The Network Shokunin

(#7 of 7) Throughout this series , I have tried to set out a set of simple design principles I believe all network architects should adhere to in order to ensure the success of their projects.  These have covered properties of the network and their operation which, given the appropriate level of attention, can make the difference between a successful and useful foundation for a customer's IT and one that fails to provide the right kind of underpinning for the services and systems that the customer needs to be successful. An availabl e network ensures that clients can access the applications and services they need to when they need to; a scalable network can grow or shrink to meet demands placed on it by the customer; a secure network ensures that a customer can support their customers with integrity and privacy; a supportable network infrastructure is one which is measurable and transparent, and has the right tooling around it to ease operations; a simple network is ...

So, a couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to join a vendor advocacy programme - the Cisco Champion s.  The idea as I understood it was that it was a way of getting pre-announcement product information so as to be in a position to help quickly spread the word when the press announcements were actually made.  It meant a couple of things to me: early access to interesting technical detail of upcoming product launches and access to help to develop my personal social presence.  Sounds great, right?  As a self-confessed network geek, and a follower of Cisco through their certification programmes, what better than getting to find out about new stuff early and keeping on top of trends? Has it lived up to that promise? Hell yes!  We have been able to watch up close and get the scoop  as events - such as the release of DNA Centre, acquisition of Viptela, maturity of ACI with its container integration, changing landscape of UC with Webex Teams and the Broad...

I’ve just had a week away from the hustle and bustle of work, spending seven days with the family in the peace and tranquility of Meia Praia near Lagos in Portugal.  (Incidentally, I thoroughly recommend visiting the area if you’ve never been) While we were away, I resolved to plough through Walter Isaacson’s biography of Leonardo da Vinci , having thoroughly enjoyed the insights from his book about Steve Jobs. After starting it on the flight out, I turned the last page on the homeward bound Ryanair 737-800 about an hour out of Faro and felt compelled to write down my takeaways from it. First things first, I’d strongly recommend reading the book. Isaacson doesn’t take a strictly linear path through Leonardo’s life but instead covers a series of main themes that gradually build to give a picture of a complex intellect. He can be a little repetitive at times as the threads cross over but they do all come together towards the end of his life to show how all the elements of his perso...

I've been reading about and trying to make more sense of the "Tyranny of the Immediate", a situation to which I seem to fall   victim all the time.  The phrase can be applied to all manner of scenarios – indeed if you Google it you'll come up with references to everything from the housing market to prayer.  What do I mean by it and how does it affect me?  Basically it is the daily conflict between what is   deemed   to be urgent at that moment versus what is important in the longer term.   In my day-to-day, this takes one of three forms:   Things or people busting my plans for the day/week/month with something that is just so urgent that it can't wait;   Misunderstood priorities and/or dependencies in a project or infrastructure delivery leading to a short-sighted tactical solution;   Short-termism in career and personal development – looking at what skills are needed now and studying for those, without considering the...

I have been wanting to start a blog, my blog, for a while now.  I've written a couple of things for company and Cisco blogs but by their nature they weren't *mine*.  And then an online challenge in the Cisco Champions Spark room prompted me into action.  And so here we are. I wanted to choose a name for it that meant something, that reflected me.  Most of my online presence revolves around the fact that I now work for a VAR, designing and building networks with Cisco products, and that I have certain prestigious Cisco qualifications.  When you are chasing those certs, it is easy to let them define you - especially when you are able to claim your CCIE number.  It's just ten years since my number was given to me - years of practice leading me to reach the top of my configuration game! - and every couple of years since, I have slogged away for a couple of months to recertify. Finding it tougher each time to pass due to the fact that my days at the CLI wer...