Scott Hara
Jan 21, 2026 - Feb 27, 2026
6
Decisions
0
Active Todos
3
Patterns
Categories
Decisions (6)
Expanded NVIDIA licensing ask to include Fabric Manager + NVISM
Expanded the NVIDIA licensing negotiation scope beyond DOCA-OFED to include Fabric Manager, NVISM, and other critical InfiniBand components not currently in the CUDA bundle. Sent email to Scott Hara while Bjorn was drafting the DOCA-OFED amendment language.
Committed to aggressive NVIDIA GPU Operator self-certification timeline for GTC
Led GPU Operator Self Certification meeting with NVIDIA. Committed CIQ to building pre-compiled GPU driver containers for Rocky Linux (mirroring Ubuntu model) and pursuing self-certification targeting preliminary completion by end of next week to support a GTC announcement.
Set NVIDIA positioning: benchmarks are AMD-only, offer to collaborate on tuning
Defined strategic positioning for NVIDIA benchmark situation: frame existing benchmarks as AMD-only, and offer to work with NVIDIA to tune Rocky Linux for their platform. This turns a potential embarrassment into a partnership opportunity.
Mobilized team for Saudi meeting prep and escalated NVIDIA DOCA blocker
Peter personally intervened to prepare team for critical Saudi Arabia partner meeting on RLC-AI. Posted in #product-rlc-ai asking about CUDA/DOCA availability, discovered NVIDIA written approval for DOCA OFED still pending. Emailed Scott Hara (NVIDIA) directly to advance the approval. Tagged Nathan, Justin, Jeff Uphoff, and Damen Knight demanding they answer Max's detailed technical questions within 24 hours. Set hard deadline: '24 hours from now.' Bjorn committed to calling Scott to reaffirm DOCA modification rights.
Pursue NVIDIA self-certification path for NVAIE integration
CIQ will pursue the self-certification path for NVIDIA NVAIE integration, targeting a GTC announcement. Will adopt NVIDIA preferred embedded license model, integrating NVAIE license cost (~$4,500/GPU) into CIQ product and providing L1/L2 support.
NVIDIA partnership scope agreed - CIQ Rocky Linux for NVIDIA AI at GTC
Agreed with Scott Hara on NVIDIA partnership deliverable: CIQ will deliver a free CIQ Rocky Linux for NVIDIA AI (with AI patches + NVIDIA drivers) for GTC showcase in ~8 weeks. No requirement to upstream to community Rocky short-term. Support cadence: 1-2h kickoff Q&A, then 3 weekly 1h sessions, then ad hoc. CIQ maintains distro with minimal NVIDIA intervention; NVIDIA supplies patches, system access, and optimization guidance.
Related Patterns (3)
Executive Sponsorship for Strategic Partnerships
Strategic cross-company initiatives and major client partnerships require executive-level accountability to move at the right pace and ensure proper prioritization.
Small Circle for Sensitive Operations
When executing sensitive strategic operations, keep the circle of informed people as small as possible to prevent leaks that could accelerate hostile action or undermine the initiative.
Protect Engineering Capacity
When external demands threaten to overload engineering capacity, protect capacity by either requiring the demand to come with additional resources, or forcing hard prioritization choices upstream.