My DevOps Journey: From Linux Enthusiast to Continuous Learner

I still remember those college days when my brother and a friend were discussing how to copy, delete, and create files in Linux — all via command line. While they talked, I was silently running random commands in my imagination, fascinated by the power of Linux operations.

In 2015, fresh out of college, I landed my first job working on production systems as a Linux administrator. It was an incredible opportunity to get hands-on experience managing real-world infrastructure. A few years later, I joined Media.net as a Systems Operations Engineer, where I gained deep visibility into production infrastructure. But back then, my role was mostly about monitoring and automating — I was just scratching the surface.

It was during this time I started interacting with DevOps professionals and realized how vast and exciting the field really is. I wanted to become a DevOps engineer. So, I dived into learning Docker, Puppet, AWS services, Python, Bash scripting, and various monitoring tools.

Then came a pivotal moment — a LinkedIn message from an HR recruiter scheduling an interview. I was nervous but confident. The first question was simple: “What is the first command you run on a system?” I answered, “The w command.” The interviewer then asked what information the w command provides. I explained it shows logged-in users and load averages.

But then came the curveball: “What are those three load average values? When do you determine if a server is under load, normal, or underutilized?” That question shook me. The interview lasted 45 minutes, and although I didn’t pass, I walked away with invaluable lessons.

That experience taught me that DevOps is not just about tools like containers, Kubernetes, Ansible, Puppet, AWS, or CI/CD pipelines. It’s about deeply understanding the fundamentals — knowing what’s happening under the hood. When your basics are strong, mastering tools becomes much easier, and you can truly build and innovate.

My journey is ongoing, and I continue to learn every day. To all aspiring DevOps engineers: focus on the fundamentals, stay curious, and embrace every challenge as a learning opportunity.

To share what I learn and experience, I recently started a newsletter called Infra Coffee — a weekly newsletter where I write about DevOps, production experiences, and tools. If you’re interested in practical insights and real-world stories delivered straight to your inbox, I’d love for you to subscribe:
https://www.rasikmhetre.com/subscribe

Looking forward to connecting and growing together!