Pros
IT Infrastructure and majority of tier 1 staff are both knowledgeable and intelligent, working well with the tools they're given. Great to work with by and large. Control is in proportion to responsibility, within the existing infrastructure. There is a great deal of freedom with regard to innovation and solving problems. The IT dept is relatively small and non-bureaucratic with comparison to a company like HP. There's a great work/life balance, with little intrusion except in cases of emergencies.
Cons
The upper IT management (CIO) does not connect with the infrastructure department staff to glean the facts. If they did, they could make rational decisions on what solutions would best meet the demands of both customers and the end user base. Instead they listen to salesmen and people who don't know what is going on. The budget is small and when money is spent, it is never spent on what is actually needed until situations are critical. The disasters and complications that could be prevented, are ignored. While there is room to grow, if you dare stick your head out for a management position, there is little to no room for raises. I've yet to see a cost of living raise that isn't so small it gets eaten by taxes.
