| Interviewer:
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Please take a minute to
provide our readers with a brief introduction/background. |
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| Author: |
I am the Senior
Protocol Analyst for the Network Analysis Institute (www.netanalysis.org).
My primary focus is on protocol performance, network design and data
flows and network troubleshooting and optimization. In 1999, I began
releasing my own research materials and books through podbooks.com,
my Internet-based publishing company (www.podbooks.com). Through the
Network Analysis Institute, I perform on-site analysis of network
communications with a focus on health, security, and growth. To
date, I’ve written, co-written and edited the following titles:
Using Novell’s NetWire (Know, Inc.), Novell’s Guide to NetWare
LAN Analysis (Novell Press/Sybex Books), The Complete Guide to
Network LAN Analysis (Sybex Books), Novell’s Guide to Internet
Access (Novell Press/IDG Books), Novell’s Guide to Multiprotocol
Internetworking (Novell Press/Sybex Books), Novell’s Guide to LAN
Analysis: IPX/SPX (Novell Press/IDG Books), Introduction to Cisco
Router Configurations (Cisco Press/Macmillan Technical Publishing),
Advanced Cisco Router Configurations (Cisco Press/Macmillan
Technical Publishing), Cisco Internetwork Troubleshooting (Cisco
Press/Macmillan Technical Publishing), Introduction to Network
Analysis (podbooks.com) |
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| Interviewer:
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Where are you from?
How--if at all--has your sense of place colored your writing? |
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| Author: |
I was born and raised
in San Francisco, California (and in the Northern California Bay
Area). I spent most of my spare time between the age of 6 and 15 in
the swimming pool – working out between 4 and 5 hours a day –
swimming was my life. At 15 I quit swimming and was shipped away to
an all-girl private Catholic boarding school – guess I was a bit
wild at home grin>. I’d always been a bit of a prankster and at
boarding school, I had a captive audience. The nuns did not
particularly care for my sense of humor sigh>. My mother’s side
of the family is the joke-telling side…. They can keep you in
stitches for hours. My father’s side of the family is very
business-minded. The two sides balanced each other out and made for
some very interesting family get-togethers. I believe their humor
and diversity helps me relate to a wide variety of people. |
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| Interviewer:
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When and why did you begin
writing? When did you first consider yourself a writer? |
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| Author: |
I wrote my first book
in 1992 with a fellow Novell employee (Brent Larson – anyone know
where he is now?). I wrote the text and he arranged for the
technical review, formatting and artwork. We tried to release the
book under our own publishing label, but never advertised it. I
didn’t consider myself as a writer until my 3rd or 4th book. When
other people started referring to me as an author and asked me to
sign books, it was a strange and foreign experience. I still
consider myself a researcher and presenter first and foremost. |
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| Interviewer:
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Who or what has influenced
your writing, and in what way? What books have most influenced your
personal and professional life? |
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| Author: |
I would have to say
that C.W. Rogers and Audrey Pine of Vitek had the most profound
affect on my career in general, my presentation style and my writing
style. When I attended a course taught by C.W. in 1988, I
experienced a whole new style of presentation – it was filled with
humor and confidence in the audience’s ability to follow along.
The analogies were priceless and they really enabled me to remember
the materials long after the class was over. Audrey and C.W. hired
me as an instructor at Vitek (a role I’d never considered – I
thought they’d want me as a phone sales person). They allowed me
to use my humor as a teaching tool (in presentations and in printed
matter). As far as books that have influenced me, I’d have to say
the RFCs and IEEE specifications were the best ‘jewels’ I
discovered early on in my analysis career. It is fascinating to read
about the intended performance and functionality of the protocols as
well as the possible field values and uses ok… sounds nerdy,
eh?>. I will always fondly remember John McCann and Patrick
Corrigan’s books since they really launched the technical book
industry. |
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| Interviewer:
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What is the most romantic
book you've ever read? The scariest? The funniest? |
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| Author: |
I don’t read
romantic books. I do read any book by Paul Riser – his view in
“Parenthood” is a classic. I also listen to tapes and read
materials by Dennis Miller (a tremendously intelligent comedian).
Alternately, I read books about psychotic killers (many true-life
books that focus on the mind of killers) and, since my visit to
Moscow several years ago, I have focused on learning more about the
Soviet empire (and even considered learning Russian for a while). I
think I’ve read everything ever published about the Romanov family
and their tragic murder. What a strange mix of titles, eh? |
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| Interviewer:
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Who is the target audience
for your book? What should their level of technical knowledge be? |
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| Author: |
“Introduction to
Network Analysis” is focused on the network administrators and IS
personnel who want to learn how their network functions at the
packet level. I assume that the readers have little or no experience
with a protocol analyzer or packet-level analysis. Although it would
be great if the reader understands how packets are sent through the
network, I did include an appendix that shows the reader how packets
are handled by routers and switches. |
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| Interviewer:
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How is the book organized? |
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| Author: |
Part 1, “What is
Analysis, Anyway?” provides a basic overview of protocol analyzer
elements and placement. This part introduces the reader to decodes,
the trace buffer, alarm system elements, standalone analyzers, and
distributed analyzers. Part 2, “How do You Start?” explains the
first steps of analysis that the reader can try out immediately.
This section explains how to use the analyzer to identify trends and
hot spots and how to document findings in a clear and visual manner.
Part 3, “Identifying Typical Problems,” covers the most common
errors and problems I find on Ethernet, Token Ring, IPX/SPX and
TCP/IP networks. Additional podbook titles are planned to provide
further depth in each of the four network types. |
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| Interviewer:
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Tell us how your
background and experience enabled you to write about this topic? |
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| Author: |
I was the Product
Manager for LANalyzer for Windows when I left Novell. I was
embroiled in the art of protocol analysis. Before working for
Novell, I was an Instructor (CNI). That gave me lots of practice
explaining technology and technical subjects in different ways.
Prior to that, I was a network administrator for a legal firm in Los
Angeles. I also spent lots of time helping different firms implement
their network solutions on behalf of the Beverly Hills Bar
Association (that’s the legal bar association, folks -- not the
brewery association). I have been focusing on packet-level
troubleshooting, optimization and testing for almost 10 years now.
It is rare that a workday goes by without a look at a packet. It is
my hobby as well as my living. |
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| Interviewer:
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What made you decide to
write this extensively on this topic? |
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| Author: |
At BrainShare 99, I
was swamped with people who wanted to know how to start doing
protocol analysis. Many NUI (NetWare Users International) groups
wanted me to come to their location to provide hands-on classes.
I’d decided to stay at home with my kids for the next year (at
least) and could not help out. Since podbooks.com was already in the
works, I shifted the first title to “Introduction to Network
Analysis” to try and address the audience needs. |
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| Interviewer:
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Can your book be helpful
in preparing for Cisco certification? If so, for which
certifications or exams? |
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| Author: |
Yes. Understanding the
basic flow of packets and the method that devices use to communicate
across the wire is a topic revisited in the Cisco certification,
Novell certification and Microsoft certification programs. |
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| Interviewer:
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What other projects are
you planning? Will we see another book from you? If so when? |
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| Author: |
Currently I am
finishing up “TCP/IP Analysis and Troubleshooting” and starting
work on the “NT Analysis and Troubleshooting” pods. The TCP/IP
book should be out within the next month (September 1999). I can’t
tell you when the NT analysis book will be out. You can join the
mailing list at www.netanalysis.org to receive release
dates/announcements on upcoming titles. |
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| Interviewer:
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What did you thinking of
the writing process? How long did it take you write your book? |
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| Author: |
“Introduction to
Network Analysis” was an interesting title to write because it was
the first ‘pod’ from podboosk.com. It was tough to focus on the
formatting, artwork, release method, and all when my typical focus
is the technical content side only. The book took a total of 2-1/2
months to write, but encompassed materials that had been worked on
over several months earlier. |
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| Interviewer:
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Did you learn anything
from this project? If so what? |
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| Author: |
This book is written
in my ‘presentation style’. I had to learn how to adapt the
presentation wording to the printed word. In many cases, I had to
consider whether I was going to offend anyone and if the risk was
worth it. |
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| Interviewer:
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If you were asked what
about what is the best way to succeed in the field of networking
what would you say? |
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| Author: |
Learn to learn. Since
this industry is moving at an incredibly fast pace, you’ve got to
pull together all your best study habits to learn quickly and
effectively. If you’re not strong with self-study, look for a good
instructor/class to attend. |
