Sophos Community: Partner Highlight - Josef Bergmann

Our Partner Highlight is our blog series where we get up-close and personal with our Top Partners in the Sophos Community.

Up next is Josef Bergmann, one of our valuable Sophos Partners.

Let's Talk Career 

1. Tell us about yourself and your professional background.
My name is Josef Bergmann. I am 55 years old, and live in Vienna, Austria. I have a degree in communications engineering and electronics from a technical college in Austria. For 10 years, I worked as a hardware and software developer before I started my own business. 

2. What inspired you to get into IT and security?
My fascination for computers started when I got my first home computer - a Sinclair ZX spectrum. Then I discovered Linux and my interest grew. One of my proudest accomplishments was when I got to connect my first self-made firewall to the internet in 1993 through TIS FWTK. 

3. Tell us about your company and your partnership (with Sophos)?
In 1997, I started my own business in professional Linux consulting, specializing in firewalls and other secure internet servers. Since then, I gained clients from many big companies – having them get their first internet connection protected with Linux firewalls through my company.  

After a while, we became one of the first partners of Astaro in Austria. We then partnered with Sophos in 2011 - Astaro became the Sophos UTM. 

Currently, we’re a small team of IT security professionals focused on consulting and managing firewalls and other special network equipment of varied brands for medium-sized enterprises. Our customers are from Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, but we manage their systems from all around the world. 
 
4. What do you enjoy most about your job?
I enjoy finding simple solutions for complex problems and working with people who know their job.
 
5. Have you taken any Sophos Training Courses?
Yes, I’ve taken mainly the UTM/firewall and endpoint/server protection courses.

On the Sophos Community  

6. What brings you to the community?
I was looking for help and experience, and then I decided to offer it myself.

7. What's a fun fact about you that you want to share with the community?
I hate broken things, so I always have a small multitool with me (which always causes me trouble at security checks).

Who are you outside work? 

8. What's the best lesson you've learned (in career or in life?)
Keep life simple, as it always gets complicated by itself anyway.

10. What are your hobbies outside of work?
My hobbies include cycling, gardening, and sailing.

11. Do you have a personal motto or mantra?
Be happy, life is short.

12. Three words to describe you.
Interested, patiently, humorous

Got questions for Josef Bergmann? Say hi and connect here in the Sophos Community! 

Are you a Sophos Partner? Join the community today to connect with other Partners in our exclusive Sophos Partner Community group and receive rewards through our Partner recognition program!