Learning from the Universe

Every day we can reflect on all the events going on around us. There is so much we can learn from the universe, for the examples:

1. Learning from the fish. Fish placed in flowing water will be faster growing than if it had placed in a still water. That is, we will mature more quickly when our lives are filled various exams and problems. The Problem will helps us to move toward to a dream. Without any problems we may never being strong, this will never be as successful.

2. Learning from the water. The flowing water will stay fresh more durable than the silent water. Still Water will decompose faster. The Lesson is when we only yells rather than moves , berate rather than action, keep staying rather than struggling, then life will decay faster and far from quality.

3. Learn from the stars who shine brightly in the darkness of night. We’ll know in order to be a stars we must dare to face the darkness of night. Dare to face the complex problem of our life.

4. Learning from the laws of the universe named “the law of attraction” . Thoughts and feelings will draw anything imaginable in the universe, according to its frequency. So if we are in happy then we’re appealing, or invite happiness. Conversely, if we are angry, indulgence in emotional, then we’re appealing emotions other emotions.

Thus, if today we are close and often get together with people who behave negatively, then we are actually negative. For, good people often just hanging out with good people, hanging out with criminals are criminals, the dead gathered with the dead, corrupt gathered with other criminals. Remember, anything as sweet oranges, but if the orange is in the middle of a pile of rotting garbage, then most people would guess that it was rotten oranges.

So, everything around us is a reflection of ourselves. Make us coloring the environment and not the environment coloring us, except when we were in a good environment already, then thank to God. And color further with the best color that we have.

Taken from “Motisakti” written by Zen el-Fuad

Your Career is In Your Hands

“Stay hungry. Stay foolish”

Steve Jobs, in a commencement speech at Stanford University in 2005

Honestly, i don`t know that quote above until Apple announced that Steve Jobs has died at the age of 56. Some peoples has retweet that quote on the twitter and some peoples has update their facebook status with that quote. I really curious, what kind of that quote is ? So, i was in rush to googling what story behind of that quote and i went into this link :

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/steve-jobs-told-students-stay-hungry-stay-foolish/2011/10/05/gIQA1qVjOL_blog.html

(written by Valerie Strauss )

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Steve Jobs, the late Apple co-founder being called the Thomas Edison of his time, revealed in a commencement speech at Stanford University in 2005 why he dropped out of college — and why he thought it was one of the best things he ever did. Yet he had other advice for the students.

Jobs, whose death at the age of 56 was announced Wednesday night, started that speech by telling about being adopted as a baby, and why, 17 years later, he attended Reed College in Oregon for only six months before dropping out. He said:

“My biological mother was a young, unwed college graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking: ‘We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?’

They said: ‘Of course.’

“My biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final adoption papers. She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would someday go to college.

“And 17 years later I did go to college.

“But I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents’ savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months, I couldn’t see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required classes that didn’t interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting.

“It wasn’t all romantic. I didn’t have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends’ rooms, I returned coke bottles for the 5 cent deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the seven miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple. I loved it. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on. Let me give you one example.

“Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country. Throughout the campus every poster, every label on every drawer, was beautifully hand calligraphed. Because I had dropped out and didn’t have to take the normal classes, I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this. I learned about serif and san serif typefaces, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great. It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can’t capture, and I found it fascinating.

“None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But 10 years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me.

And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer with beautiful typography. If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. And since Windows just copied the Mac, it’s likely that no personal computer would have them. If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do.”

At the end of the speech, his advice to the students went like this:

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

“When I was young, there was an amazing publication called “The Whole Earth Catalog, “which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960’s, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and Polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.

“Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.” It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

“And I have always wished that for myself.

“And now, as you graduate to begin a new, I wish that for you.

“Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.”

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I really like this article, expecially when Jobs advice to the student.

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

Yes, i agree with Jobs. We can`t always living in someone else`s life, including our future. Everyone have a destination as their goal (maybe), so we can`t lying on their destination.

So, how could we get our independence and live as ourself ? Be Your Self. Do what you want to do. Do What you have passion on it.

If you are a network engineer, be an expert network engineer. If you are a photographer, do as an expert. If you are a car driver, do as an expert. Do as you want to do.

Somehow, i met a person that he didn`t know what he want to do. But, in other side, i saw he has a skill that he can`t realize it. So, i believe that God create a human with advantage and disavantage that he/she carried on.

..back to the topic..

In recent days, i have met with my old friends, either via instant messenger or email. Several of them asked me, how to escape from their stuck career and several of them just sharing their confusion, how`s life after their retirement (their company have done a lay-off programm), whereas as i know, they are a good employees with good skill on the past days.

One thing that i have get from their story: they are really not prepare anything for their future and skill.

For example, i have a friend that he have good skill with Time Division Multiplexing network and he always keep in his mind that the company still need him with his skill. When several devices migrated into IP base, he don`t want to touch the devices and only want to keep with TDM network devices. So, now he is one of my friend that listed on lay-off programm from the company.

yes, the time always changes and this life sometime too cruel to be. So, be prepare for that. Keep learning and keep upgrade your skill. Only you that can changes your life, not anyone. Your career is in your hands, not in anyone else hands

So, Stay hungry. Stay foolish.

 

*this articles have been published on http://projectavatar.net also on 4 Desember 2011

So, you want to be a CCIE ?

I received so many e-mails in recent days regarding to CCIE SPv3 Lab, how story behind it and how to pass the exam.

I think, its so many words to explain, especially for “how story behind it”.

I started to think about CCIE after finishing my CCNP level in the middle of 2009. What kind of motivation that i was thinking about ?

Just simple, i just wanted to give a value added for myself.

As you know, there are a lot of people out there working with same title as the subject : Network Engineer. The level of Network Engineer may vary with wide span, from the beginner to the expert, obviously.

Now the question is : Where is your current position on that level ?

You may think that you are a God of Cisco Router when you have configured the OSPF. Or maybe, you feel freak when you have stopped a looping route. Yes, people that working with you maybe know, you are the best. But, how about another folks outside there ? How they know that you are the best of the best Network Engineer ?

I think, you are still need that recognition. How ? with the certification. What kind of certification is the most prestigious networking certification in the today industry? for surely : CCIE.

Back to my story…

I have passed my CCIE SP written at the last of 2009 and immediately booked the exam lab on March 2010 in Sydney. There were a lot of efforts, both time and cost, for preparation. I`ve bought the workbooks, rental rack tokens, printing some e-book and finding out some forums to find how to prepare for the CCIE lab.

On my first attempt in Sydney, i’ve got bad result. I got only 46% for configuration and passed for Open Ended Questions (CCIE SPv2 have additional task as prerequisites. There were 4 essay questions that you should have right answer for at least 3 questions, or you will be failed on the lab). I felt disappointed on that day and i knew that i have to push myself to learn subjects that become my weakness.

In the next 2 months after my 1st attempt, i went to Hongkong to take my 2nd attempt. I really confidence that time because i had allocated many times to study with 80% for labbing and 20% for reading (to prepare Open Ended Questions task). I arrived to Cisco office at Great Eagle very early and only thinking about MPLS LDP, ATM CellMode, Route-Target Filtering, QoS, etc etc, while waiting other candidates.

The exam started at 8:15 am.

I started with answering 4 OeQ questions and started to enter the configuration section when i finished answering those damn 4 OeQs. Everything going well until something happened, i lost my telnet connection to the rack! I asked to proctor, was there any problem with telnet connections ? He answered, yes,there was some problem with access server and he contacted another team immediately.

Fiuhh.. thanks God. At least the problem was not part of troubleshooting tasks 😀

I got the telnet session after almost 50 minutes waiting. The proctor gave me additional time to payback my previous wasted time.

I finished almost 75% config when lunch time coming and tried to finish my lunch immediately. At 3pm, i left the exam room and really sure that i would pass the exam at that time.

In the hotel room, i waiting the exam result. I really couldn’t wait for the result and imagined what the number that i`d get. But, i felt so down when i got the result : once again, FAIL. And, that was really hurt when i realized that i failed on the OeQ section (only get 50%, just need 1 right answer to be pass), and i passed on the configuration section.

Yeah, i really dissapointed at that time. I even didn`t accept for this result and immediately opened a case to Certification and Communities Online support. I got the answer of my case from Certification & Communities Online support 2 weeks later and had a chance to contact the CCIE Lab Manager directly. She was so kind and really helpfull, but she really sure that the proctor team had a right answer for the OeQ and the result of my lab was final decision.

I let myself to get out from any Cisco stuffs for 2 weeks and immersed myself to my daily activities.

In the next month, after my 2nd attempt, i started to prepare for my 3rd attempt. Its really hard to go back to see my 2nd attempt result, but deep inside my heart, i felt pride to pass the configuration section. It means that, i have a CCIE level skill at this time and really sure that i could pass the lab in my 3rd attempt.

I went back to Hongkong to get my 3rd attempt in the next 2 months after failed on 2nd attempt. I did my configuration and finished the lab at 4pm.  At this time, once again, i had to face a bad result : FAIL. I got the Configuration section only 74% and passed for Open ended questions.

As usual, i let myself to get out from any Cisco stuffs for 2 weeks and tried to go back prepare for my 4th attempt. During my preparation, Cisco had announced that they wpould release CCIE Lab version 3 in the middle of April 2011. I really shocked and it pushed me to immediately order my lab seat on November 2010.

I went back to Hongkong for my 4th attempt. Really sure that, i would pass the lab at the time. No more Fail, no more pain, no more tears, at that time i should pass,i talked to myself.

But, once again, i got a bad result. I got only 78% on Configuration and failed for OeQ as well.

In the same month, i got a new job from another company. I resigned from my previous company in the middle of Dec 2010.

I tried to forget for a while to pursue CCIE and try to focus to finish my first project. After finishing my project, i moved to a team that support one of Service Provider company in Indonesia. I just realized that, this Service Provider use some XR12K and CRS-1 stuffs. I tried to deep understand the technology on those routers, tried to find what kind of similiar command between IOS-XR and IOS and tried to be involved in some migrations working to increase my IOS-XR skill.

I started to find some information for SP Lab format after Cisco released the SPv3. I really excited when Cisco released some sample lab and started to build a lab. I and my team (who interested in taking CCIE Lab SPv3) asked for permission to our company to use spare devices as a lab and we got positive respons from them. We got 1 x CRS-1, 2 x XR-12404, 1 x XR-12404, 3 x 3750. For 7206-VXR routers, we used a PC that running GNS-3 and bridge them into the real devices.

Everyday, after office hour, we came into the office and did some lab scenario until late at night. Even in Saturday and Sunday, we did the lab and discussed some issue that appeared.

In the middle of October 2011, after almost 1 year since i failed on my 4th attempt, i went back to Hongkong to take my 5th attempt.

I did my lab as usual. Read them carefully and tried to figure out what the questions want (I have written my lab experience in https://tedhi.wordpress.com/2012/04/06/ccie-lab-spv3-review/ ). I finished my lab on 2.30 pm and checked them for sure until i left the exam room at 4.00 pm.

I went back to Jakarta after finishing my lab, so i immediately went to Airport after praying at the mosque in Kowloon.

During waiting the Jetstar counter to check in, i opened my laptop and connected to HKIA free WiFi. I really shocked that when i checked the email, there was an email coming from Cisco informed that my exam result can be viewed in the ccie website. It was so fast, i thought. I still remembered that i was so nervous when login to the website and felt my heart stop beating when i saw my number : 30949.

Wow, it was another best time in my life after my marriage day and birth of my children. I sent  a SMS to my wife and informed her that i had passed the exam at that time. I really excited and couldn,t sleep during my flight to Changi Airport, thought what i was doing during this journey.

After all, i thank to God for everything that He gave and off course for my wife and for my kids who never stop supporting me during pursue my CCIE.

So, What kind of things that i can learn from the story ? The keyword is : Never Give Up. You may be feel down when Fail on the 1st attempt, 2nd attempt, 3rd attempt or maybe 8th attempt.

But, never think to stop. Because, When you decide to stop, you`ll never get anything. Not only when pursue CCIE, but anything that you chase on now.

If you have got your CCIE number, What Next ?

Off course, you will get some benefit from your achievement. You will get some email from several Head Hunter that offer some jobs, you will get some bonus from your current employer, you will get some acknowledgement from your colleagues, etc (I will not publish another benefit and try makes you all curious ;)).

All of the benefits, worth your effort and time that have already spent. I guarantee, you will feel the same with me at the time i’ve got my CCIE number.

So, you want to be a CCIE ?

Tedhi Achdiana

CCIE#30949 – Service Provider

*this articles have been published on http://projectavatar.net also on 11 November 2011

CCIE Lab SPv3 – review

Dear all,

Finally i`m ready to writting my lab experience on the previous couple days.

On the first look, the topology of CCIE Lab SPv3 is quite simple, but it is a huge topology. If you ask me, did you feel nervous on the first look ? Yes i did 😀 . I think it is normal when you have unexpected thing on the first time.

There are 2 x XR-12404 with SDR (2 PRPs on each other), 3 x ME switches and 7206VXR on the rest of the routers (running on a simulator with Solaris ). I count them and approximally there are 30 routers on there. You suppose to ask me, how they are treat the XR Routers ? Yes, the XR routers act as P and PE router :).

The 2nd layer old technologies are still exist, such as Frame Relay, PPP and ethernet. SONET appears on the lab, but don`t worry, there is no specific SONET / POS Interface technology question ( i think it will be more fun if cisco add questions for bundling POS or another cool SONET technology as additional task).

IPv6 appears on the whole of topology. It running as dual stack with IPv4. You should be having solid knowledge of IPv6, either IPv6 address schematic or IPv6 itself. But most important of this IPv6 is you should good knowledge on the protocol which are using IPV6 (OSPFv3, RIPng, EIGRP for IPv6, ISIS for IPv6). If you are not sure how to using IPv6, it better to read them for further. Somehow, this technology makes you desperate during the exam lab, but don`t worry, as long as you know how to handle IPv6, you`ll be fine. I give you these links as a clue : http://ieoc.com/forums/t/15326.aspx?PageIndex=10 and http://blog.ioshints.info/2010_03_01_archive.html

This exam lab is using web base instead hardcopy. You can find the questions, topology, IP addressing table, etc on one window. Just simply click on the tabs, you will found those stuffs on there. No more papers on your table except 2 – 3 pieces of blank papers with your name printed on them. How to telnet the routers ? yeah, just clicking on the router icon and the emulator will pop up. Unfortunatelly, there is Putty instead SecureCRT as emulator. So, it will be helpfull if you practising your lab using Putty, at least makes you comfort on the real lab.

The tasks were grouped (4 grouped section contains several tasks), starting with core section and finish with L2VPN technology. You should get the points not less than 80% every section to pass this lab (not explicitly announce on the lab, but i`m sure this scoring will not different with Spv2 scoring).

Troubleshooting tasks were embedded on the questions. Some questions will give you a clue where the problem is, but some questions not explicitly say where is the problem. Use some tools, such as show, debug, ping etc. Beware that, i found at least 2 – 3 typo questions on there. Don`t hesitate to ask the proctor and clarify that it is a typo.

The questions is quite simple. But, there is a lot of traps on there. Some tasks may be destroy previous tasks configuration. I highly recommend to still keeping the “terminal monitor” or “logging console” on.  By this way, you will be aware immediately if some protocol bring down during you do a task. It means that, your previous configuration is wrong and further correction is needed.

Last but not least, the topology on the Spv3 is twice bigger than Spv2. You should be prepare to manage your time, because its too much router that you need to configure. Don`t be lazy to check your lab everytime you have finish per-each task and after your finish whole lab. You may feel tired during your lab after configuring a lot routers. But, try to enjoy it, because sometimes you need to configuring 10 routers just to get points on one task.

Good Luck!

Tedhi Achdiana

CCIE#30949 – Service Provider

*this articles have been published on http://projectavatar.net also on 21 Oktober 2011

Hello world!

Hello World…!

Yes, this is the first time i use WordPress to write my thoughts, my feel and my activities.

Stay tune and see you on the next post and  !