Finally IPv6 Makes Sense

I've been helping Cisco customers (mostly Service Providers) in analyzing, planning, and deploying IPv6 in their network since 2007. I have provided both basic and advanced IPv6 training multiple times. And yet these days some people still ask question: why do we need IPv6? In more specific, if the question comes from Internet or Service Providers, the question would be: why do we need to invest in IPv6?

There is comprehensive slide from our marketing team for that. No, I won't discuss that. Nor would I discuss about the alternative like carrier grade NAT or the recommended strategy to migrate IPv4 to IPv6.

In today's reality, some customers are deploying IPv6 in the network because they are running out of public IPv4 address and they believe address translation is not the answer. Some customers are forced to deploy IPv6 by government mandate. For some, they are just following the trend to be on the leading edge. Some customers with superb business mindset are doing it because they are planning to launch new services or to open new business opportunities.

But what does this mean to you as individual?

Most mortals don't know about IPv6. They don't even care. If today you can browse the Internet, check your email, update your Facebook status, tweet your ideas, using IPv4, what different it's going to make when the SP give you IPv6 instead, or tunnel your IPv4 across their IPv6 network? Are you willing to pay more if you are using "IPv6 infrastructure" to use the very same services like Internet? I bet you aren't.

So if you think you are IPv6 guru because you are currently using HE IPv6 tunnel broker, you must be mistaken. For most people, you are just acting like a geek :)

Superb picture from my mentor to show what most people (who work in computer networking area) think about IPv6 address.

So why do the Internet or Service Providers need to invest in IPv6 while most of their users don't even care?

Because IPv6 is not for human being. It's for the "things."
All the things that need to connect to the Internet. PC, smartphones, tablets, wifi routers, IP cameras, IP phones, home appliances, sensors and any IP based devices.

In 2008, the number of things connected to the Internet exceeded human being population. Cisco predicts in 2016 the number of Internet devices is three time the population. So let's say 15-16 billion devices. And they all will need Internet Protocol (IP) address.

That's only 4 years from now. And since IPv4 theoretically can only provide 4 billion total IP addresses (if we can use them all) while IPv6 can provide 340,282,366,920,938,463,374,607,432,768,211,456 addresses, with IPv6 we can even provide 100 to each atom on the face of the earth.

Finally IPv6 makes sense.

Check out the nice infographic from Cisco for this.

And welcome to the Internet of Things.

Too Busy to Study CCIE?

I heard this many times. Himawan, I want to become a CCIE, but I don't have time to study. Either because I'm too busy with my work, my family, my bachelor/master study, my social life, my newly born baby, my upcoming wedding, my (insert the excuse here).

It's always easy to come up with an excuse.

My reply is simple: why you want to become CCIE in the first place? Always start with intention. Good intention always produces good result. What's the purpose of doing something like chasing CCIE? If the reason is worth the time and money spent to become CCIE, one will find the way to get it, no matter how hard.

But Himawan, when you took your first lab, your previous company gave you 2 months off. Yes, but that was 11 years ago when CCIE was still rare and many companies were trying to be the first to have the most number of CCIEs. And as reminder, in exchange I was ready to get fired if I fail in two lab attempts. Will you do the same?

And here is another harsh argument for those who claim want to become CCIE but like to spend more time making excuses instead of working on it:

Given enough time and resource, anyone can pass CCIE.
But,
Will you hire someone who can pass CCIE if he stops working completely and stays at home whole time just to study?
I know I won't.

Why, you may ask? Because we live in a very fast pace era where there is no more time can be allocated solely to study. Everyone is expected to do more with less. To achieve more with shorter time. To be more efficient. To be able to handle multiple tasks and assignments.

So if you want to really become a CCIE, make time. Show the world you can manage multiple tasks from your daily job, your life, as well as from your study. You need that skill to face the pressure during the lab exam day anyway. And for sure you need to be able to do that in real world.

Because that's the quality people are looking from you these days.
Especially after you get your CCIE.

PS: I work as global consultant for Cisco Systems. I lead multiple projects in several countries. I travel from time to time. I help developing CCIE content and write new questions. I speak in Cisco Live. I maintain internal certification program for new engineers. I'm a CCIE mentor inside Cisco. Outside Cisco I run a non-profit organization to help students rom my country to become globally competitive professionals. I have developers working for me to develop the platform for mentoring program and scholarship. I study MBA. I'm a father of three. I go offroading to the desert. I play snowboarding in Ski Dubai. I watch Ice Age 4 and Amazing Spiderman.
You get my point.

Are We Evil Now?

Last night I woke up at 3 am, and found that Cisco has become the new evil. The new big brother. The one who tries to control the world. At least that's how the blog post in here and here see the recent changes with Linksys routers for home networking.

To make the story short: Cisco announced the cloud service for Linksys routers. It dramatically simplifies how users connect, control and interact with their connected devices, including personal entertainment and home appliances. It also offers mobile app which provides easy access to the router using a smartphone or tablet, make it possible for the users to connect devices to their Wi-Fi Router with as little as one tap of a button or with a quick swipe, as well as the Internet content filter app to protect all users and devices from accessing content from security vulnerable sites, adult content and other non-family friendly sites.

That sounds good to me! Cisco seems to change the game, one more time, and this time Cisco shows the world how by utilizing the cloud it can bring home networking to the next level.

But for some others, they see two major issues:
1. After the recent automatic update to the latest software version that supports the cloud service, users now must login to their router using Cisco Cloud Service account. For some people they feel like Cisco is forcing all Linksys owners to subscribe to the cloud service.
2. Those who like to spend time to read a long Term of Service from the cloud service, found some confusing wording that may lead to "Cisco can monitor everything you do and sell your information" kind of thing. Or shutdown the router when the users are accessing warez and porn sites.

Perhaps Cisco should inform the users that with the latest software update their Linksys routers will be connected directly to the cloud. But accusing Cisco is the new big brother? I think it's just too far.

Many people sign up to Facebook and willingly provide their personal details without questions. Google recently changed their term of service that makes it possible to target ads you based on the information you provide. Those companies are "selling" your information in a way, because information is somehow their key product.

But Cisco?

I've been in the company for only 6 years but one thing I know for sure: everyone is damn busy. We have lots of networking products and we are so busy with them. Some of us are busy developing the products. Some are busy selling and marketing them. And some like me are busy deploying them. If you are in the company and not part of the team who either develop, or sell, or deploy the product it means you are a cost center. I don't think we have a big team, who has not generated any money hence the cost center, with daily job to monitor Internet usage of hundred thousands of Linksys owners. Heck I'm not sure even if have a big team to monitor the Internet usage of Cisco employees!

And to date Cisco still makes the revenue from the products and services. And the company focus now are with core networking, data center cloud, video, collaboration, and business architectures. I don't see "targeted advertisement" there. And what Cisco did last year by offering early retirement packages to thousands of employees and shutting down consumers division of Flip, is to become more efficient and inline with the company focus.

So I don't think Cisco is planning anywhere soon to become over-the-top technology company. And I don't see any recent jobs opening for that. Do you?

So what do I personally think about what happened?
Great idea, that introduced with small glitch.

Perhaps the Term of Service needs to be reviewed and scrutinized word by word to avoid the confusion. But that's it.

So is Cisco evil now? No, I don't think so.
At least not with this case.

Instead we are actually ahead of the game in home networking. Think about most people who don't want complexity in managing their wireless connection. Those who want to put parental control to filter Internet connection for their kids. And to monitor their home appliances from the phone.

That's. Freaking. Awesome.

Disclaimer: Yes, I work for Cisco. And yes, I'm proud to be part of the company that changes the way we live, work, play and learn. But the opinions expressed in this post are my own. I was not asked nor forced to write this post by anyone. And if Cisco wants to counter those blog posts they have much better team of writers for the job, as shown from this post.

CCDE, Shall We?

This week I'm in San Diego for Cisco Live US 2012.

It's been an amazing week. Even on last Saturday I had to fly 17 hours to reach Los Angeles from Dubai. Even then I had to continue driving 200 miles to reach San Diego. Even I didn't sleep at all during the flight, and I was able to sleep only 3 hours before my session. Even I had to deliver the 9-hour techtorial on the very first day of Cisco Live, together with the CCIE Program Manager and an expert from TAC team. Even I was completely dead and slept whole day after the session.

Other than my session, the inspiring keynote speech and demo by the CEO, all other great sessions for full week, Cisco store and all the parties at nights, I also had chances to meet many great guys. From book author to distinguished engineers. From customers in US and abroad, to one great guy who invented label switched multicast.

Two guys I met who reminded me to my past, because I used their book and guidance to become CCIE, are: Bruce Caslow, and Brian Dennis. Caslow is the author of the first CCIE book I read in 1999: Bridges, Routers, and Switches for CCIEs. Brian Dennis is the CEO and instructor from INE whom his video-on-demand and workbook I used to pass my third CCIE track.

There are many great guys I met in Cisco Live San Diego, but those two are special because they reminded me about the good old days, or the hard days, when I was trying to pass the CCIE lab. It would be complete if Halabi and Doyle came to the event too, but I guess that would never happen.

Meeting people from the past brought up some spark to my mind: how if I take one more certification, for the last time?

I'm quite excited about the new CCIE Data Center, but I know it won't be available soon. So the only option I have now is the CCDE. Yes, I failed it couple of times in the past, and it looks like I can get only one final free attempt from Cisco. The exam has been updated to version 2 now, and I heard there are some improvement from the version 1 that I hate, no, I meant, the version that was not to my taste :)

There are several reasons why I should not go for another CCDE attempt:

- I work as solutions architect for Cisco Advanced Services. I'm a tech lead in the project with Cisco customers. I do design. I always do. And I do many more than what CCDE can test in the exam: meeting real customer, capturing real customer requirements, leading design workshop, managing resources, discussing and listening, writing design document, and many other design related tasks. And I have already 3 CCIEs, I work for Cisco and I have about 13 years experience working in the same field. I don't think I need to get certified as a network design expert.

- CCDE exam test the knowledge in high level design. No low level design task. No product specific. No hardware architecture. I do low level design for real customers. I work with the details from physical link, IP addressing to low level configuration of IGP, MPLS, BGP, customer services, multicast, QoS, security and management, to migration strategy. I use best practices and the result from lab simulation and testing. I'm not sure if someone who works in low level design and such detail needs to get certified in high level design knowledge.

- As mentioned previously, I have two lives. I work for Cisco in the day, and I run my non-profit organization at night. Or probably the other way around :) But in short, I'm always busy. I travel from time to time. I also have a family I need to spend my time with, as well as all other activities like offroading on the desert or snowboarding in Ski Dubai. Every certification requires the most expensive investment we have to make: time. Time that may better be spent to do something else.

As you can see I can come up with many reasons not to take CCDE. And yet I can only come up with one reason to do it: because I'm a big fan of Cisco certification program. I call myself CCIE evangelist. I truly believe Cisco certification can help anyone to start or advance his/her career. I'm a living proof of this: everything I knew about computer networking at the beginning of my career, I had it because I followed Cisco certification.

Decision, decision.
So what's it gonna be?

My cool tattoo, thanks to Cisco Live.
Wondering if I can add another one next year.

Two Lives

Please allow me to share one secret: I have two lives.

In one life, I'm the "global consultant" for Cisco Systems Advanced Services. I act as the technical lead and solution architect to handle multiple Cisco AS projects in Emerging Markets, which covers eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, even these days I'm busy traveling more to Nigeria and South Africa, to ensure our solution can overcome the customers' challenges in deploying new technology as well as maintaining their network infrastructure.

In another life, I'm the co-founder and the managing director for GEM Foundation, a non-profit organization that has the vision to prepare students in my country for the competition in global market. We have some activities like regular Webex meeting to connect senior professionals and entrepreneurs to share their experience, tips and trick, technical and soft skill, business and entrepreneurship to younger professionals and students. Some other activities include scholarship, annual road show, career coach and mentoring, cheap training academy and internship program.

For my first life I have to rely on my field experience, consulting and customer skills, project management, leadership as well as my technical skills especially in IP NGN, Carrier Ethernet, Mobile space and Data Center. I have to keep up with the technology by always renewing my CCIE status. And I may pursue another expert level certification like CCDE and CCIE Data Center. Just like what I've been doing since I started 13 years ago and during my 6 years time with Cisco.

For my second life I have to deal with something completely different. Yes it is not-for-profit organization but we still need to make money in order to maintain a sustainable business. We treat it just as a startup company. I personally use Lean Startup method, bootstrap like Maverick startup and use Guerrilla marketing system.

So far my second life has forced me to be involved heavily in product development, to make business plan, handle the organization structure and management, and practice marketing, selling and pitching the ideas. I'm really into this foundation I decided to go back to school to learn deeper about business and management.

The two lives may lead to one target life in the future.
What is it, you may ask?
Let's keep it as secret for now.

Cisco Careers Infographic

Infographic by INE, Inc. providers of Cisco Certification Training.

10 Things I Wish I Did

I don't like to claim myself as a busy person. But the past few weeks before I conducted the 3-day Indonesian Networkers 2012 event between 26-28 March, I had to split my time between Cisco Live Melbourne, the travel time, the jet lags and working on several design documents for 2 projects I'm currently working on concurrently. So frankly I didn't have much time to prepare for Indonesian Networkers 2012.

Eventually I managed to finalize the slides for 6 topics I was going to present; 2 for technical presentation, 2 for sharing project experiences, and the last 2 for career advices. Most of the slides I made during the long flight between Dubai - Singapore - Melbourne - Singapore - Jakarta. Some slides were created during the sleepless nights in Melbourne. And I remember I was awake until 3 am in the morning the night before the first meeting with university students to complete one slide deck.

I tried to come up with the best material, even though I was completely ignoring the copyright of the photos I used in the slides. I just used whatever I found using Google Images. What I had in mind was to deliver the best I could with the time constraint.

Fortunately, many students came to me after the session and said the session was useful. And there was one particular slide deck they like the best, the one I called 10 Things I Wish I Did in University.  I always brought up the slides at the end of every session with the students.

If you wonder why I put Cisco logo in the title slide, even I had the following disclaimer, is because I felt grateful the company let me take days off to stop by Indonesia so I had opportunity to create this event. Those who ever work for high pressure and demanding projects should know sometimes it's not easy to let a team member or the project leader to have such break in the middle of many activities.

On the air between Melbourne and Singapore, I imagined if I could go back to university and prepared myself to compete in global market. Based on my experience working as professional in multiple countries for more than 10 years, I put down the things I wish I did before graduate.

So here it is, the 10 Things I Wish I Did in University:

1. Make more mistakes. Take more risks

School is the best place to make mistakes. The worst thing can happen is to fail a subject and repeat it again in the following year. Make mistakes as professional has more implication and business impact. I wish I made many more mistakes and took more risks as a student.

2.  Find the one thing I love, earlier

After figure out that many people who change the world are the one who work on the thing they love, I wish I spent more time to find the one thing I love when I was a student or much earlier.

3. Work hard on things that matter

Once I knew the thing that I love doing, I would be focusing my self to start preparing and pursuing it as early as possible. I would work hard on things that matter that made me closer to achieve my desire.

4. Always finish everything I start

Good thing I finished my Mechanical Engineering degree, even in the middle I knew the subject was not something I would like to do to make a living. There were many more things I wish I finished. I wish I always delivered and made it as habit to finish everything I started.

5. Make more networks

Human networking is one main key to success in global competition. Some said, it's who you know not what you know. I wish I spent more time to make more networks, beyond my department, beyond my city, with all professionals across the globe who work on the field that I wanted to be, even when I was still in university.

6. Take more leader positions

Now I know global market seeks for leader not follower, I wish I took more leader positions as a student. I wish I joined many organization and be the leader. To learn that it's not easy to become one, to make hard decision, to assume responsibilities and to delegate works.

7. Do more communication. Do more presentation

I wish I did more presentation in English in university. I wish to be brave enough to stand up and voice my opinion if I believed it was right. It's better to be a laughing matter at school instead of as professional who faces difficulty to speak in public just because lack of practices.

8. Manage money wisely

Invest money as early as possible is always a good idea. And if I had managed my money from young, I would learn how to do budgeting, how to be more efficient, how to make decision in spending and many more that are essentials for global competition.

9. Contribute more to community

Most of us start working for profit, then for the one we are passionate about, and finally for a higher purpose. For me the higher purpose is to be useful for the community and people around me, no matter how small. I wish I contributed more to community, in any way, to make it as a habit and at the same time to have opportunity to make networks.

10. Travel the world

I wish I spent time to travel the world since I was very young. So I would get used to see differences. So I could work and be with others who have different mindset, who come from different background.

And as closure, I put up the new motivation words that I invented after watching The Three Musketeers movie using Emirates Airline in flight entertainment.

To all Indonesian students: it's your time.
Dream. Fight. Love. Live. Seize the day!

If you attended Indonesian Networkers 2012 last week, do you think this slide deck deserves to be called the best over the others?