I don't work for Google, but I did follow that career path - started as a developer, then moved into operations. I didn't immediately become an expert as soon a

I don't work for Google, but I did follow that career path - started as a developer, then moved into operations. I didn't immediately become an expert as soon as I made the transition - it was a slow process, and I'm still not what I'd consider the equal of a veteran sysadmin in terms of low-level system knowledge. However, I can hold my own in either discipline.