Profile: Peter Galan

IT expert keeps communications online

Peter Galan and his colleagues maintain the high-speed information pipeline at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). And they work quickly to fix any leaks.

As an information technology (IT) expert at CFIA, Peter works behind the scenes to ensure that the Agency’s IT infrastructure is always running in good order.

“Desktop systems, laptops, switches, routers, backup systems, servers—there are a lot of components that make up a modern national computer network,” says Peter. “For a business such as ours, it’s essential that they all function efficiently.”

Efficient functioning

As Head of Infrastructure Support for the agency’s Ontario area, Peter is responsible for the efficient functioning of the agency’s network hardware within all of Ontario except Ottawa.

Every morning, Peter’s team checks the system’s log files and notes any problems that may have arisen overnight. These files, generated using sophisticated diagnostic software, contain detailed information about the network.

Depending on what they see, Peter and his team will investigate warnings or alerts, conduct tests or perform system maintenance. The day’s agenda might also include consulting with colleagues at the telecommunications group in Ottawa or in other parts of the country.

System crash

But a major problem, such as a system crash, requires an immediate response.

“When a significant event occurs, such as a problem with a critical business tool such as e-mail, an alert is sent automatically to my Blackberry,” says Peter. “Our business depends on technology. The faster we know about a problem, the faster we can take action to address it.”

Peter says technology has long interested him. “I bought my first computer in 1984. It was a Commodore Vic 20, which was the lower-end version of the Commodore 64,” he laughs. “Sometimes, it’s hard to believe how far things have progressed.”

Moved to CFIA

After graduating with a diploma in computer programming from Humber College in Toronto in 1989, Peter took a job as a junior programmer and analyst with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, a position that moved under the CFIA’s umbrella in 1997. He’s now part of a team of seven.

“I’ve been really fortunate over the years. The Agency has always challenged me and given me the opportunity to grow and do new things. I’ve gone from managing computers to managing people.

“The bottom line is: I really love what I do. We have some really top talent working with us. It’s very exciting and always changing.”

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