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Asides

Digital Growth with your Job

Published
by
Deon Botha
on June 30, 2009
in Asides and Off-Topic
. 0 Comments

When you go to meetings, launches, and other occassions inevitably someone is going to forget to turn their cellphone or PDA to silent. What is entertaining and sometimes downright annoying is the choice of ringtone that some individuals have on their digital lifelines. The clip below I find really good.

Since the US elections President Obama has become someone that I admire and really look up to as a leader for a new generation of both Americans and if one could put it that way youth of the world. For the first time you have a politician that is fairly straight forward and straight talking. He doesn’t mince words and gets down to the point without much of the previous administrations messing around and skirting the subject.

Take the below clip on someone who forgot their phone on loud in a White House Speech. Kudos to Obama for being a brilliant public speaker and going off topic and then going back on straight to the point within a couple of seconds. This guy is one of the best presenters that grips your attention that I have seen in politics for a long while.

Progress and Update

Published
by
Deon Botha
on June 6, 2009
in Asides
. 6 Comments

So it’s been a while. I feel like I’ve gone cold turkey on a good habit (one that I love) and feel the withdrawal symptoms when I don’t get my fix of  geekness. What kept me from my studies, blog and fiddling with text based console terminal? Work, square peg fitting into a round hole the basic life stuff mostly. Something has to pay for the rent and gas in the car. Not that the excuse is really valid but what bought me back?

Where I have relocated to I found this really cool Japanese Sushi bar. Amazing place really all you can eat on Wednesday for R 130 ($13). Anyone want the name and you in Johannesburg really check it out (email me). Sitting there one day and having a meal with some of the family I struck up a conversation with people sitting across the carousel (random yes, not usually what I do most times when zoning in on practically free sushi). I assume the other people to be in networking because it was all Cisco, all routing / switching and other networking at a propeller-head level.

It felt great talking to someone who knew something about what they were talking about, it was all nuts and bolts mind but talking about something that I knew something about (not alot, I’ve read some of the CCIE greats blogs and they know ALOT more but something more than nothing) with someone with shared knowledge awakened me to the fact that I hadn’t actually spent much time on something I love doing, want to be doing and earning a salary doing, and need to work and study at to realize.

My swift spiritual kick to the head has been delivered. My road to Cisco is going to take me longer but hey life is a journey. I’ve set time tables again and made posting guidelines for myself. I wont be updating as regularly but I have a time table in mind of about once if not more a week for notes. This should keep me on track for getting things done.

Let’s get the party started again.

Week in Review 23-02-09 – 27-02-09

Published
by
Deon Botha
on March 2, 2009
in Asides and Off-Topic
. 0 Comments

This is looking very bad for me at the moment. Two reviews without any filler content. I really need to start making some progress on notes and studies. I’m keeping this short and to the point. More time on studies this week. Last week was end of month and not really “productive” in the free time area with meeting targets and other junk. I did meet my target at 134%.

My POA is to spend more time on studie this week.

Week in Review – 2009/02/16 – 2009/02/22

Published
by
Deon Botha
on February 23, 2009
in Asides and Off-Topic
. 0 Comments

I’m sitting before work starts and thinking that maybe I should devote monday mornings to a “review session” of sort for the previous work week. This should provide me with a indicator where and what went wrong in my studies and where I need to change. It might also help me to identify where I am going wrong and what happened that lead to slow and “zero” progress. This may also help others to avoid some of the problems I am having.

Last week was my first week back into the books after changing jobs and I dare say professions, twice, in a short space of time. This was a delayed start because I forgot my study material at home the previous week. What I could have done to prevent this was probably made a note to pack the book when I got home or sign up to safari books (negating the use of a hardcopy boook altogether). In local currency the safari online option is just a little pricey to me but I will probably get there eventually when I hit the CCIE material.

The week itself was a disaster of note. I made good progress with the first post after revision of previous work done (catching up and revision) but the speed and pace slowed after that initial post when things began also picking up at work. I’m probably another couple of days away from making my next post barring hitches and problems coming up (work commitments, work, problems where I am staying and the need for sleep).

My evenings haven’t been going as planned with late night trips for food and staying late at work making work “after” activities almost useless because it would go in and straight out when I am that tired.

To try and work around all of the above, I am thinking I will physically plan study time when I know I don’t have something to do either early in the morning when I am still fresh and able to take in information or staying later after work when I can sit at a desk and do proper work.

My weekend didnt exactly happen as Saturday was booked for training with The Peer group. This messed up my weekend totally as I feel like I didnt complete anything useful this weekend other than do my chores and shopping on sunday and back to work today. (zero studying and reading happened).

I suppose life just sometimes happens and going with the flow is part of this process of achieving what I set out to do.

Lets see if this happens starting today.

Update February 5th 2009

Published
by
Deon Botha
on February 5, 2009
in Asides and Off-Topic
. 3 Comments

Hello To anyone that still might visit my little webdom,

I’ve finally sorted out my new job, it’s been a roller coaster of note. This is not exactly what I had planned when starting out with this job in November with many things going totally up the creek and my stress levels going totally off the charts. The company I find myself in has nothing remotely to do with Cisco (which sucks) but with the market globally as it and the multitude of Cisco prospects streaming in at that time (read absolutely none) I was between a rock and a hard place with choices on advancing my career and personal development to get where I want to be in the future.

On a side note this makes me wonder whether the abundance of “Cisco” brain drain / skill shortage seminars / webinars / talks and press releases aren’t total BS and Cisco isn’t just trying to artificially stimulate their own ecosystem with the perception of a lack of skill (something to think about).

Short history, I started this job in November 2008 and I find myself now in a totally different department and job role as the one I started out in. This has a fair few positive and negative point, the main positive result is that I now have the time and energy to pick up my Cisco Books again and start posting updates and keep going with my Cisco studies, I really want to advance my Cisco Creds to the point where I want the with a CCIE or three in the furture (I’m a sucker for punishment).

I’m heading back “home” (I work and have lodgings in Johannesburg while I stay and all my stuff is  in Pretoria) tomorrow and plan on packing my  Cisco books to start the Long Road to Cisco again (note to self I really need to find a “place” in Johannesburg once I get my permanent contract).

Regards,

Deon

Update 08 November 2008

Published
by
Deon Botha
on November 8, 2008
in Asides and Off-Topic
. 6 Comments

New posts might not happen for a while. I have changed jobs and the new job has nothing to do with Cisco. This leaves me with little time for studies. I have put too much time and effort into my Cisco studies to stop them now but the regularity of updates and the pace of work will not be like it was before.

Update on Cisco Live! – World’s Leading Technologies Together in JHB

Published
by
Deon Botha
on October 10, 2008
in Asides, Cisco Systems and Vine
. 0 Comments

Cisco Live! is the Cisco annual ‘Networkers’ conference. For the first time ever the will be held in Sandton, Johannesburg on 1st – 4th December 2008. Cisco Live! will be the place for network engineers from all over Africa gather for technical training, education and networking. For the past eleven years, the conference has been at the forefront of educating delegates on new technologies.

The Cisco Live! conference will incorporate a new concept ‘Networkers at Cisco Live!’ with a mix of technical and business offerings. This format broadens traditional technical focused meet-ups to include executive tracks that examine the role of technology in driving business value in a challenging economic climate. The theme of this year’s conference is ‘The Power of Collaboration’ and delegates can look forward to thought-provoking keynotes from local and international Cisco executives and industry experts.

Networkers at Cisco Live! will be held at the Sandton Convention Centre and will attract more than 1,500 delegates, making it the largest Networkers conference in South Africa to date. The program will comprise various sessions, ranging from technical trainings to an invitation-only executive symposium. Delegates will also have the opportunity to view the World of Solutions demonstration area, which will showcase collaboration and communication tools and technology, such as TelePresence.

A Word from Steve Midgley the Managing Director of Cisco South Africa

“South Africa is the first country outside the United States to introduce the Cisco Live! brand. With Cisco Live!, we are taking the event to the next level to provide a platform where industry players can learn new technologies, discuss business trends, share ideas and network,” said Steve Midgley, Managing Director, Cisco Systems South Africa.“In recent years, specialization, globalization and new technologies have resulted in more collaborative environments made up of global, virtual networks and communities that improvise and find more productive, innovative and faster ways to do business. Cisco puts communications and collaboration capabilities within the context of a business process to allow workers increase their productivity, speed and agility,” added Midgley.

Speakers

Rick Hutley, vice president of Global Innovations for Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group, will be a keynote speaker at the event. Hutley, responsible for engaging Cisco’s largest global customers, will discuss the role of collaborative technologies in addressing the key business challenges and opportunities faced by organisations today.

Also speaking at the conference will be World Wide Worx’s Arthur Goldstuck, who will present findings from the Cisco-sponsored Internet Access in South Africa 2008 research report. Goldstuck’s presentation will cover the latest trends in Internet access and will set the scene for a discussion around the future of connectivity in South Africa, which plays a crucial role in collaboration.

For more information on Networkers at Cisco Live! www.networkersafrica.co.za

Apple iPhone 3G

Published
by
Deon Botha
on October 3, 2008
in Asides and Vine
. 0 Comments

So finally South Africa is treated to the bright, amazing, and wondrous release of the Applie iPhone 3G (totally missing out on Version 1), that’s unless you had a cousin, connection or friend in another “more developed” country smuggle one in for you. I would have been there on the launch day (I like the vibe of launch days) but I was quad biking in the bushveld (sun, wild animals, 4×4 lots of fun and first holiday in a long time).

Here is the laugh though; since the launch (a week ago today) I have seen 1 (total) being used (at a Fortinet mixer last night). I have decided against being a South African first adopter becuase of articels like this and this and don’t want to be find out first hand how bad Vodacom support can be on a new product.

I stopped into a Voda-store (local reseller) to have a listen to the whole story on a “Apple package deal” and was thoroughly disgusted as they wanted me to sign “another contract” on top of the one I already have. I had to ask three times specifically NO CONTRACT ONLY HANDSET before I was told that the Voda-super-store was the only place that sold iPhone out-of-hand for the super price of ZAR 7,569. These sharks don’t tell you when you ask, or listen when you ask and con people into signing contracts for 24 months onto existing 24 month contracts. Totally Disgusting this being one of their resellers and how they operate. Probably why Vodacom South Africa has a Net Profit of ZAR 8 Bn and Earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation, amortisation, impairment, profit/loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment, investment properties, intangible assets and investments of ZAR 16.5 Bn.

Today on MyBroadband they had a nice piece on the cost of the iPhone in other markets versus here.

Anyone want that iPhone 3G with added Apple Tax all things considered? Seems a little much for me taking into consideration what it says on the box isn’t what the product seems to be doing all over the world.

What will your people do when the network goes down?

Published
by
Deon Botha
on September 30, 2008
in Asides, Cisco Systems, Off-Topic and Vine
. 2 Comments

So while I am working diligently at getting back into the Cisco swing of things with my study notes and Cisco Press books and making posts on a regular basis (this is happening just slowly OSPF is beating me up left, right and centre). This all after some added work commitments and other stuff has been sorted out.

This came in a Cisco email today and I really enjoyed it. Good for a laugh or two. These cubicle jockeys are somewhat athletic compared to the ones I know.

South African Internet Service Providers Association Spam Hall of Shame

Published
by
Deon Botha
on September 30, 2008
in Asides and Vine
. 2 Comments

Something on the vine I found that was interesting. I really think this kind of thing should be done more often and with more fanfare by Associations and Large Companies with access to Statistics where abuse of a “public” system is prevalent.

The SPAM hall of shame from Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA) lists the Top 5 SPAM generators in South Africa. These boys and girls are probably mild compared to their international counterparts but still in a local view attempting to manage SPAM this may help some.


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