Mine the Harvest

School started this week so I am back to being very busy. I am taking four classes this semester, two in class and two on line:

Building Scalable Cisco Networks (Advanced router protocols: EIGRP, OSPF, ISIS, BPG) and IPv6. More in depth with the protocols, load balancing and designing networks for scalability.

Cisco Wireless Networking and Security

Advanced Web Site Design (Yes, some day it is possible that timelordz.com will actually have a home page, though I make no promises. WordPress, Sugar, Splunk, Torrent servers, Mediawiki, Cacti, etc. all hide happily behind that blank home page – perhaps that will change now that I can have some time to make some pages for class.)

Intro to Business

The two Cisco classes are some of the four total needed for CCNP certification, they should be pretty interesting but there is a lot of material to cover in them.

After this semester I am pretty sure I would be able to finish my degree on line if I chose to, though a few of the classes I wouldn’t mind doing on campus. But the flexibility to move if needed, etc. it very good.

Next semester I am looking at perhaps taking a PHP/MySQL class or some C programming classes, just for fun.

Syd is also taking three classes this semester. Advanced Web Designs, a Computer Technology Overview class and another Web Design / CSS class. She is doing great in her web design side projects and should have a site up soon to showcase her digital portfolio of graphics design projects she has been doing for people.

No rest for the wicked . . .

Woot! Today I was contacted by my credit union and informed I was one of 5 people being awarded a $2,500 cash scholarship!

GTE Federal Credit Union posted a notice on their website a month or so ago announcing a scholarship contest. It was open to all members and required applicants to submit an essay on the role of credit unions and what effects would be caused if legislation were passed to remove their tax exempt status.

Being in school at St. Petersburg College perusing my degree the idea of a $2,500 cash scholarship to help with tuition seemed quite an appealing idea. And the subject itself, of why it might not be a good idea to remove the tax exempt status of credit unions was of interest too. Someone could actually give me money to be opinionated and write about it – how alluring . . .

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The CCNA (Cisco Certified Networking Associate) class I am taking at St. Pete College required a paper and presentation as one of its primary projects. My two lab mates and I decided to have our area of focus be on Linux (yes – surprising I know) and its role in a network environment. The paper and Power Point presentation are here. This was an introductory presentation to enlighten students new to networking or IT on the roles Linux plays in networking and environments such as data center, enterprise and small to medium business. 80% of the audience had no experience with Linux, so this was definitely an introductory talk.

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