Well its has been busy, and although I haven’t managed to post much I have managed to learn a lot this year (even if I haven’t completed my CCNP).
A lot of my time has been spent learning to script and have written a few application in the fllowing now. C#, VBA, VB.net, and perl. IF you want to get in to admin postitions I strongly suggest learning a scripting language. They all do the same thing so once you have learnt one you will find the rest easy to pick up. But they can save so much time, take away the “boring” jobs and just generally make you look good. Currently I am working on a full blown config generation tool, which once finished will turn a 2hr job in to a 5 minute one.
Apart from scripting, F5 load balancing and some fire wall stuff is where the rest of my time has gone. Oh and more recently setting up a VMware environment for lab purposes. In fact I want to right a post about setting up GNS3 using multiply load balanced external hyper-visors. of loading the process of the router emulation to a few Linux boxes allows you to create some complex network with out the issue of slowing down your desktop/laptop. So over Christmas I will post how to set up an unbuntu server, to run the Dynimaps as a demon so you can easly start and stop it. And how to set up GNS3 on your desktop machine to run them.
In a later post I will show you how to set up diskless unbuntu system. This is a great way to run identical instances of unbuntu all from the same network share/file system. This is an ideal way to run the dynamips hypervisors and allows you to use a machines resources with out affecting its install OS. Imagen booting from a Linux live cd across the network, set up exactly how you want it.
Aside from this it been about my daughter this year, this year has been truly amazing to see her grow. Watching the personality develop and her mind learning and expanding is the most fascinating and wonderful experience I have even known. 2011 has been a good year, and am looking forward to continuing in to 2012.
But 2012does come with the target of finishing CCNP and diving back head first in to CISCO. Hope every one else has had a good year and wishing you all a very merry christmas and a relaxing new year with friends and family.
DevilWAH