I have been working in, on, around, or in the depths of computer networks professionally for over 22 years. Before that I was programming, hacking, and just generally messing about with computers, modems, bulletin boards, and networks since I got my first computer at age eight: an Apple IIc with all the accoutrements. In that time I have managed to break a good many things, fix many other things, and have seen a lot of the good, bad, and just plain odd underbellies of the computer world. As such, writing about some of it seems to make a certain level of sense.
I write, or have written, in several programming languages, beginning with LOGO on the Apple IIc, Basic, TurboPascal, C, C , Perl, Javascript, and most recently Python, have been certified (or certifiable) in everything from Novell CNE to Microsoft MCSE, to various Cisco certifications.
I’m interested in all manner of open source projects, though mostly around OpenStack and OpenDaylight. I’m even obsessive enough that I’m writing two of my own command-line Twitter clients simultaneously in C and Python–mostly because I’m a masochist I think, and I don’t sleep.
I have, until recently, spent most of my professional time in a strategy role, translating between the business needs of my former company and the incredible IT Team I managed. In March of 2014, after many years of increasing responsibility on the operations side of the industry, I made the switch to consulting for a large systems integrator. The challenges are different, unique, and the pace frenetic at the best of times. This exposes me to many large enterprise networks, and it feeds my obsessive need to learn.
I’m an avid watcher of industry trends, and love to write about them professionally as well as on my humble blog. In what little spare time I have, I’m interested in sailing, wood working, old cars, Formula 1, photography, theoretical physics, my family, and anything else that I find to be fun at the time. I’m also a Disney nut and if you can’t find me anywhere else, start looking at one of the Disney theme parks.
I can be found online in a variety of places, scribbling whatever nonsense comes to mind, but the two most likely places are my personal blog and Twitter, along with anyone who will pay me for my wild-eyed ramblings.