I recommend that people go one level deeper than this. Keeping things running smoothly is the lowest level requirement of IT work, not a major accomplishment.

The really great IT folk that I know spend 5-10 hours a week on trouble tickets, keeping things running, etc. The other 30-40 hours are spent on projects, improving the business. And those projects get visibility.

So you have the guy in the corner who is so good that everything runs smoothly, and nobody knows he is there. Or the guy next to him who chooses to do that... and then even more.

Guess which guy really deserves more recognition?