How would you answer?

My older sister just called from her meeting with a group of other women from her church.  They wanted an answer to what would seem to be a simple question:  What is the cloud?  Is it a physical thing?  Bear in mind that my sister, by her own admission, doesn't really "get" computers.  I answered that it is both a physical thing (servers, data centers, cables, routers, and so on) plus a virtual thing (applications and storage, for example).  They wanted to know if it's something that floats in the air like a traditional cloud.  I said no, not really.  They wanted to know if things in the cloud are permanent.  I said they can be.  They wanted to know if those things could be destroyed.  I said yes, but, thinking of Scott Thompson, I said "Don't count on it being destroyed."  They wanted to know if the cloud itself could be destroyed.  I said, "It's theoretically possible, but it (the Internet) was engineered back in the 60s to withstand nuclear war, so don't count on it." 

How did I do?  What would you say to a group of intelligent people who don't really understand computers and networks to answer questions like these?

How to Configure a DMZ on a Cisco ASA 5505

For anyone interested in Cisco ASA training, I've updated the procedures for configuring a DMZ on a Cisco ASA Security Appliance.  The config file is here at www.soundtraining.net/dmzconfig and there's a new companion video on our video channel at www.soundtraining.net/videos.  Here's the video: 

 

There were some old configs in my book, The Accidental Administrator:  Cisco ASA Security Appliance, so this simply updates them for current ASA software versions.

How to keep the training "evergreen"

One of the biggest challenges in training is moving the new ideas and concepts from sensory memory into short-term memory and, ultimately, into long-term memory. This process is also known as keeping it "evergreen".

It's not easy, but it can be done with effective followup techniques. Here are some ideas you can implement to get the most value from your training dollars and reinforce the ideas I've shared with your staff. Even if I haven't been fortunate enough to work directly with your staff, you can still make use of these tools to help develop yourself and your I.T. staff.

• Review Key Points:  Review at regular staff meetings. Hearing these ideas repeated by the boss reinforces your commitment to the process.
• Show a Video:  I have several videos available on my YouTube channel and you're welcome to show these videos at staff meetings. Most of them are fairly short, they're all "to-the-point" and can help reinforce concepts from previous training sessions. Here is my latest video on YouTube, an excerpt from a presentation I gave at the 2012 Cascadia IT Conference in Seattle titled "Why Customer Service is Important to IT" (More are coming, so stay tuned!)
• Post a List:  Post a bulleted list of objectives in break rooms and on employee bulletin boards. I've even seen some companies post such lists in restrooms. I'm working on preparing such a list in a poster form. I'll let you know as soon as it's ready.
• Give a Test:  I recently prepared a brief exam based on my book The Compassionate Geek: Mastering Customer Service for IT Professionals. I'll be glad to send you a copy, along with the answer key. Just drop me an email.

The point is to not allow the training to be a one-time event.  Repetition helps move the information into long-term memory.  Find ways to keep the key points in front of your staff and you'll help them remember it and implement it.  Call or email if I can be of service.

Making the case for authenticity

In my customer service workshops and speeches, I often talk about the importance of being authentic, of being real.  Here's a real-life story about Nick Sarillo, a Chicago-area pizza restauranteur saved his business with a very humble and equally authentic email to his customers.  http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20120315/BLOGS06/120319853/suburban-chicago-restaurateurs-unusual-plea-to-customers-pays-dividends  Even if you're not particularly interested in business, it's a short read with a simple message about being authentic in our dealings with our fellow humans.  It's refreshing, especially considering that his bank and his PR team discouraged him from doing what, in his gut, he knew was the right thing to do.

Always be authentic.

Just signed publishing deals for two books!

I'm very excited right now.  I have just signed two publishing deals with Fair Trade Digital Exchange, a new publisher of technical books created by three veterans of the technical publishing business.  The two books are The Accidental Administrator:  Fundamentals of Computer Networking and an update of The Compassionate Geek:  Mastering Customer Service for I.T. Professionals.  Both books should be out within the next four months.  More details as they become available.

Customer Service: Choosing the Right Tool for the Job

My wife and I recently had a glass of wine with a woman who is a sys admin for a small company here in Seattle.  I asked her what systems she supported and her reply was refreshing.  She said, "Whatever my users need to do their jobs.  For some, it's a Mac, for others it's Windows."  Contrast that with my friend Jim who told me last night how his company's I.T. department dictates what tools will be used without understanding the business needs of the individual worker.  I realize, of course, that in the enterprise, it can be difficult to support multiple platforms and practical considerations sometimes dictate a single platform for all (or most) users.  After all, that's why both Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines standardize on the Boeing 737.  Makes it easier to train cockpit crew and mechanics and you only need to stock parts for a single platform.  Still, if our jobs in I.T. are about helping our users work more creatively, productively, and efficiently, doesn't it make sense to choose the right tool for the job instead of applying a universal solution to everyone?
Shouldn't we spend some time each week listening to our users to learn more about how they work and what their needs are?  That way, we can craft technological solutions that will help them work more creatively, productively, and efficiently.  If you're already doing this, please send me an email telling me your story.  It just might end up in the next edition of The Compassionate Geek!

Cisco ASA: New video on configuring remote management options

Just uploaded a new video to my YouTube channel on How to Configure Telnet, SSH, and ASDM Connections for Remote Management on the Cisco ASA.  It's based on chapter four in my book The Accidental Administrator:  Cisco ASA Security Appliance.  Hope it's helpful.