Every third Tuesday in September, the technology industry pauses to recognize the professionals who form the backbone of our increasingly digital world. National IT Professionals Day, observed this year on September 16th, serves as a moment to acknowledge the skilled technologists, system administrators, network engineers, cybersecurity specialists, and countless other IT professionals who keep our digital infrastructure running smoothly. From the server rooms of Fortune 500 companies to the cloud architectures powering startups, these professionals work tirelessly-often behind the scenes-to ensure that businesses can operate, innovate, and thrive in the digital age.
The importance of this recognition has never been more apparent than in recent years, as organizations across every sector have undergone rapid digital transformation. The pandemic accelerated technology adoption by decades in some cases, placing IT professionals at the center of business continuity efforts. They enabled remote work overnight, secured distributed networks, migrated critical workloads to the cloud, and maintained system uptime while facing unprecedented challenges. Yet beyond crisis response, IT professionals continue to be the driving force behind innovation, implementing emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, edge computing, and advanced analytics that are reshaping entire industries.
As we celebrate National IT Professionals Day 2025, VMblog reached out to industry thought leaders, executives, and technology experts to gather their perspectives on what makes IT professionals so vital to modern business success. The following commentary from across the technology ecosystem offers a compelling portrait of a profession that has evolved from back-office support to business-critical leadership.
In an era where digital transformation isn’t just an initiative but a survival imperative, the role of IT professionals has expanded far beyond traditional boundaries. They are no longer just maintaining systems, they are architecting the future, one deployment at a time. Today’s IT professionals are the unsung heroes of digital innovation, deserving not just our recognition, but our gratitude for the complex, critical work they perform every single day.
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Greg Harvey, Director of IT, Index Engines
On IT Professionals Day, I want to thank my team and all the incredible IT professionals working behind the screens�the ones who quietly and consistently keep our systems secure, our data protected, and our teams connected.
Cyber threats are constant and complex, but thanks to our IT team, we�re not just prepared�we�re protected. Their impact is felt in every corner of our organization. Whether it�s responding to a security alert at 2 a.m. or proactively building safeguards we�ll never even notice, they show up with dedication, expertise, and heart.
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Jon Pratt, Chief Information Officer, 11:11 Systems
There’s no question that technology lies at the heart of every organization today. On IT Professionals Day, it�s essential to pause and recognize the dedicated individuals who often work behind the scenes, ensuring our networks, systems, and critical data remain seamless and secure.
IT professionals are the silent champions�facing complex challenges and often working hours to troubleshoot issues before most of us are even aware of them. Their ability to keep organizations running smoothly is nothing short of essential. The digital world doesn�t sleep, and in a landscape where connectivity underpins everything�from team collaboration to serving customers�it�s clear that the value of IT professionals cannot be overstated. Their expertise drives innovation, safeguards businesses, and supports our everyday work.
Let’s take this day to celebrate the tireless work, expertise, and dedication of IT professionals everywhere. They are the backbone of modern business, empowering progress and pushing technology forward for all of us.
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Beth Caltagirone, Head of Marketing, StorPool Storage
Behind every smooth-running business is a team of dedicated IT professionals whose expertise often goes unseen but never unnoticed. These unsung heroes work tirelessly behind the scenes, using their knowledge and experience to keep systems secure, efficient, and reliable. They don�t just respond to issues as they arise�they anticipate needs, proactively making changes on the backend to ensure customers and users can focus on their work without disruption. From solving complex technical challenges to quietly preventing problems before they occur, IT pros are the backbone of modern business success. Today we celebrate you!
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Bill Andrews, President and CEO of ExaGrid
ExaGrid (Tiered Backup Storage) is proud to celebrate IT Pro Day. Technology continues to accelerate and data continues to grow. With the new innovations come new risks and challenges, and we are grateful to the IT teams who keep on top of it all and keep the growth going while working to ensure our organizations are protected. Thank you to all of the IT professionals out there!
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Will Teevan, CEO at Recast Software
At Recast Software, we�re excited to celebrate IT Pro Day and shine a light on the people who keep our systems running day after day. More than ever, in a world where nearly all of us depend on technology to do our daily work, the efforts of IT professionals are profoundly human�quietly powering our days in ways far bigger than most will ever give them credit for. Today, and every day, we�re grateful for their expertise and dedication.
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Jake Bell, Engineer Team Lead at Object First
IT professionals are the backbone of modern enterprises, working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that operations run smoothly and securely. Their expertise keeps business infrastructure safe, stable, and resilient, as security threats and bad actors grow more sophisticated every day.
As the demands on these teams continue to rise, it�s important that this National IT Professionals� Day we remind executive leadership to recognize not only the critical value these professionals bring, but also the support they need to continue thriving. Providing the right resources and tools helps reduce unnecessary pressure and ensures organizations can attract and retain top talent in these vital roles.
Solutions like immutable backups and advanced data storage management techniques play a key part in this support system. By enabling fast, reliable recovery that minimizes downtime, these technologies give IT professionals the confidence that they can protect their organizations effectively without overextending budgets. Empowering IT teams with strong, modern tools is both an investment in security and in the people who make it possible.
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Shane Barney, Chief Information Security Officer, Keeper Security
IT professionals � especially those in cybersecurity � are the unsung heroes of the modern enterprise. They work tirelessly to protect critical systems, data and infrastructure against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, including a growing wave of AI-driven attacks. National IT Professionals Day is the perfect moment to recognize the pivotal role these individuals play, and to ensure they are equipped with the tools they need to succeed.
To stay ahead of modern threats, organizations must enable their teams with innovative solutions designed for today�s environment. For example, an agentic AI-enabled Privileged Access Management (PAM) platform not only secures and monitors access to sensitive systems and data, but also provides intelligent threat detection and automated response capabilities that can identify and block suspicious behavior in real-time. These same capabilities help streamline essential IT functions � from audit logging to privileged access reviews and password rotation enforcement � reducing complexity and freeing teams to focus on higher-value initiatives.
This National IT Professionals Day, the best way to celebrate practitioners is by giving them the tools to simplify, streamline and strengthen their daily operations. By investing in advanced solutions that anticipate and neutralize modern threats, organizations not only protect their most valuable assets but also enable their IT professionals to operate at their full potential.
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Simon Green, Chief Information Officer at Pax8
On National IT Professionals Day, we celebrate the unsung heroes who are driving one of the most exciting transformations in business history. These professionals, especially ones that run IT services organizations that help support their business clients — have evolved from keeping systems running to unlocking unprecedented possibilities for small businesses by transforming into what we call ‘Managed Intelligence Providers.’ They’re the trusted guides helping businesses navigate the AI revolution and compete like never before. Our research shows that 66% of Pax8’s 42,000+ partners expect to be strategic business advisors within two years, and they’re already proving it by architecting intelligent solutions that democratize technology once only reserved for large enterprises. Today we honor these innovators who are reshaping not just technology, but the entire future of how business gets done.
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John Astorino, Chief Operating Officer, Auvik
The role of IT teams is evolving rapidly in the face of AI and automation. Over the last several years, AI-driven solutions have emerged as a key element in supporting overworked IT teams as they navigate their continuously expanding role, allowing them to focus their effort on strategic initiatives and transform how they demonstrate value and ensure seamless operations for their organization. While these technological developments empower IT professionals to manage increasingly complex environments with greater efficiency, they also pose new and unique challenges like shadow AI and shadow IT, tool sprawl, and more.
With talent shortages and rising burnout, the emergence of the �IT generalist� underscores the importance of automation in alleviating workload pressures. AI and automation are no longer optional, rather they�re essential tools which enable IT professionals to manage diverse systems, address tickets and respond to end-user needs, and maintain security in an era of shadow AI and expanding SaaS ecosystems.
On National IT Professionals Day, Auvik recognizes the resilience and adaptability of IT pros, and the technologies that are helping them thrive in a rapidly changing digital landscape.
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Steve Visconti, CEO of Xiid
Says careers will rise or stall on one skill set: Convert technical work into measurable business impact.
The classic IT career track is fading given the demand for a broader skillset the enterprise demands. Success will be defined by IT�s ability to adapt, adopt strategic thinking and consider the business impact, not just technical know-how.
IT success will be measured by how resourceful teams are in mastering secure architectures, leveraging cloud-native tools and driving smart automation, all while directly impacting business goals and outcomes. Cybersecurity that�s deterministic and low in ambiguity will be the baseline, with every effort tied to advancing strategic business goals.
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Chrystal Taylor, Evangelist and Staff Product Marketing Manager, SolarWinds
This IT Pro Day, we celebrate the experts who keep everything running when users �didn�t touch anything� or the Wi-Fi mysteriously �breaks.� Our survey shows that while buzzwords and user mishaps are daily hurdles, what IT pros really want is recognition, balance, and maybe even the dream of waking up to zero urgent alerts.
Their work is often only noticed when something goes wrong, but their impact is constant and invaluable. From keeping hybrid workplaces connected to protecting organizations from everyday �IT crime scenes,� IT pros are the true problem-solvers behind the scenes. On behalf of SolarWinds, thank you for your expertise, patience, and the calm you bring to our digital world. I hope everyone takes a moment to thank an IT Pro that has helped you, even in a small way, today!
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Bruce Kornfeld, Chief Product Officer at StorMagic
IT professionals are the steady hands keeping systems online when hardware fails, when cloud services slow down or when costs suddenly rise due to shifting trade policies. They help ensure resilient infrastructure and find ways to deliver more with less, even as new demands like AI, virtualization changes and real-time data processing at the edge emerge.
The reality is that IT teams are often asked to stretch budgets, rethink infrastructure strategies and deliver efficiency without compromising reliability. Whether it�s reducing server sprawl, exploring alternatives to costly software or simplifying management at remote sites, IT professionals are solving problems that most of us never see.
That dedication can even come at a personal cost�systems don�t always operate 24/7 or as smoothly as we�d hope, and it�s not unusual for IT professionals to miss family dinners, weekends or holidays to keep everything running.
Their work is not only technical, it�s strategic. By keeping applications running smoothly, they give businesses the flexibility to innovate and the confidence to face whatever comes next. On National IT Professionals Day, we should take time to recognize the people who keep our digital world moving forward. Today we thank them for their dedication, their creativity and their commitment to keeping organizations running smoothly in an unpredictable world.
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