About NUGA

Our group is comprised of and focused toward computer network technicians, administrators, and professionals with the goal of offering support, continuing education, and training.  We do service projects for the community as a way of providing hands-on training for our members to do things they might not ordinarily get the chance to do in the course of their regular jobs or training.  In this way, service provides education and education provides service.

Our monthly meetings are ordinarily held the first Wednesday of every month from noon to 1 PM.  Our guest speakers in the last year have included the president of the Linux users group doing a live "show-and-tell" installation of Linux, engineers from Microsoft, Novell, Cisco, Veritas, Mercury Data Group (Citrix), Network Business Systems (TCP/IP), Sitara Networks (hardware QoS), a tour of the central ACS cable plant, and other presenters of this type.  We get engineers to come talk to us, not salesmen, and we ask them to give us the nuts and bolts details of how to make these systems work.

Our members range from people with relatively little network experience to people with decades of experience.  Many of our members are working toward certification and our club has held study groups for both CNE and MCSE designations.  Many of our members are already certified.  We have CNAs, MCPs, CNEs, MCSEs, CCAs, CCNAs, members with CompTIA certifications and even certified Novell and Microsoft instructors.  We are a partner in sponsoring the IT Expo every fall and several of our members are presenting sessions in the Advanced Networking track.

We are "non-denominational" since most of us run multiple OSes by necessity.  We work with Linux, Unix, NetWare, and all "flavors" of Windows.  We approach networking in general across all the major platforms.  We don't waste time with OS "holy wars".  We are affiliated with Novell Users International, Global IT Community Association (GITCA), International .NET Association (INETA), Microsoft TechNet User Groups, Microsoft Developers Network User Groups, Microsoft Mindshare User Groups, and are a member of the O'Reilly User Groups Program as well as the Cisco Press User Groups Program.

One good way to get a feel for how our group works is to join our listserv.  There is a link for joining the listserv on our web page at List Server along with an archive of past messages.  You will then see the type of support questions that get tossed out, items of interest, upcoming meeting notices, etc.

Hopefully this gives you some insight into our group and what we are about.  We would certainly like to have you attend one of our meetings as our guest.  Information about our next meeting can be found at Next Meeting.  If you need any additional information please email us at info@nuga.org.