Software

Introduction The idea of keeping a production and development network always wears on me. Unless the change management is in place to offer some assurances that both threads are kept exactly in sync, they inevitably turn into a game of not good enough to buy down risk. That was the rationale behind creating a system that allowed rapid captures of running machines, transitioning to a closed network, and with no changes to the network/systems have them be as they were just minutes earlier. Thanks to technology from EMC, Cisco, VMware, and VyOS this is all very possible. ...

Agile Software Development using SCRUM is one of best force multipliers a team can utilize to speed-up cycles. It can take a disorganized team and allow them to execute with precision and does so with very small changes to the battle rhythm. I would go as far as to say it increases my ability to manage by applying the same process to documentation, negotiating, and management. With all of that said (and with very little disagreement I’d wager) Agile is going nowhere in defense contracting. The fact is that the 3-letter agencies contracts are written in a way that only allows for waterfall systems engineering approaches. We as an industry have not done well to engage and educate our customers in the benefits. ...

As I learned in a sink vs. swim situation, I wanted to share some books and blogs that helped me. UP FRONT LET ME STATE: I am still learning and screw-up ALL the time. I by no means have this figured out and would love to hear what works for you guys. We are all students of the human mind and can learn together on how this works. Books you need to read from Amazon.com I compiled a list there so you can just purchase in whole or pick what is interesting. If you only pick one book be sure it is the Mythical Man Month. It brought home for me the resource vs. task view of the world. Being able to defend your position and schedules is just as important as being able to create them. Highly Recommend ...

And it is easier…I do my best to use opensource software at all times but there are times when I need, specifically, Windows XP. I just purchased a 24″ iMac and have had no problems with any software prohibiting me from actually using the computer. I figured that most of the people I know would be purchasing macs to also run Windows with bootcamp so I better learn it. No problem I thought, I have a pro purchased copy sitting in the closet collecting dust. I need SP2 to do an install so I download all the necessary updates and copy the cd to the drive. Let me actually list the steps for full effect: ...