board and working together to reach our goals. Our vision is also driven by our blog and forum, where IT pros in our community post comments, ask questions, and share knowledge on a daily basis. This communication drives many interesting ideas that become concepts, and make their way into our products through our amazing team of developers.
What are some of the biggest changes you've seen or experienced since joining Devolutions?
There have been many changes over the last few years. Our first office move was a big change, and now our second move is already in the works. Our new office will be outstanding! As for technology changes, the biggest so far would be our infrastructure that supports all of our web sites and downloads. When I started here, everything was hosted on GoDaddy.com, but now we are on Azure with a peak daily download of more than 200 gigabytes. It may be small relative to Facebook or YouTube standards, but considering where we started, I’m pretty happy with this number!
What does your job involve? What tools do you use?
As CTO, my job involves a lot of low level systems in Remote Desktop Management and the Devolutions Cloud. I spend a few hours each day resolving urgent issues that might have come up in the last few days via the forum or support email, such as issues that are related to security, stability or scalability of the system. I also spend time communicating with our product teams, such as OS X, Android, Server, Cloud and so on – on how things have been implemented in the Windows version, and how it should be ported over to their specific platform or technology. As for tools, I use Visual Studio, SSMS and LINQPad, which is my favorite.
What are some of your hobbies?
I enjoy running and hockey. I try to run few times a week to stay in fit, but I need major motivation. I get that from registering for one or two half-marathons a year. When I have a goal to achieve, I tend to focus more and it’s harder to skip out of workouts! As for hockey I don’t formally play as part of an organized team anymore, mostly due to time constraints. But my four kids play, and I help out with coaching, which keeps me busy. I also enjoy watching hockey, and of course my favorite team is the Montreal Canadiens. Go Habs Go! (I like the Jets too since I am from Manitoba!)
Would you like to say something to our community?
To everyone reading this: thank you and keep up the good work! We really appreciate all of you dedicated and loyal IT pros out there that use our products daily, and help us spread the word by blogging, talking, tweeting about our products and solutions. Without you we wouldn’t be where we are today. As I mentioned earlier, the comments and suggestions that you make in our blog, forum and onSpiceworks help us improve our products. We’re always listening to you!
