From Lab Chemist to KVM Guru: A Veteran Ops Leader’s Journey
This interview chronicles Xiao Li’s unconventional path from a petroleum chemistry graduate to a senior operations director, highlighting his hands‑on experience with system administration, virtualization, cloud computing, and team management across major Chinese tech firms.
21CTO presents an interview with Xiao Li, a veteran operations expert who started as a chemistry graduate and transitioned into system administration, eventually becoming the Operations Director at Beijing Zhonglian Runtong Technology.
He began his tech journey in college, tinkering with micro‑computers, assisting teachers with computer labs, and experimenting with early Windows installations on floppy disks.
After graduation, he worked for a system‑integration company in Xi’an, handling network engineering and early intranet projects, gaining experience with IBM servers, RAID, and Windows 95 workstations, and earned the MCSE certification.
His career progressed to Shanda’s data center, where he was introduced to virtualization and later moved to Shanghai to focus on KVM technology, becoming a recognized KVM specialist.
He also explored private cloud solutions, including OpenStack and VMware, and applied virtualization to dramatically reduce server counts for game operations, cutting costs by consolidating 500 servers into 100.
In 2013 he joined Kingsoft’s Xishanju in Zhuhai, continuing work in gaming and cloud services, and later returned to Beijing for a government‑focused B2B role, emphasizing SLA compliance and project management.
His management philosophy stresses self‑driven talent, minimal bureaucracy, and clear communication across departments. He outlines a typical project workflow: pre‑sale, implementation, post‑sale, and daily maintenance.
Key tools he uses include detailed WBS task breakdowns with weekly and daily assignments, role clarity, and meticulous documentation. He organizes operational teams into support (24/7 ticket handling), implementation (full‑stack delivery), and architecture (design and ownership).
He shares lessons learned about personnel selection, standardizing technical solutions, and maintaining documentation, as well as the importance of continuous learning in emerging areas like serverless computing.
Beyond work, Xiao Li enjoys watching American TV series to improve his English and remains passionate about technology and management.
He authored the book "Deep Practice of KVM" and has joined the 21CTO expert community to help others grow.
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