<p>Sysadmin blog As the year draws to a close, I'd like to take the time out to thank companies and individuals that have made my life as a writer, a systems administrator, and business owner easier in 2012. Readers of The Register - myself among them - are notorious for their endless cynicism and love of a right good digital kicking, but some companies, products and services in our industry do well by others and they deserve some recognition.Influencing the influencers</p><p>Writing for The Register, I get to deal with a lot of PR and marketing folks. The number of press releases and so forth landing in my inbox is threatening to match that generated by my systems administration clients. Dealing with PRs is rarely fun - they are judged by how successful they are in convincing me to write a piece on their client's gear... I am notoriously lazy and their desperation can reach a fever pitch.</p><p>VMware stands out above the rest here. When I talk to them I use words like "vTax." I argue with the suits about licence-tiering. VMware's marketing folks - most notably Melanie Terbeek - have handled my ingratitude with aplomb. More importantly, they answer even my most difficult questions, including the ones I'm not supposed to ask. That sets them apart.</p><p>Supermicro has to be on my list. They may well be the busiest (or most understaffed) PR department on the planet, but they make a solid effort. Drobo gets a gold star here too. Their VP of technology even added me on Skype so I could pester him in real time with questions. Not the brightest move if you value your sanity, but it made sure I got a chance to test every single feature on that device.</p><p><a href="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/12/21/sysadmin_blog_2012_round_up/">Keep reading...</a></p>