We want to rename our group at work. We are currently “Systems Engineering” (abbreviated “SE”). There are a number of decent reasons why we want a different name, and I’m not going to get into that. Let’s just suffice it to say that the change is definitely going to happen in the next week or so.
My group designs, builds, and operates compute & storage infrastructure, for all sizes of customer, and all manner of security level (basic all the way to NIST 800-53 “High”). We provide traditional system administration services. We do VMware, Linux, Windows, Solaris, AIX, Mac OS, everything. We also install & maintain applications for customers, and specialize in automation technologies (Puppet, etc.). We often serve as the people who bridge gaps between other groups, and between vendors and the organization, and are often the glue that holds a solution together.
We don’t do anything but the basics of databases or networking, other groups hold the deep expertise there. Nor do we manage facilities. There is also a separate CISO-led security group so they provide a lot of the policy that drives our designs and operations. And other, large, enterprise-y applications (ERPs, email & calendaring, identity management, etc.) have their own support teams.
Another group formed where I work and calls themselves “CAOS” — pronounced as chaos — and we’re a little jealous of that. We’d like a clever name, too, especially one that sounds like supervillians. So far the best name put forth is simply just “Systems & Application Engineering” or “SAE.” It isn’t bad but I think there’s better out there. At least with SAE we can make viscosity jokes about slow projects for the next decade.
My question to you is: can you come up with a clever, HR-safe acronym & name for this team that reflects what we do?
Put your suggestions in the comments. Quality is good but volume works, too — others might riff on your ideas.
If we pick your suggestion I’ll personally send you a $50 gift card to Amazon (this is me doing this, not my employer). If you aren’t in the USA I’ll see if I can do it in the currency of your choice. If a suggestion is made twice the first one wins it. If no suggestions are chosen I will put all the suggestions in a pool and draw one randomly for the prize, as a thank you for participating. Please make sure your email is correct in the comments!
Ready… go!