This is not really a frequently asked questions list, but rather a preemptive list of questions and answers.
Q: Who might be interested in a local SAGE chapter?
A: System administrators of all platforms. Network managers. Computer security professionals. Webmasters. DBAs. Anyone whose job is to manage or maintain an information technology system for use by others (or is interested in doing so) and wants to do the job better.
Q: Why should we establish a SAGE chapter when there are already other groups, such as OLUG (the Omaha Linux Users' Group), OJUG (Omaha Java Users' Group) and GOMTUG (Greater Omaha Microsoft Users' Group)?
A: The Java group is programmer focused, and the Linux group is focused on a particular platform. We need a group that focuses on administrators rather than a technology. As sysadmins, we have more in common with fellow sysadmins of Novell or Windows2000 or MVS than we do with kernel hackers on Linux or game programmers on Windows. Sysadmins deal with security, user policies, and performance issues, regardless of the platform. Furthmore, very few of us have the luxury of being able to concentrate solely on one platform and ignore everything else. Why should our professional development concentrate on one platform at the expense of the others? For sysadmins with limited time, participation in SAGE-Nebraska will be very effective. One month we might learn about deploying Java-based SOAP on Linux and Solaris, and another month get a high-level overview of managing LDAP on Windows and Netware. Just one group keeps us up to speed. We can also work with the platform-specific groups whenever possible.
Q: Is there really a large enough population of sysadmins in Omaha or Lincoln to support a local SAGE chapter? The other local groups are in places like L.A. and Dallas.
A: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and Madison, Wisconsin are also on the list. I agree that Lincoln or Omaha alone may not hold enough sysadmins to build a truly great local SAGE, but combined they certainly do. It is our hope that we will be able to set up a teleconferencing link between an Omaha and a Lincoln location for our monthly meetings. Attendees from both towns will have the chance to participate without a long car ride. Once we are rolling along in Lincoln and Omaha we can look for participation from the rest of the state.
Q: What's in it for me?
A: By participating in SAGE-Nebraska, we'll all share in the satisfaction of advancing the state-of-the-art of system administration in Nebraska. Plus, more selfishly, SAGE Nebraska will be a great benefit to anyone looking for career advancement or seeking to hire sysadmin help.
Q: Is membership in the the national SAGE organization required to participate in the local group? Membership seems to cost about $150!
A: No. By my read of the material on the SAGE Web site there is no requirement for local group members to be SAGE members. However, SAGE has a $10,000 annual budget for local group activities; in order to take advantage of this local groups have to have at least two members who are honest-to-goodness SAGE members and meet some other requirements. See the local support page for more.