As I sit here thinking if this site is worth my time, some words that someone said to me recently ring true. “Take from things you’re doing every day” is what Brent Salisbury of networkstatic.net said to me. He was right.
    …And it was why I originally started this site, in a way. The original goal was to make a site I could take notes on and possibly help out someone trying to solve the same issues as me or look at something from the same perspective I had.  I do a lot of self study and tinkering in my home lab.  I also do a lot of off the wall things day to day.  I also do occasional consulting, when it’s interesting.  Taking notes on these things is probably useful to at least someone.
    However, there is a lot of content out there saying a lot of the same stuff and in better, smarter and more digestible ways that I can. There are numerous Cisco focused sites that are far better than I could hope to produce in my nearly non-existent “free time”.  I know because I frequent many of them to help me.  IOSHints, Networking Nerd, Packet Life are all fantastic resources.  Another of my favorite reads is Evil Routers.  It is sort of a unique bird, while the others are a tad cisco focused (not entirely, but mostly), Jeremy Gaddis throws in all kinds of amazing networking info in a well written manner and adds a significant amount of spice that is what I can only believe is his personality (I’ve never met him).  I can’t *not* read it.  I utilize these resource, in addition to Network Static and Packet Pushers almost daily.  I hope this can be a shadow of those sites.  If something from my never ending, incoherent rambling can help out one person in a tight bind or a day-to-day problem, then I’ll consider it a success.

    Back to the point.

    I am in a fairly unique environment in my day job.  The history of networking is very deep here.  Working for a major research university that has not only a major computing research facility, but one that was part of ARPAnet gives me (and anyone that works in this environment) a very unique perspective.  We have to support and secure the network as if it is an enterprise, but it also has to facilitate research.  Additionally, it needs to be extremely flexible yet also supportable.  And we’re a government entity, so we have to go to RFP for equipment, so we don’t get to pick and choose what we want.  If it meeds the technical requirements and budget, that is what we get.  Also, we just built out a Fiber to the premises ISP that won NATOA Broadband project of the year award, so we’re supporting a commercial ISP, too. Oh, we also don’t have a huge budget.  We need to be able to work on any network gear, security appliances, network related software packages or optical transport gear laid in front of us, and become experts on that gear in extremely short order.  We don’t have the luxury that many do in that we can throw something out if it’s not brand X or has a different take on a particular way of doing things.  It’s a little like consulting (from what I remember from 14 years ago) in that it’s probably something different every day.

    If you think these things are all diametrically opposed, you’re right.  Luckily we are blessed with a small but very clued and extremely diligent team.  I would consider us not unlike the spartans.  Few, but unwilling to fail and very long in drive to complete.

    And that’s why I love it.

   Enter this unkempt little corner of the internet.  Given that there is a bit of a lacking presence of non-cisco focused informational sites out there, maybe I can add some value……or at least not detract.  Lets start with two things I’ve found useful.  One is something I’m always looking for and never seem to bookmark.  JTAC Recommended Junos Software Versions.  This is invaluable, and unless you’re doing something bleeding edge or edge case, this is a fantastic page to bookmark.  The other is a good resource for HP H3C networking gear.  Jeff knows his stuff and likes to share it on his blog.  He also knows a lot about other HP gear.