I finally got my head around a conundrum to do with a forthcoming project! How do you build a layer-3 MPLS Network onto a provided layer-2 MPLS core, AND maintain full autonomous control of all the vrf’s, common services and 3rd parties!! All I need to do now, is to get my head around making it a high availability scope, with mega-fast failover AND figure in some QoS (Quality of Service) capable of coping with Data, Voice and Video (and maybe some Wireless) then we are cooking on gas baby!!

We are fast approaching a time where the boundary between ‘enterprise customer’ and ’service provider’ becomes rather smudged. Though I guess that’s the way many enterprises are headed, from what I’m seeing in the forums and email newsletters I’ve been getting of late.

I wouldn’t say I’m ahead of the game yet, but I certainly got through a major landmark today, in terms of personal understanding of the technical nuts and bolts so-to-speak. My approach is to try and keep things as simple as possible - whilst at the same time acheiving what is actually quite a complex feat, but I won’t blow my trumpet any further, as it’s down to a level of teamwork too, and isn’t ALL about me!

*Kicks Ego out of the door and assumes the man of humility position*

Oh and in other news, and on a similarly geeky theme?!

MANY HAPPY RETURNS TO - THE WORLD-WIDE-WEB, YOU ARE 15 YEARS OLD! TODAY!!

Well, what an eventful weekend…

Apart from watching “Death-proof” - instant Tarrantino classic, and featuring a New Zealander stunt chick - Zoe Bell as herself to boot!! I must admit, he could make a 30 second advert for TV and it would be an instant classic!! The man’s a LEGEND~!

So, anyhooo - come Saturday evening, and my landlords invite me along with them and some friends to Timaru (near Upper Hutt), Speedway to take in the season finale - Stock Car races, and Demolition Derby. For $15 you get three plus hours of gritty, petrol fumed pure adrenaline! I even got to wander round the pitts during the races…TOP! The highlight of the evening was seeing the Super-Saloon Class racing, all these soop’d up slick cars, AND a Mini!!! The Mini held it’s own however - I even had a chat with the driver; since he’s the nephew of one of my landlord’s friends?!

Goood times!

Today, is ANZAC Day, New Zealand’s equivalent of Remembrance Sunday in th UK, when the poppies come out and we all say a prayer for the unknown soldier. We went out marching earlier and played some hymns - odd; it really affected me in a very emotional way. This is my first Anzac and it’s similarity to my traditional view of Rememberance Sunday brought the memories flooding back, and just for one moment I felt homesick.

Later I went on a vain quest for a better videocard for my PC….of course since it was the day it is; hardly any PC shop worth it’s salt was open.

I wandered round town for a bit, then headed into the city and wandered round there too for a couple of hours, I’ve just had a roast beef dinner for my…er…dinner, and I’m gonna just chill with some wine and a DVD for the rest of the evening. On a more exciting note, I’ll be heading to a Demolition Derby tomorrow evening with my landlord, so I’ll be able to write about all of that tomorrow =p

For the next few weeks I will be spending my Monday evenings with The Harbour Capital Chorus, as I do an ‘Introduction to Barbershop Singing’.

Tonight was my first attempt, and it was great! Being able to hear all the different harmonies, and ‘tags’ (embellishments at the end of pieces). Apparently I have a good range on my voice and could fit into Lead/(strong)Baritone/Bass and probably Tenor if I pushed my falsetto. This is the range for Barbershop, in contrast to the traditional Soprano, Alto, Tenor or Bass (SATB) of more conventional choirs.

I’ve throroughly enjoyed it, and they even let me stay on and take part in their main rehersal too! So LOTS of sight-reading, and site-singing.

Bet None of you lot out there thought I’d EVER do anything like this huh?! Well….neither did I to be honest, but if the opportunity arrises to do something new, you’ve gotta give it a go right? So, I have!

Woohoo!

*Strikes No. 56 - Sing with Barbershop. off list of things to do before I die…*

I’ve not really had the weekend I envisaged or planned, well. Not quite.

Friday evening, 18 April: Started well enough with a wild night of *thinks for a suitable word* hmmm…. debauchery? mindless drinking and general partying down in Wellington City; dragged some complete strangers on the train in along for the ride =p and also blagged a free Limo ride into town! The rest of Friday gets a little hazy as the Bourbon count increases; along with missing the last train back to ‘The Hutt’ where I live - so I had to FORCE myself to party on more until the 06:05am train, yes I officially partyed ALL night.

Saturday, 19th April Due to this unforseen revellry I had to cancel my brass lesson, and sleep through Saturday….so from my weekend, Saturday this time round is officially scrapped so swiftly moving on:

Sunday 20 April, St Georges Day Service with the Brass Band down in St Paul’s Cathedral in Wellington City (next to parliament). It went well, though I must admit first ‘pink’ coloured cathedral I have ever been in. Certainly not a patch on any Cathedral the UK has to offer both in style and grandeur. Sermon and Service lasted from about 09:30am until 11:30am and so now I am about to head out and do my laundry, but before I do; since it will soon be Shakespeare’s birthday I thought I would share a Sonnet with you all which was orated as part of this morning’s service - and a rather apt one I think!

Sonnet No. 25:-

William Shakespeare

Many congratulations!!

After one of the longest labours I have heard of in a long while, you have become a new mum! I am sooooo happy for you I am also incredibly made up that my vibe for a boy was on the money…

Welcome to the world Charles Alexander (Charlie), and may you bring positive change for all our futures…

For those not in the know, Anna is a good friend and former colleagues from my UK days!

Lol listen to me…..’my UK days’, I say it so nonchalently (spelling?)

In all my years working with Cisco kit, I have always been rather dissappointed by the lack of a decent AND affordable alternative to owning your own lab equipment, especially in this increasingly wireless and security conscious age! Now perhaps I have struck upon my Nirvana?

NetworkSims

They bost an emulation environment that not only simulates routers and switches, but also PIX/ASA firewalls and Aironet Wireless devices! Crucial to many of the current Cisco qualification tracks out today. Sounds expensive doesn’t it!! Even the premium personal download, includes two licenses allowing you to not only install it on your main PC, but on your laptop too for when you are on the road?! AND all for the price of…. wait for it! $48 which equates to about £26…

So, what’s the catch?? So far as I can see - there doesn’t appear to be one, other than the software license only lasts a year, by which time the technology is out of date anyway. So, in the small chance you still require it after a year, you’d have to buy another copy - and why wouldn’t you at this price? The only other limitation I can see is that it doesn’t allow you to build custom environments and experiment to your hearts content; hmmmmm maybe I expect too much?

Limitations asside it comes with enough lab/challenge scenario’s to keep you occupied for hours. I have not played with it fully yet, but as soon as I have got my teeth around it, I may post a further review on it here.

There’s certainly a lot of positive ‘SPIN’ in the feedback section of their website, so I’ll give it a look and provide an objective view as someone who has worked on both the provider (WAN) and client (LAN/WAN) side in telecoms.

Of course, if you begrudge even spending this little amount go check this out:- Dynamips it’s freeware and allows you to run real Cisco IOS Emulations for the 7200, and 3600 series on your Linux or Windows PC!!

Weekend kinda passing me by at the moment. I’m trying to remain positive about the house. Though it means I gotta tighten the belt strings financially for now, and also keep my fingers crossed that the exchange rate between Pounds and NZ Dollars remains good.

I’ve also realised just out of sync with TV I am now, since I don’t watch any!! I usually just hire a DVD box set of some series that I never got into in the UK, to see what it is like etc… I ‘did’ however bring back a classics DVD box set from Brisbane which included such titles as ‘Metropolis’ and ‘Nosferatu’ oh and ‘House on Haunted Hill’ - with Vincent Price (think I’ll watch that one today)