Team Member Profile: Tony Kelly – Managed Hosting

Hometown: As an Air Force brat, I’ve lived across the USA and Japan. I would say I don’t have a real “hometown.” Most of my extended family is from Washington, NC. So I guess that’s where I like to call home.
Position: Managed Hosting
InMotion Hosting team member since April 2011

How did you get started in the web hosting field?
I have been hosting since the early 1990s using WWIV BBS (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWIV). As a registered SysOp and part of the early WWIVnet and WWIVLink.

After joining the Navy I closed down my BBS and shortly after got my first hosting with a shared hosting account in the late 1990s.

Hardware or software?
Hardware. While I appreciate all that the software allows me to do with the hardware. There’s nothing like putting together a killer machine that can run circles around its competitors. Most are so easy to upgrade too.

Followup questions: Describe the “killer machine?”
That would be a multi-boot Mac and Windows 7 machine. i7 920, 16GB RAM, NZXT Phantom Case. Intel x25 SSH plus 2.5TB hard drive.

The Beast

What’s your favorite online application?
Wordpress would be my favorite because it’s so powerful and so widely supported. If kept updated and some extra security measures are used (like BulletProof Security https://wordpress.org/plugins/bulletproof-security/), you can have an awesome site with little fuss. You can even use smartphone apps and automators like IFTTT to help you manage your site.

Coolest gadget you own, want, or have read about?
Having just started my move into home automation I love being able to control my lighting and other parts of my home through my smartphone. Turning on my porch light from my phone is just plain awesome! While it’s not exactly a gadget, home automation is something I’ve been toying with for years and finally made the jump.

Followup question: What smartphone and app are you using?
For home automation, I use Z-wave with Alarm.com management on my iPhone 4S (I’ll be upgrading when the next phone is released).

Favorite thing about working at IMH?
IMH really works hard to take care of its employees. This is shown through a number of perks and benefits to working here. From regular free meals on the company, bonuses in pay, and profit sharing are just some examples.

What would you like to tell us about yourself?
I’m a family guy who loves getting to do life with my wife and kids. I have a passion for technology and gadgets.

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